“Alright, girl. Let’s get you some water. I want you to sit with Paula for a bit while I find this Buzz.”
“Ummkay, dreamy man.”
I grunted out a laugh. Damn, she was cute.
Paula was sitting on a bean bag, speaking animatedly with some lady with cropped hair who looked uncannily like Mia Farrow. Paula looked up as soon as Daisy and I came closer.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
I got a good look at her, noticing the clear eyes behind her ridiculous glasses. Good and sober. “Daisy’s not feeling well—”
“I feel groovy, perfectly fine!” Daisy patted my arm, the one wrapped lighting around her waist.
I gave Paula what I hoped was an indulgent look. “Well, be that as it may… Will you watch over her while I get her some water?”
“Sure, yeah, of course. Daisy, come share my seat. Meet Dawn. She was just telling me about the Calling House. She’s going to be a member, too, just like May and Phil!” She patted the leather bean bag, smiling like a loon, and Daisy glided over and sunk down beside her.
Satisfied, I told Daisy I’d be right back and walked around, asking a few people where I could find this Buzz character.
Buzz, it turned out, was a smarmy-looking fellow who looked to be in his late twenties. His longish hair was parted on the side like a hairy cow click. I hid my contempt and made my body relax into a happy-go-lucky, loose as a noodle hippy, and started up a conversation with him.
“You Buzz?” I asked.
“Yeah, man. I’m Buzz. What’s happening?” He held out a hand.
“Sonny.” I shook his hand. “Hey, my friend said she got something from you a bit ago. Seems like some good stuff. Called it ‘love’? You, uh, got some more to spare?”
As I knew he would, he denied having anymore.
“Nah, I cached out. I can give you my number and you can call me tomorrow, though. Might get some more in.” He sipped his drink, turning his head away, pretending to just be one of the party.
“I dig you. Damn, I’m leaving in the morning.” I rubbed the back of my neck for show. “So, what is it, anyway? An upper, downer?”
Buying my fake interest, he turned back to me, leaning in to get closer. “Some new beauty on the wind, man. You smoke it, right? Just a hit dropped in the bowl. Imagine grass with a hint of mescaline, a touch of ludes, and a pump of dolly.” His gaze swept my face, a kooky smile on his livery lips. “Yeah, man. It’s that good.”
I wanted to punch him in his stupid face. Instead, I nodded slowly, my eyes widening in awe. “Sounds wild.”
He pulled back, grinning, winking at me as if he were Hugh Hefner, for Christ’s sake. “Exactly.” He dismissed me, then, walking away to speak to some fellow near the record player that was blaring out Darkside of the Moon.
I went back to the kitchen, grabbed the water I had promised, and went back to Paula, who was still sitting on the bean bag. Daisy wasn’t next to her.
Shit.
Paula saw me coming and pointed to the open front door, continuing her conversation with the Mia Farrow look-alike.
Great friend, Paula.
When I walked outside, I saw Daisy leaning against a tattered fence post, gazing at the sky. She was alone, thank God. I passed the mingling people that were hanging out on the porch and walked over to her. She looked up at me and smiled.
I handed her the Tupperware cup of water, and she drank enough to appease me. Closer now, I got a good look at her. Whatever was in her system made her pupils huge. I hoped the shit was on its way out.
She handed me back the orange cup, now empty. “Thanks, Sonny. It’s such a beautiful night, don’t you agree?” Hopping onto the post, she faced me, bringing up her bell-bottomed legs, pulling me inside them. I scooted back, not allowing my crotch any contact. The girl was killing me.
I set the cup down and placed my hands on the rails beside her. I cleared my mind and tried to figure out the best way to handle this situation.
She was high as a kite. She was young. Away from home. I was practically a stranger—not that it mattered with these kids. She was inexperienced. I wasn’t.
I wanted her, but it wasn’t time.
So I kept her busy by asking her questions, letting her ramble about the things she cared about, while I listened and watched her mouth, her eyes, her jaw. For the months I’d been watching her from afar, to be this close was intoxicating. But I controlled it.
When she started talking about the commune, this Calling House, my focus homed in and I listened very carefully.
“Just think, Sonny…” She was absently fiddling with my shirt collar, had been for a while now. But I didn’t mind. “Growing your own food. No currency. Complete freedom from The Man. Nobody to tell you how to live, no worrying about a job. No pretense. Just freedom and living. Doesn’t that sound dreamy?”
I grunted, and she looked up at me, her cat eyes curious. Clearing my throat, remembering my role, I told her, “Well, sure, I guess. The world isn’t what it used to be. Things are changing, and not for the good, in my way of thinking.”
She nodded, hanging on to my every word while I continued.
“But… to be beholden to a group, one with its own rules and ways, isn’t that missing the very point? Sounds good in theory, but trust me. There’s always a leader in every society, no matter how small. And odds are, in my experience, leaders start getting big heads. Only leads to trouble in the long run.”
She laughed. “Oh, Sonny. You’re being a fuddy-duddy. Don’t you see? It’s just the opposite there! The people are tired of their abusive government and propaganda. The awakened… well, sure, the war ended, our
