Mom cleaned out the bookshelves and left a few sacks of books for me to donate or mooch. It's mostly her mysteries but there was one incredibly nostalgic find. Well, maybe nostalgic isn't the right word but it's safe to say it took me back.
My little brother once loaned my copy of The Empire Strikes Back to his best friend. About a year later I got it back with holes cut through several pages in the center. After much hounding (even then I was obsessed with the little injustices in the world) I learned that my brother's best friend kept the book on his bedroom shelf but that his older brother cut the pages to make a secret hiding place for his drugs. Can you imagine?! Today I found that book in the sack mom had left and it all came back to me. I remember the offending older brother driving my friend and I home once and telling us how great cocaine was. I was about 14 at the time. He and his friend kept going on and on about how coke really helped make you smart "especially on tests" they said. I distinctly remember saying "I don't think it makes you smart. I think it makes you think you're smart." I'd like to go back in time and pat myself on the back for that one. Of course, I was right. The two coke fans never finished Jr. college while my young friend and I both went on to get degrees. D.A.R.E. wasn't around back then so I thank God or my parents or whatever for my skeptical side and having a good head on my shoulders.
Over our Big Bear weekend a friend commented "Nobody ever offered me drugs in school. Not once. I was lucky." I said I'd never been approached either. I'd forgotten all about the coked out drive home with that guy. I've saw him about 10 years ago. He's now happily married with kids and would probably die if he ever remembered that conversation. I'm just glad I was such a prude.
Long live the prudes.
P.S. Mom, if you're reading this aren't you glad to finally have evidence that you did a great job raising me?
No comments:
Post a Comment