Pynchon wrote several short stories in highschool in the first person. See Voice of the Hamster (http://genius.com/Thomas-pynchon-voice-of-the-hamster-annota...). I find the similarities between this story and Cow Country interesting (as it takes place at Hamster High.) Dr. Felch would fit right in.

In addition, Pynchon's style of narration employs so much free indirect speech that it often begs to become first person.

What did you say when Mason & Dixon was published?