Photos In Boxes: The Gas Mask

 Best guess - 1978.  I remember the apartment but not exactly where it was.  Near Gessner, south of Westheimer in Houston.  I found the gas mask at the Common Market and paid 5 bucks, which I found outrageous but I wasn’t leaving without it.  Fred Drake was with me and fully supported my decision.  

We dragged that gas mask around town, snapping photos of each other looking ridiculous.  Most have been lost over time but a few survived.  I’ll add those someday, Dean and Fred in numerous environments.  We really had fun.  These days, running around in a gas mask in public would no doubt cause panic and arrests.

 What was I wearing besides the gas mask?   I believe it was called a “shower wrap” and was basically a hand towel with a button to secure it.  I was never terribly modest and wore that thing until it disintegrated.  I would wear it still but possibly not as often as I did.  It didn’t offer, let’s say, the perfect amount of coverage.  And was perfect for when evangelicals knocked on the door.  “Hi there!”

I look longingly upon the milk.  Lactose intolerant now and the concept of cow’s milk now actually seems exceptionally grotesque.  I still remember it fondly, though, even if I can’t/don’t want to drink it now.

Cheers, babies.