He says that he knew Jerry Rubin, Abbie Hoffman, and Tom Hayden and admits to getting arrested more times than he can remember. He also says "My brain is more fried than an egg on a Manhattan sidewalk in July." I do recall many years ago seeing him walking around with a black T-shirt with "LSD" on it in big white letters; therefore, I think WB is ostensibly telling the truth, or at least the way he remembers things.
I asked him if he felt that the protesters would really stick it out over the winter, and he said, "The core will, man. They are committed. They don't care if the pigs come in there with a tank; they're going down fighting."
We talked a little while longer and, as our conversation was ending, I asked WB if he was going back to Zuccotti Park any time soon, and he said, "No man, the thrill is gone."
I asked where he was going, and he looked around and then pointed up to the sky, and I started thinking the worst until he opened his trench coat and revealed a Hawaiian shirt. Now, looking more like Nolte in that picture than ever before, he said, "Don't worry, brother, I'm taking a flight to paradise. See you in the funny papers." Off WB went in the brilliant sunshine, sipping coffee and carrying that New York Times. In that instance I suddenly understood that WB was a summer soldier and a sunshine patriot, and he seemed not to have a problem with that; neither did I.
If Zuccotti Park is still occupied come the spring, maybe WB will return to the fold, or perhaps he will join Occupy Honolulu or something like that. No matter, the neighborhood will be less colorful without him in the days ahead.
Happy trails, WB. Happy trails.
Photo Credit: smokinggun.com
Article comments
1 - roger nowosielski
Quite a character, that WB (Hickok) and the resemblance to Nolte is uncanny.
Nice piece of writing, Victor. I suppose you're making your points in between the lines.