Thompson's final note to wife reveals his suicidal despair

The publishers of Rolling Stone magazine said they were preparing to publish the contents of a brief note apparently written by Thompson to his wife, Anita, four days before his suicide on 20 February. Rolling Stone was home to much of Thompson's writing, particularly at the beginning of his career.

Douglas Brinkley, a well known presidential historian in the United States and Thompson's official biographer, says in an accompanying article that the message to Anita may represent the last words committed by her husband to paper. For that reason alone, they are likely to become part of the legend of Thompson, whose ashes were fired from a cannon at a celebrity-studded memorial in Aspen three weeks ago.

Composed mostly of a string of disjointed emotions and observations about the parlous state of his existence, the message is also poignant in its expression of anguish and finality. The note was written in thick black marker pen and appeared under his own headline that read: "Football Season is Over".

"No More Games. No More Bombs. No More Walking. No More Fun. No More Swimming. 67. That is 17 years past 50. 17 more than I needed or wanted. Boring. I am always bitchy. No Fun - for anybody. 67. You are getting Greedy. Act your old age. Relax - This won't hurt."

At the time, Thompson, a man of iconoclastic temperament who remained best-known for his book about a drug and alcohol-hazed road trip through the American South-west called Fear and Loathing in Last Vegas, had suffered several health setbacks. He had a broken leg as well as a hip replacement that was causing him pain.

The football-related title will not be a surprise to anyone who knew Thompson well. As Mr Brinkley says, watching the teams of the National Football League (NFL) was one of the writer's passions. "February was always the cruellest month for Hunt S Thompson," the historian writes. "An avid NFL fan, Hunter traditionally embraced the Super Bowl in January as the high-water mark of his year. February, by contrast, was doldrums time."

Thompson's Fear and Loathing was translated into the film of the same name in 1998 starring Johnny Depp, who helped organise and also largely funded the suitably eccentric send-off of Thompson, when his ashes were sent zooming skywards amid flashing firework explosions. Other celebrities present at the event included former presidential candidates Al Gore and Walter Mondale.

The publication of Hunter Thompson's last words amount to a farewell to him from the magazine that stood by him for so many years and from its publisher and founder, Jan Wenner. It reaches news-stands in the US and Europe today.