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Free Clinic

Submitted by NickWallingford on Thu, 01/04/2007 - 12:54pm. Scenes

I'm not sure if it is still functional, but the Austin Free Clinic started in a church hall, I think it was, to the west of the UT campus. I do think it moved a few times, but I remember it down in a basement area of small partitioned off rooms.

The clinic provided a really necessary service back in those days, and did it with a sense of purpose and non-judgemental care.

Pat Larkin worked there, I remember, a well-known character of the Austin housing co-op scene among other things in those days. I've often wondered where Pat ended up - he was a very straightforward (almost said straight - not the same thing in the context of those days...) and genuine sort of guy.

It must have been sometimes pretty frustrating work, with the transient population, the exotic drug use and the health issues brought about through little care for hygiene. I'll pay a long overdue vote of thanks to the people who started the clinic back then!

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The Clinic

Submitted by benjamin Lowengard on Fri, 05/11/2007 - 5:53pm.

Hey Nick,
Have I met you? maybe...I lived -as a hippy- in Austin- worked for Mitchell Mayes
Bar-B-Q on the drag and La fonda Noche ......
Along with other Co-Op refugees(a guy named wayne who wrote health pamphlets
and used to shoot bbs at kids sitting on the wall) - Pat Larkin was my room-mate at the Alamo House (I believe it's gone now) in 1977...And yes, free testing and medicine
for the clap at the clinic
Anyhow, I've been researching the era I was in Austin- from feb 1977- Feb- 1978
and I see you mention Pat Larkin ( he had very long (red?) hair and was very clean!)
It was "highly" influential for me- (I may be the last hippy)
but I'm trying to restore memories of that particular time....this blog helps....
Do you recall a place called the Quarter house? (a quarter a beer?)

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Pat Larkin...

Submitted by NickWallingford on Mon, 06/18/2007 - 6:26pm.

Yes, it could be quite likely we crossed paths way back when, though your name doesn't ring any specific bells. You didn't work in the UT stacks library at any time, did you? Hang on a sec - you refer to Feb 1977 to Feb 1978 - I would have been gone by then (Sep 1969 - Aug 1974).

I've thought about Pat Larkin many many times over the years. He was a *really* nice guy - friendly, honest, caring. I can't remember how I was first introduced to him, but I spent a fair bit of time around him from say 1970 to 1974 when I came to New Zealand.

Often wondered what became of him.

Where was that co-op you were in? The name seems somehow the same, but I kind of remember a place sort of north of the campus, Duval St sort of area???? God, that was a long time ago!!!!

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