I bought a CD with Burroughs reading his own poetry called Spare Ass Annie. I can really recommend it even to those who are not familiar with his works. With hip beats in the background legendary William S. will blow your mind. The music’s pretty good too. Here’s one of my favourites from the 14 track disc.
Words of Advice for Young People
People often ask me if I have any words of advice for young people.
Well, here are a few simple admonitions for young and old.
Never interfere in a boy and girl fight.
Beware of whores who say they don’t want money. The hell they don’t. What they mean is they want more money. Much more.
If you’re doing business with a religious son of a bitch, get it in writing.
His word isn’t worth shit, not with the good Lord telling him how to fuck you on the deal.
Avoid fuckups. You all know the type. Anything they have anything to do with, no matter how good it sounds, turns into a disaster.
Do not offer sympathy to the mentally ill. Tell them firmly;
"I am not paid to listen to this drivel. You are a terminal fool."
Now some of you may encounter the devil’s bargain if you get that far. Any old soul is worth saving at least to a priest, but not every soul is worth buying. So you can take the offer as a compliment. They charge the easy ones first, you know, like money, all the money there is. But who wants to be the richest guy in some cemetery? Not much to spend it on, eh, Gramps? Getting too old to cut the mustard. Have you forgotten something, Gramps? In order to feel something, you have to be there. You have to be eighteen. You’re not eighteen, you are seventy-eight. Old fool sold his soul for a strap-on.
How about an honorable bargain? "You always wanted to become a doctor. Now’s your chance. Why, you could have become a great healer and benefit humanity. What’s wrong with that?" Just about everything. There are no honorable bargains involving exchange of qualitative merchandise like souls. Just quantitative merchandise like time and money. So piss off, Satan, and don’t take me for dumber than I look. As an old junk pusher told me, "Watch whose money you pick up."
— William S. Burroughs