March 18, 2000So the Wind Won't Blow It All Away"It looked like a fairy tale functioning happily in the post-World War II gothic of America before television
crippled the imagination of America and turned people indoors and away from living out their own fantasies
with dignity." - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I discovered Richard Brautigan during my last year of high school. Since then, he has been one of my favorite authors. I have read all of his novels and all of his poetry that I could get my little Hoosier hands on. I loved all of it. I couldn't get enough. I eagerly waited for his new books to arrive, usually about one each year. Then, new books from Richard stopped appearing. After a year or so I went to the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana to find out why. This was long before the Internet defeated the American Library System during one of the most significant battles of the twentieth century. I didn't feel good about this. One of the kind librarians assisted me and we ran some searches. His body was discovered on October 25, 1984. The 49-year-old author's body was found next to a bottle of alcohol and .44 caliber gun. There was evidence that he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. I still miss him. To me, he was an author of exceptional skill. He had a wonderful imagination. He was witty, funny and sensitive. Too bad he wasn't happy.
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