When people walk in to the Beat Museum they often look at the old typewriter we have on display, gaze at it longingly and voice a whimsical opinion about how simple things were in the fifties and how the old Royal compares to the technology of today. It happens often enough that we thought it might be interesting to investigate how the “boys” would have made out in these days of microchips and wireless technologies. Contrary to what many believe, we think old Jack would have embraced the new technology. Purists may feel Jack belongs "Atop an Underwood", but we think he would have made good use of any new technology that would have helped him get his message out easier and faster. Old Jack perched upon Desolation Peak pounding "Hozomeen, Hozomeen" into his notebook computer balanced on his lap. That's an image we can live with. Of course, we know Allen investigated the Internet right before his passing. Had he lived just a little longer into this new century we're sure he would have traded in his instamatic for a digi-cam and uploaded his photo's directly onto his own website. What better way to "keep the flame alive" than to use technology to do it? And besides, it's a great way to meet young minds! Allen would have liked that. Old Bill, we think, would have probably suffered the most from the new technology. There he is, outside his home in Lawrence, Kansas attempting to blow holes in his artwork and T-shirts and various other objects that happen to be within range. The problem for Bill, of course, would be these nefarious new 21st Century DNA enabled trigger-locks that keep on getting in the way! Oh, for the good old days. And then there's Neal. Roaring across America in his 21st Century version of the old Hudson, complete with satellite driven GPS system onboard. Not that he'd want it, of course, unless his version comes complete with a "chick finder" feature that lets him know where all the girls are hanging out. Yes, it's very plausible the boys would have all embraced this new world of microchips and communications. And Jack would have replaced the little spiral pad he kept in his breast pocket with a new Palm Pilot XX that doubles as a cell phone. So there he is, sitting on the rocks of Big Sur, writing "The Sea is My Brother - Part II" when the phone rings. It's Neal, he's heading down from Los Gatos in his latest "flyer" and tells Jack he'll meet him at Ferlinghetti's cabin. Jack says he's working on a sequel to On The Road to be called In The Sky. Neal digs it. Jack walks to the end of the beach, straps on his jetpack, and blows. |
