To be fair, that scene is about a period of time spent in virtually another world. Drinking was what straightened you out when it came to everything they consum

To be fair, that scene is about a period of time spent in virtually another world. Drinking was what straightened you out when it came to everything they consumed. HST is a great subject. But really, he was documenting a madman he travelled with more than anything with a few spots of other occurrences in between. If you haven’t before, I recommend reading the compilations of his letters. He was a much more “normal” person than his literary persona. I distinctly recall letters to his mum about being proud about having paid his credit cards off finally after his... endeavours.