MICHAEL DENNIS MOONEY -- new writings

it was a hot summer day
twice as hot as the temperature read
wendy and i stood near a freeway on-ramp
in the hick town of modesto
we had just smoked a number wendy had rolled
carefully she put the stash bag into our knapsack
we were enjoying the sun and the buzz
a chp car drove by us
the driver gave us the look
the look was a modified version of the pissed off mother look
a few moments later the same chp car with the same driver returned
this time on the off-ramp
he was definitely looking

i became very paranoid
i thought of jail and immediately connected it with the weed
the car had made a u-turn and was headed back towards us
i kicked the knapsack into a storm gutter
the cop smiled at us as he drove by
i waved, wendy waved
as soon as he was on the freeway i went over to the drain opening
i got down
and proceeded to push through
unfortunately my shoulders were too wide
i couldn't get in
wendy tried next
she couldn't make it in either
we needed a rubber person to get the stash back
i yelled the best obscenities i could muster
as loud as i could

a youngish dude, definitely rubbermade
strode over from the opposite side of the ramp
i saw what you did he said
what's in the pack?
weed my man, i replied
humboldt bud
ahhh he sighed
well look man, i can get into that opening, rubber guy was saying
i'll get it for you if ya give me a bud
deal man i said
well in a flash the rubber boy had slid into the drain
i asked how he was doing
fine he said
i was reminded of the tunnel rats i had seen in a different reality
he pushed the pack up and out
he came next
he was covered with dust but not wet, due to the dry season
he smiled and dusted himself off
wendy had the stash out and was rolling like there was no tomorrow
i gave the dude three fat ones and he smiled a large full-faced smile
his day was made
i lit one up that wendy handed to me
i took a long deep drag
i handed it to the rubber guy
he toked a hit in i thought would kill him
in a few minutes we were sitting on the ground laughing
we smoked a couple more joints and the little rubber guy split
wendy and i sat and waited for a ride

after about twenty minutes a vw van stopped
a fringed jacketed normal looking kid opened the door
where you going? he said
l.a.  i answered
cool hop in
wendy sat in the back
i sat shotgun
the guy looked at me
i had long hair, a d.a. rough look
he smiled and said
i sell health food
ahhh i said
that term health food immediately made him cool
it was a counter-culture thing i was into at the time
i told wendy to roll one
she rolled a fatty and we all toked on it
the guy got really loaded
he said that it was great weed
i said humboldt
he nodded
hey he said want to go to a party?
sure i said, after all it is friday night

we pulled into north hollywood beach about 9 p.m.
we pulled up to an upper middle class house
he said to wait while he went in
he returned a minute later with a grateful dead girl
he introduced us all
she took my hand and said
don't be surprised with anything you see inside
and don't look too long at anyone
ok i said

we got into the place and started walking through rooms
we walked through the main room and it was filled with people
all sitting around talking
they looked at us then got back to their business
i saw military officers
a civilian judge 
and a ton of money
then i noticed the dope
bales of it in the next room
ahhh i said
the old overseas connection
we followed the dead chick upstairs
we make these she said
and she handed me a bong
she filled it up and lit it
i took a long toke
i coughed
i was sent into the next dimension
totally blasted
we talked and laughed and toked
time passed without our noticing
the dead girl said
wanna go make love?

i said sure
wendy and i had an open relationship
i could sleep with anyone
she couldn't sleep with anyone but me
i went off with the girl
we stepped into a room with a hot tub
she helped me remove my clothes
and then she stripped hers off
wow she said
what are all these scars?
a different life i said
we slid into the tub
we played and played and played
then we smoked and smoked
resting on the bed
i saw the girl look at the time
well she said the party is over
i looked surprised
she said time to go

she walked back to the room wendy was in
wendy hugged me and kissed me
i said to her, let's get going
we followed the girl outside
the same guy was there that brought us to the party
he said i'll give you a ride into the city
ok i said
we climbed into his vw bus
we travelled a while on highway one
i said, look pull over man, we are going to sleep on the beach
sure he said
he pulled over
we said our goodbyes and left
wendy, that was the strangest party i've ever been to
me too, pete, she said
we walked down to the beach and laid down on our sleeping bags
wendy rolled one and we smoked it up
we made mad love and fell asleep to the sound of surf breaking
one never knows what the next moment will bring
in california