Maja Thurup

"Maja Thurup" is a short story by Charles Bukowski that is ostensibly about "a South American tribesman with an enormous penis who is brought to Los Angeles by the woman anthropologist who has 'discovered' him and become his lover..."

Of course, the story really is not about Maja; it's about Bukowski. The major protagonist is not Maja; it's an alcoholic, down-on-his-luck feature writer named Chinaski whose editor promises him a $500 payday if he can "....beat the March 27 deadline."

So Chinaski heads over to the newly married couple's apartment for the interview. Hester Adams extols Maja Thurup's virtues. Maja drinks and begins carping about Hester's insatiable sexual appetite: "She big hungry tunnel." Hester apologizes for Maja's outbursts, explaining that "Maja has been drinking since this morning." The writer leaves, planning to complete the interview the next day.

Chinaski returns with a photographer, another down-on-his-luck alcoholic like himself, to find Maja still drunk, still pounding away on his drum. "Hester not in," he tells them, "she gone to grocery store." Sam the photographer decides to check the refrigerator for more beer. Henry hears the door opening followed immediately by vomiting. He initially chalks it up to Sam's being a heavy drinker but soon surmises the truth behind the photographer's continuing strange behavior. After a hasty departure they stop to buy gas and to call the police. Chinaski's only regret is being out the $500 he could have earned had Hester only survived another day.

References

• Bukowski, Charles (2003) [1993]. Martin, John, ed. Run with the Hunted: A Charles Bukowski Reader. New York: HarperCollins. p. 199. ISBN 0-06-092458-6. Retrieved 2010-12-22.