Friend’s Page Update 4-27-07
John Gourley
Starting with my reading of "On The Road" in 1959 at the suggestion of a neighbor pal - with no other knowledge of Jack Kerouac at the time - I was impressed with it as a classic American tale, essential for anyone interested in the "Beat’s".
It is a saga of innovative style by an outstanding story teller that I think was greatly influenced by Neal’s style of letter writing with Neal’s free flow manner.
I could identify with the two main characters (Dean and Sal) with their travels - looking for adventure and choosing not to be conventional with bread winning and security.
I was a mechanical engineer (BSME Purdue ‘50) but was always artistically inclined so the book was absorbing and impressive partly because I was about 4 months older than Neal and we had the same picture of our times therefore - the era of the post war "50's - however different our upbringing and opportunities were.
When Neal was paroled in 1960 my close friend, Rusty D’Anna (who was an outstanding talent in local theater productions and a friend of Carolyn’s) asked me if I wanted to meet Neal. I had made Carolyn’s acquaintance at cast parties and several productions which I was a part of. So I was happy to meet Neal on July 4, 1960, fresh from San Quentin. That began an abiding friendship that continued for two years.
I was getting the San Francisco Chronicle every day and would save the sporting green section for him to check out the racing results. So Neal would come by and hang out a while at least once a week. Carolyn was happy to have him visit because he wasn’t supposed to see his old friends according to parole conditions.
I went to San Francisco with him several times - which were always memorable and exciting, especially if he was driving.
In 1962 I leased a place in the hills of Portola Valley and on one occasion Neal came to visit with Ann Maxwell. We had a falling out when I could see he wanted to use the place as a hangout. I was afraid of his chances of attracting the law and involving my landlord.
I didn’t see him again after that encounter in the fall of 1962 until he called me up one Sunday morning in 1965 shortly before Kersey’s bust at La Honda. This was after the cross country trip in the "Further" bus odyssey. They had a lot of movie film and audio tapes that Neal wanted me to hear - of his raps.
We went into Kesey’s side building-workshop full of disarray and he was unable to get the tapes to play. He was strung out, having had no sleep. That was the last time I saw him. There wasn’t much publicity about the bust. Kesey disappeared and I didn’t hear what went down with Neal.
Carolyn had much to say about the whole era when I renewed our friendship in the late ‘70's.
I’ve had many years to ponder over those days with Neal. I’ve looked back to try to come up with the realities. It’s a pleasure to recollect the exciting times engendered by this outsized character. They are moments of reflection that are indelible - recognizable as special even as they were happening.
So however Kerouac might have altered, enhanced or novelized Neal’s personality and behavior, there was a feeling in "On The Road" that this man was justifiably portrayed as a legendary type.
Neal has my vote as the most enigmatic mercurial character in the canons of "Beat"!
You could call me a beat beatnik.
John Gourley
May 18, 2007
San Jose, CA.
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