Correspondence #49: John Allen Cassady

Bus alumni and Oregon's 'Kesey Country'

Email, March 15th, 2025

To: Simon Warner, R&BG, and others

I'm lucky to now live in what I call ‘Kesey Country’. Many of his old friends live nearby.

For example: At the last ‘Prankster Reunion’, held on March 22nd and 23rd, 2024, I sat at a table with Ken Babbs, Faye Kesey, Roy Seibern, Trixie Garcia, Sunshine Kesey, Mike Hagen, and other ‘Bus Alumni’. They all signed my ‘Acid Test Graduation’ poster. Of course it was a reprint of the original, but it's now on my wall as I write this.

The real ‘Acid Test Graduation’ was held at Winterland in San Francisco on Halloween Night, October 31st, 1966. Dad pulled into the driveway at our home in Los Gatos (in whatever jalopy that he was driving that Day, ha ha), while I was in the front yard.

In the back seat of the car were stacks of the original poster. Bright ‘Day-Glo’ orange and black colors. He said, ‘Hey, Johnny. Do you want a poster?’ I took only two, not knowing that years later they would be selling on sites like eBay and Amazon for big bucks! (If they could prove that they weren't just copies). I eventually had one of mine framed, and it's still around here somewhere (I hope).

Pictured above: Ken Kesey, 1935-2001

On the day of ‘The Test' (‘Can You Pass?’), local TV Channel KRON was interviewing Kesey, sitting on the front of The Bus. The reporter asked Ken, ‘As the Master of Ceremonies tonight,’ and Ken stopped him and said, ‘No, Neal Cassady is the Master of Ceremonies!’ He looked into the windshield for him. No ‘Neal at the Wheel’. Ken shrugged and said, ‘I think that he'll be there tonight.’ Then the reporter asked, ‘What would you say to concert-goers tonight?’ Ken replied, ‘Trip or Treat’. Classic Kesey.

Of course I wanted to go to the show, but as a 16-year-old Sophomore in High School, Mom Carolyn said, ‘Forget it!’ (She had no sense of humor! At least on that day). After watching the 16mm films years later at Kesey's place in Springfield, OR, I'm kind of glad that I missed it (sort of).

So stay tuned for more goofy 'Prankster Memories’. (While my addled Brain still has a modicum of Memory left! Ha ha).

Until then, I'll keep on ‘Drivin' That Train’.

Beatifically yours,

John Allen Cassady