PUKER... a documentary about DC Skater\Messenger Tim Whistler

Tim Whistler and Pat Clark at Cedar Crest on the cover of Thrasher Magazine
PUKER-a documentary
http://theskaterack.com
I am watching this now...

I skated... but nothing like this
nothing that vaguely resembled that
my skating was more street... transportation... and fun
these guys... this was some sort of Flight of Icarus sort of shit


I worked with Tim Whistler at Apple Courier
Tim was top dog... he worked hard... he made all the money
he was an interesting character

tough wheel to chase
super tough to compete with to be top earning bicycle messenger

I remember some vague details

I remember that he was on probation for something... that is more than likely a story that we would all love to hear
but I remember that he would party at a Dead Show knowing that he had a piss test with his parole officer the next day
so he would cleanse his body through massive hydration
no herbal remedy
he would work extra hard that day.... SWEAT IT OUT!
drinking GALLONS AND GALLONS of water

hammering around town in traffic with his head tilted
sucking down water from a gallon jug
splitting lanes
running red lights
earning a buck and sweating it out on that silver Univega mountainbike

then... I remember years later when Tim was working as a dispatcher at Apple
there was a serious low moment
it was common knowledge that Tim was a "crackhead"
he could not manage his money
I remember loaning him some money from time to time
I remember having a vacancy in my Mount Pleasant group house but thinking it would be a bad idea to rent that room to Puker
I remember offering to take Tim's pay check and then give him an allowance


I remember one Friday Tim took off with fellow dispatcher Mimi's car and check book
ah... the desparation of the addict
ah... the resourcefulness of the addict
ah... the short sightedness of the addict
that did not go well