his reefer on the porch steps. “They prefer we abstain from drug usage while on the premises.”
A makeshift waiting room greeted them in the foyer. White plastic lawn chairs encircled the perimeter, all occupied with a young man or woman. A few sat on the foyer’s hardwood floor.
There were two closed doors on either side of the room. On one door a sign read DOCTOR ON CALL, the other read CALMING ROOM.
“If she’s here, that’s where you’ll find her,” Chick said, pointing to the calming room.
Alex nudged up next to Chick. “What exactly is a calming room?”
“Just what it says it is,” Chick replied. “It’s a place to back off of a bad trip, with the helping hand of a calming presence. In this case, that would be your lady in waiting, Sarah.”
Chick move closer to Alex and lowered his voice.
“The thing about acid is that it feeds off your vibes. Good vibes, no problem. However, let a bad one slip by and even the best acid will turn on you, usually without warning. It frequently happens with first timers not partnered up with an experienced user. Paranoia sets in and then it’s bad trip time.”
“Ever happen to you Chick?” Alex inquired.
“Once, but I think I got hold of some bad stuff. Do not buy anything off the street. When you are ready to try it, let me know. I’ll see that you get top quality.”
Chick walked away and was soon socializing with half the people in attendance. Alex stood close to he calming room door, waiting for it to open. When it did, minutes later, all conversation in the room came to an abrupt halt and every head turned toward the door.
Sarah walked out with a girl who looked to Alex to be no older than sixteen. Sarah’s arm wrapped around the girl’s waist and she was whispering into her ear.
The girl found whatever Sarah said to be amusing. Her face lit up as she smiled brightly. Sarah walked the girl to the front door as those assembled in the lobby silently watched.
Once again, Sarah whispered to the girl and then, to Alex’s amazement, the girl kissed Sarah, gently on her cheek and walked out the door.
Scattered applause broke out as Sarah turned back to the lobby. When she asked if anyone else needed her assistance, at least five hands went up.
“I don’t want to be tied up needlessly if an emergency arrives,” she said, and all the hands lowered.
She was making her way back to her room when she saw Alex.
“So, what brings you here on this fine summer day?” Sarah asked him before glaring accusingly at Chick, who vigorously shook his head no.
Before he had time to speak and seemingly satisfied that Chick was not the culprit, she motioned him into the room. In deference to the hand raisers, she left the door ajar.
Alex noticed that the small room contained but two items, a small bed and a chair. The walls displayed a light blue paint and pictures of pastoral settings, waves breaking on a beach, and flowers graced their surface. Candles placed on wall shelves lit the room. Alex thought the room suitably named. He immediately felt more relaxed, even in Sarah’s presence.
“Sorry” Sarah said as she patted down the creases on the bed’s sheet. “I just don’t trust Chick. He means well, but a good percentage of my customers refer to him by name.”
“I’ve been drug free for the day,” Alex responded with some pride.
Sarah, her back to him, said nothing as she continued to straighten the bed. Satisfied with its appearance, she turned to face him. She again wore a long white dress, but it was subtly different from yesterday’s attire. In place of the crown of flowers, she wore a single rose in her hair, near where it parted down the middle. He saw she was once again barefoot.
“Drugs are part of the culture here. I have no problem with marijuana, but L.S.D. is another story. It brings me too many patients on the days and nights I help out here.”
“You work here nights too?” Alex asked.
“Only when they expect a rush. During
A makeshift waiting room greeted them in the foyer. White plastic lawn chairs encircled the perimeter, all occupied with a young man or woman. A few sat on the foyer’s hardwood floor.
There were two closed doors on either side of the room. On one door a sign read DOCTOR ON CALL, the other read CALMING ROOM.
“If she’s here, that’s where you’ll find her,” Chick said, pointing to the calming room.
Alex nudged up next to Chick. “What exactly is a calming room?”
“Just what it says it is,” Chick replied. “It’s a place to back off of a bad trip, with the helping hand of a calming presence. In this case, that would be your lady in waiting, Sarah.”
Chick move closer to Alex and lowered his voice.
“The thing about acid is that it feeds off your vibes. Good vibes, no problem. However, let a bad one slip by and even the best acid will turn on you, usually without warning. It frequently happens with first timers not partnered up with an experienced user. Paranoia sets in and then it’s bad trip time.”
“Ever happen to you Chick?” Alex inquired.
“Once, but I think I got hold of some bad stuff. Do not buy anything off the street. When you are ready to try it, let me know. I’ll see that you get top quality.”
Chick walked away and was soon socializing with half the people in attendance. Alex stood close to he calming room door, waiting for it to open. When it did, minutes later, all conversation in the room came to an abrupt halt and every head turned toward the door.
Sarah walked out with a girl who looked to Alex to be no older than sixteen. Sarah’s arm wrapped around the girl’s waist and she was whispering into her ear.
The girl found whatever Sarah said to be amusing. Her face lit up as she smiled brightly. Sarah walked the girl to the front door as those assembled in the lobby silently watched.
Once again, Sarah whispered to the girl and then, to Alex’s amazement, the girl kissed Sarah, gently on her cheek and walked out the door.
Scattered applause broke out as Sarah turned back to the lobby. When she asked if anyone else needed her assistance, at least five hands went up.
“I don’t want to be tied up needlessly if an emergency arrives,” she said, and all the hands lowered.
She was making her way back to her room when she saw Alex.
“So, what brings you here on this fine summer day?” Sarah asked him before glaring accusingly at Chick, who vigorously shook his head no.
Before he had time to speak and seemingly satisfied that Chick was not the culprit, she motioned him into the room. In deference to the hand raisers, she left the door ajar.
Alex noticed that the small room contained but two items, a small bed and a chair. The walls displayed a light blue paint and pictures of pastoral settings, waves breaking on a beach, and flowers graced their surface. Candles placed on wall shelves lit the room. Alex thought the room suitably named. He immediately felt more relaxed, even in Sarah’s presence.
“Sorry” Sarah said as she patted down the creases on the bed’s sheet. “I just don’t trust Chick. He means well, but a good percentage of my customers refer to him by name.”
“I’ve been drug free for the day,” Alex responded with some pride.
Sarah, her back to him, said nothing as she continued to straighten the bed. Satisfied with its appearance, she turned to face him. She again wore a long white dress, but it was subtly different from yesterday’s attire. In place of the crown of flowers, she wore a single rose in her hair, near where it parted down the middle. He saw she was once again barefoot.
“Drugs are part of the culture here. I have no problem with marijuana, but L.S.D. is another story. It brings me too many patients on the days and nights I help out here.”
“You work here nights too?” Alex asked.
“Only when they expect a rush. During
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