July 4, 1972 (Letter from Herb)

Happy Independence day.  Quite a bit has happened to me since I wrote lst.  I won the title of "King Beater of the Peter" yesterday -- 17 times in 1 hour -- how about that.  Yeah, things are still pretty lonely -- it's really bumming me out -- I can't meet a soul.  When I'm working I'm fine but when I come home, I talk to myself.  I can't even sit in a bar -- this fuckin state of yours is archaic when it comes to drinkin laws.

But for a change I had a good weekend.  Bob Dorin and Debbie Kuznitz got married Saturday night.  So Friday I took off for Philadelphia airport -- left my car in the lot -- (left my keys in the car) -- and got on my plane to Buffalo.  The part about locking my keys in my car is a sad truth.  I was in such a fuckin hurry that I ust locked them in.  Anyhow Friday night I stayed with Wienkowski.  Then on Saturday I got a lift with Richie Belgard (RedBeard) to Syracuse.  The wedding was great -- we got stoned 1st in our hotel room.  Then we got drunk at the wedding -- by 5 in the mornig everyone had settled down to their own beds.  It was quite an evening.  Sunday we headed back to Buffalo -- I stayed with Wienkowski again.  And Monday morning I was back in Philly.  Luckily I was able to break into my VW with a hanger.  Oh, I tried calling Tony while I was in Buffalo, but no one was home.  I got a letter from him -- things are going well -- he shold have written you by now.

Otherwise things are well -- I'm heading to NYC next weekend -- it's the weekends that are the worst here -- so I try to keep on the move.  But you can't do that forver -- something's gotta happen -- keep on writing.  I really dig your letters.  Take care.  Keep on truckin'.