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"Karma, let's get out of here" I whisper after Dr. Grant takes off to catch Huey Newton. "Some of these black dudes are staring at me."
"It's just that uniform" she replies. "Here, put this dandelion behind your ear and they'll know you're on our side."
"My car's around the corner, want to go see a big tree?"
"The band's starting soon."
"It's a really big tree and it's ancient to boot."
"Well, it's not going to be Hendrix anyway."
___________
There were really two reasons I was desperate to get out of the Panther rally. When I graduated from GW High School over at Land's End five years ago, I had used my pharmacy delivery boy money to buy myself a good watch. That Rolex may have been good to a depth of five hundred meters but it wouldn't survive San Francisco public transportation.
When I was boarding the trolley home one night the only seat left was on the back bench occupied by four stone-faced young black dudes. I tried to ignore a fear creeping up inside and plopped down between them.
"Hey man, you got the time?" the guy to my right asked.
"Let's see" I answered pushing up my left sleeve. "It's 5:45."
"Nice watch" he continued with a smile. "Mind if I take a look?"
As I held my arm up for him to see the guy to my left grabbed my wrist. I jumped up and yanked my arm back but he had already slipped it off with his other hand and moved both hands behind his back.
"Give me that watch" I shouted as they stood up and surrounded me in that space at the back of the trolley.
"What you talking 'bout?" the guy smiled raising both empty hands.
"That's my graduation present" I growled, bunching up my fists as we were jostled into each other by the rocking car.
"What's wrong with this white dude?" exclaimed one of the other guys over the rumble of the rails. "He crazy."
"They just stole my watch" I shouted to the the other riders who didn't even look up.
I wobbled to the front of the trolley and told the driver.
"I can't do nothing about it" he apologized, pulling into a stop where the four guys hustled out the back door.
The other reason I wanted to leave the rally wasn't so complex - Karma Czarcinski.
__________
"Oh my fucking god" she exclaims as we pass the first huge trunk going into Muir Woods. "Pull over!"
"Hold on, there's a trail up ahead" I laugh, loving her excitement upon seeing the redwood forest.
She's out the door before I shut off the National Park Service jeep so I scramble to catch up. The dirt path littered with copper-colored sequoia branchlets winds between ridged gray trunks away from the forest service road.
"It's a fairy ring" she whispers, spotting a round clearing off to the side of the trail and pulling me over to it.
"Where an old tree once grew" I explain as she plops down onto the ferns.
"They go forever" she gasps gazing up into the overarching branches.
"I knew you'd like this place."
"Let's get stoned" she decides, sitting up cross-legged and pulling out a little clay pipe.
She takes a pinch from a little baggie, stuffs it into the bowl, and puffs as she flicks a lighter, holding her breath and passing it over to me. Sensing that seeing her again depends on it, I try to follow her lead but cough as I try to inhale the pungent smoke.
"First time?" she laughs, puffs escaping with each syllable.
"Yea, I hated trying to inhale cigarettes back in eighth grade."
"That's okay sweetie" she coos, grabbing the pipe and lighter and taking another toke. "Let me give you some of mine."
She leans toward me and I again follow, gladly locking lips and opening to her sweet breath into my mouth. We pass the waning smoke back and forth, locking eyes until bursting apart in laughter. Then she grabs my hand as we lie back into the ferns that swirl around us, lifting us up into the treetops as the sky drifts into dusk.
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