The situation with Pops was one that had me running for the nearest exit and shacking up with anyone that would take me. There really wasn’t anyone especially waiting for me. That set me back another day or so, but what the fuck. Hell… I slept through one stop and ended up in Oklahoma somehow and had to get on another bus going the way I need to go. I hopped on the next Dog outta town and relished the trip and all the new people I would meet. Then go and retrieve said animal and put it back in the cage. I can only equate it to taking a caged animal at the zoo and setting it free for the first time. I mean, I was 15! Come on… I wasn’t the brightest bulb yet. We’ll skip that part actually and just say, me going back to Indiana and thinking it was gonna work, was insane. So, I just popped the pills into my mouth and took the cap off the schnapps and guzzled. “Dude, I swear, when you hit Ashland, the people on the bus are like in a G.G. Like my friend Abel said one time after taking the bus up to Portland to see me. Enduring the bus trip that time around, I knew exactly what I was in for this trip. “SO… You wanna go meet your Dad?!?!” I jumped at the chance and left immediately after my sophomore year at Pike High School. I was tossed to Tucson when my Mom had enough of me fucking up her perfect new marriage. Just wanted me to be safe out there at 15 years old. I could trust her with my secrets and know she passed no judgement. It was like a hundred bucks or something. I begged my Great Grandmother, Hazel, for the bus fair. I had to go back to Indiana because It was the middle of summer when I moved to Tucson and It was too much for me. This was a mighty generous offer and made me feel a little better about this hellish journey I was in for. “You got a bit of a trip ahead of you and you might need this more than me.” It was some sorta sleeping pills. I believe it was New Mexico… Craig leaned over to me and snuck the schnapps into my leather jacket inside pocket and handed me something. It occurred, I never even asked where they were going. Tales of seeing all the good bands and then the bus stopped and they had to get off. The stories continued and they told me about being from Santa Rosa, CA. We snuck it back on the bus and all took turns knippin’ on it. The three of us headed to a store and they ended up getting some peppermint schnapps. There was a stop somewhere along the way I do recall, that we got off and had a little time. He didn’t laugh or anything and just said “Oh, I love them!” With the passing of time, details are lost, but he introduced me to his brother. I just though he was too cool to want to talk with me and that couldn’t have been further from the truth. I told him “Indiana” and that was about it. Where ya headed?” And he plopped down into the empty seat next to me. The bus pulled out and immediately the older of the two came over grinning from ear to ear. It was this tattoo, that turned my head as I searched for an empty seat. It’s a know fact to any punk or metal head. And not just any tattoo, but a MOTORHEAD tattoo. This was more intense than just a shirt too. They also had a “calling card” that only certain people would know. When the bus station was across from Hotel Congress. And when I boarded the bus for a return trip BACK to Indiana, this was my calling card and it got the attention of two dudes as soon as I boarded in downtown Tucson. Had the sleeves cut off and the sides split. It was a fucking killer print I have never seen before or since of Suicidal Tendencies. So, I guess I can see how I was putting that vibe out.īut this was also the early 80’s and what T shirt you wore, spoke volumes about WHO you were. Which is where I also got my combat boots. A green military bag for all their stuff, which I obtained at the army surplus. I had a really close shaved haircut and traveled with all my belongings in a gunny sack. I would often be mistaken much older for my age and also for being in the military. So imagine having to endure 3 plus days on this journey. It reeked of whatever agent they used to mask the original odor in the first place. It could be considered a large, long trailer with seating on both sides and the shitter in the back. No half decent human being would EVER subject themselves to the punishment the dog can deal out. It was the affordable way to travel for the dirtier denizens of our society. Especially when you’re not doing the driving.
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