I have very few true friends in my life. Sure, everybody has colleagues and associates and casual acquaintances but there are a small percentage of people I let in. My big buddy Steve is one of them.
I was very happy to see he joined the Facebook community and even more pleased that his married life is treating him quite well. He is one of only 3 moral barometers that has guided my misspent life. He has also fed and sheltered and counseled me when I was literally at the lowest point in my existence. And for that, he has my undying respect and loyalty.
Now here's the odd thing; Steve and I have rarely seen each other in recent years. However, whenever our paths cross, it seems no time has passed. In another 40 years, we'll probably be sitting on the porch of the old folks home reminiscing about our lives. At least I hope so.
So in the spirit of friendship, I decided to share a little holiday tale of two friends I call Night of the Trippy Trees.
Approximately 30 years ago on a snowy night during school winter break, my friend and I decided to do a little consciousness expansion at his humble home. The mind altering usually worked in different ways for the both of us. Steve would jam on his electric six string while I would interpret the music by free form drawing to his guitar licks. This hallucinatory jam session kept us enthralled for a few hours, but we started getting the itch to get out of the house and do something.
We decided against vehicle travel (that shit can be dangerous when things are melting) and went cruising around the neighborhood on foot. Steve's childhood home backed against a fenced park. General Motors had ordained a few acres of land to be set aside for picnics and pee wee soccer smack dab in the middle of suburbia. The park even had a man-made pond for ducks that had lost their way while traveling South. GM called it Delco Park. And it was good.
We jumped the tall fence and landed on sparkling white landscape covered with six inches of fresh snow. Being outdoorsy types, we were thoroughly entranced by December's frozen vista and the shimmering pond that spread before us.
Then we saw the lights.
No, it wasn't the cops looking for two trippers on a cold winter night (Although the trails were AWESOME). It was the weak glow of the security lights surrounding a stockade of lush Christmas trees. These trees were placed into the park by the Dorwood Optimists who hoped to sell the 6 foot fragrant foliage to suburbanites for hanging gaudy holiday ornaments upon.
I looked at Steve. Steve looked at me. We both grinned like demented elves and immediately sprang into action.
Let's just say if the Dorwood Optimists didn't want two tripping balls teenagers to make off with their Douglas Firs they might have used better security than a string of 60-watt bulbs lighting a corral made from frayed twine and used 2X4's.
Needless to say, both of us snatched up a tree each and ran into the dark night. Maybe it was the spirit of the season or the fact that we were heavily seasoned, but we began a little impromptu song as we raced across the virgin snow.
I can only imagine what went through the minds of the people driving past Delco Park on that cold, snowy night. Not that their windows would have been rolled down, but if they would have been they would have heard a rousing chorus of the Trippy Tree Song sung by two big green Christmas trees that had apparently escaped the evil clutches of the Dorwood Optimists and were making their way to freedom across the snow-covered landscape.
Once we got out of the park we faced a dilemma: What the Hell were we going to do with two big ass Christmas trees?
Our holiday spirit was unabated as the Trippy Tree Song lilted in the air while we escorted our new pine-scented friends down the street. It was then we noticed two houses on the block bereft of holiday spirit; no lights, no tinsel and (more importantly) no Christmas trees. With our hearts growing three sizes that night, we placed the trees in their respective front yards and headed back to Steve's house for celebratory munchies: Santa's Little Stoners had done their good deed for the night by spreading the spirit of the season to some unfortunate families!
We found out the next day that the two gifted families were very disgruntled to find a huge six-foot Douglas Firs in their front yards. What we didn't know was that one of the families was devout Jehovah's Witnesses and the other family was Jewish. With one heartfelt act of holiday vandalism we had managed to piss off two completely separate and distinct religious belief systems.
At least we felt good about the gesture.
So, if you're out driving on a frosty night during the holiday season and see Christmas trees bounding across the white fields of winter, roll down your window and listen. And if you happen to hear the majestic melody of the Trippy Tree Song don't be afraid to sing along because in that tune lies the true essence of the holiday. And probably some kick ass hallucinogens.
These fragile times should never slip us by
A time you never can or shall erase
As friends together watch their childhood fly
Making friends for the world to see
Let the people know you got what you need
With a friend at hand you will see the light
If your friends are there then everything's all right
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