Chapter 12: La Vie en Lunettes Roses

With the first run over and cash in their pockets, the guys were eager to make more, the desire to be up and running as a club, becoming a common focus. The guys asked Chico how Marietta was doing and his big smile came out at her mention. He said she was doing much better and owed it to them and the girls, for all of their support and kindness to her. The bruises would go away, just like the swelling did, Marlene keeping an eye on her every day was helping too. Keith was asked how his leg was coming along and he stood up and bore his weight on it. He said the bone ached like shite all the time, but the gash had mended well and the bruising was just an ugly yellow and brown now. They were sitting, talking over some ideas, when the door opened and Wally walked in, shouting his arrival back. The guys welcomed him in and then noticed the other guy he brought with him.

“Guys, this is Uncle Tom, the guy I was telling you about. Say hi and then listen to what we have to tell you.”

Tom came forward and let the club have a look at him, as he went and shook everyone's hand. They sized him up physically and found nothing impressive about him that way and waited for word of what would convince them, he was worthy of acceptance. Lenny shot out the obvious question.

“Why do they call you Uncle, Tom?”

Tom laughed out loud at hearing the question, one that seemed to be asked constantly of him.

“I guess it's because I'm like everyone's uncle, the Dutch Uncle some call it, you know what I mean? They come to me for everything they need and I get it for them. Not sure how it all started, but it seemed to stick with me ever since.”

The tall, thin man with shaggy, brown hair smiled, showing several teeth missing from his mouth. With introductions done, Wally got their attention again and told them of their news.

“Guys, check this out. Tom and I spotted some great shit for the clubhouse, over in Stockton. There's a place that closed down a little while ago and they're going to gut it. Right now, there's a bar and a couple of pool tables inside that are ours for the taking. We have to get there real soon, or they're gone, 'cause someone else will grab them. That's one thing, the next thing is, we found a sweet, '62 GMC cab and chassis with dual axles, sitting in this guy's yard. I'll check with Jake if he likes that kind of truck, but the guy only wants two hundred and fifty bucks for it. Oh, Oh, check this out. The guy has an old Harley sitting around back that Tom is looking at. It needs some work, but I said you guys would be able to get it running right for him.”

“Sure, no problem, as long as it isn't seized. Sounds like you guys have been busy. Nice going Uncle Tom.”

JT raised his beer can to him in salute, the others joining in and offering up a small cheer.

“Thanks JT. Hey, almost forgot. Wally said you guys were needing more sheet goods to finish the walls, right?”

“Yeah, we ran out of drywall in the bedrooms.”

“Would panelling work for you guys?”

“What kind of panelling?”

“Wood panelling, the thin shit that looks like wood planks stuck together.”

JT looked at Tom and then the others, expressing with his face he had no problems with that and saw none of the others did either.

“That'll work. How much can you get?”

“How much do you need?”

JT seemed surprised, but realized Wally had said he could get pretty well anything they wanted and always came through.

“Off hand, enough to go around this entire place and the interior walls we make as well.”

Tom looked around and started guessing at how many sheets it would take to complete the job of finishing all the walls.

“Gonna take a shitload of panels to do it, maybe three or four skids of them, at least.”

“Guess that's a bit much to ask for, is it?”

Tom laughed, Wally joining in, sharing a common joke between them.

“I never said that, JT. I can get you your panels. I know a place in the south end of Stockton, that makes that shit. I got a truck big enough to haul it all in one shot, too. Can't be making trips back and forth, if you know what I mean?”

“Yeah, I got you. What kind of truck do you have, to pull it off?”

“A good flatbed, a five ton. That shit ain't light, when it's on skids. Anyone know how to drive a forklift, by the way?”

Lenny held his hand up to him.

“I got that covered. I drive one all day at the job site.”

“Great. Maybe we should go and check it out and see what kind of plan we can come up with.”

“Good idea, Tom. Leave nothing to chance. We've come close to getting busted a couple of times and fluked our way out of trouble.”

The guys seemed to like Tom and his attitude towards them and the club. They could see how he could be an asset to them, supplying them with virtually anything they asked for. JT sensed the common like of him and called for a vote of membership. A unanimous yes was given and beers were opened and more joints were rolled in his honour. The time flew by, until Wally decided they had better make their way down to south Stockton and scope out the site for the panelling, then maybe drive by the truck, Tom mentioned about, in the north end.

JT and Lenny went with Wally and Tom, in Wally's Chevy, while the others hung out by the bikes and talked shop about them. The drive to Stockton was filled with questions for Tom and who he was. Not much more than a sketchy childhood and a life of being on the road, was mostly all they could get out of him. He had dodged the draft two years back and had been on the run ever since. He had a place of his own at one time, but abandoned it to avoid prison time and losing it all anyway. His training as a locksmith had come in useful on many occasions, knowing how to pick locks and open safes. JT and the other vets, could understand Tom's reluctance to go over there, having served themselves and knew what he would have endured, had he gone.

His business was good when he was free, but now he had to keep moving around and staying at places that no one knew of, leaving little, or nothing of a trail behind him. He now made it his life's work, to know how to steal just about anything, making his talents a highly valuable commodity to have. He knew how to by-pass alarms, hijack trucks, hot wire a vehicle, or any other means of acquiring what he needed to get. What made Tom laugh, was his confession that for all he stole, he had very little to show for it. Possessions became hard to carry around with him, so he stuck with only what he needed, a suitcase of clothes and a couple boxes of memories he couldn't part with.

The commercial area in south Stockton, just off 99, had street after street of businesses, in all manner of types. Wally kept passing the streets, until he came to the second last one and turned left. He drove a couple of blocks and slowed, as they passed the yard that held all the panelling. Lenny spotted the yard forklift truck and knew he could drive it. Tom said he could wire it to run in seconds for him and Wally said he could get his hands on some bolt cutters, to cut the links in the fence. The road after this one went along the back of the lot and held the best means of entry and exit for them. Stacks of skids containing the panelling, were four high, making it necessary for the forklift to pick it up and load it.

Tom pointed across the street at the metal supply company and the five ton flat bed. Tom could have it around the back of the yard, by the time Lenny had the first skids ready. They could only guess at the number of sheets per skid, but figured four would cover everything they had to.

Tom cautioned them on what to wear, so they wouldn't be seen easily, so black or dark clothing was a must. Tom estimated they had six hours to accomplish the heist, from the time of the last place in the area closing, until the first trucks were being loaded in the morning. If all went to plan, it wouldn't take more than two hours in total to load and unload the skids, then bring the truck back and park it. JT had it all figured out in his head how it should go and praised Tom again, on his abilities to find things. With that said, Tom suggested they go check out the truck he spotted, along with the bike.

The drive to north Stockton was easy going up 99 and they turned off at 26, making a right, to go over 99 again, going west along Fremont Street. Wally pulled left onto N. Windsor Ave and drove down the road a short ways, before he pulled into a driveway. The front and back yards had been paved over and almost all the space available, was occupied by cars and trucks of all kinds, as well as parts of them. Wally pulled around back and they saw the owner, sorting through metal and tossing it into battered, old drums.

The old man squinted and then recognized Wally's car, putting a toothless smile on his face. He stopped what he was doing and came over to the four young men, who got out and looked about. Introductions were made by Tom, then the old man, Gus, took them back to where the truck was. JT looked the '62 Chevy C30 over, noting the heavy duty options, then spotted that it came with a 327 V8, the first year it came out with one. The glass and body were good, then spryly, Gus jumped in and pumped the gas several times, firing it up after several cranks and ran it for a minute. Gus shut it off and stood beside the guys, now making a decision.

“How much did you say you wanted for it, Gus?”

“I want two fifty for her. She's worth every penny.”

“Can I use your phone to call Charming? The truck is for my boss and he has final say in it.”

“Sure, who's your boss?”

“Jake, Jake Harding.”

“Well no shit, Jake Harding, eh? How is that old son of a bitch? I ain't seen, or heard from him in a coon's age.”

“You know Jake?”

“Shit, yeah, I know Jake. Did some time with him in Stockton. Knew him for close to three years, then he got out and I never seen him again, until a ruckus over that woman landed him inside again for a couple of nights.”

“What time? What ruckus?”

JT and the others were dumbfounded by the information about Jake. Jail time was the last thing they imagined him doing, but this man served time with him and Marlene seemed to always be a part of his life, for the good parts and the bad ones.

“Got himself a nickel for putting a beating on some fella. Seems he called his woman some pretty nasty names and tried grabbing her. Judge wouldn't have given him as much time, but witnesses said he was kicking him when he was already down and out, busted his face up pretty bad, near killed him. Really great guy, one of the best I ever knowed, just don't cross that line with him regarding women.”

“Yeah, I noticed that. Gave me a helluva talk down, for just saying something to Marlene.”

“That wouldn't be Marlene Brock, or is it?”

“Yeah, yeah, that's her. Damn hot looking woman too.”

“You seen her?”

“Yeah, she owns the motel we're staying at and Jake and her are catching up on old times again.”

“I'll be Billy B. Frig. Jake's got it bad for her still. Her husband finds out, they'll be singing a different tune. He's got a temper as bad as Jake's and the muscle to back it up. Had a set to the last time he and Marlene hooked up behind his back. Landed them both in jail for a cool down. Saw him in the yard, didn't say much to me though. No idea what that woman does to him, but he'd risk it all for her.”

JT and the others were enthralled at knowing more about Jake's past, than they already knew.

“You say this truck is for Jake?”

“Yeah, he needs a new wrecker for the shop. The old one just died and nothing's worth fixing on it.”

“Tell you what. You go back and tell Jake he's got a truck, but he has to come and see the owner about it first. I'd like to see that old soldier again. Don't tell him it's me, I want to surprise him. Just tell him, 328 west, he'll know.”

“Thanks a million, Gus. 328 west. Got it. Great meeting you and sharing some things with us. Jake keeps kinda hush hush about himself and doesn't say much.”

“Yeah, he's always been like that, as long as I can remember. Like pulling hen's teeth to get anything out of him. Only one else I know that got in, was that woman, Marlene.”

“Seems she's still the only one who knows anything.”

“You boys want to know Jake better, you just come by with a bottle of Old Grandad for me and I'll tell more stories about Jake Harding, than you'll hear anywhere's else.”

Gus' nod and look, assured them he knew quite a lot more about Jake and his unknown past. It was hard to truly admire a man, when most of his life was missing for the picture to be complete about him.

“Deal, Gus. Hey, thanks again for everything. I'm sure Jake is going to want this for a wrecker, so let me get your number and I'll give it to him.”

Gus hobbled on his bad leg into his garage and came back out with a grease stained business card for a trucking company, with his number on the back. JT slipped it in his back pocket and shook Gus' hand,

“Tom was saying you had an old Harley he wanted me to look at. Where's that at?”

“Over this way, behind that bus.”

Gus led them through the maze of parts and wrecks, towards the old school bus at the back and pulled the tarp off the bike. JT sat on it and checked out the usual things and then tried the starter. It was stiff, but it moved and that was all JT wanted to know. He laid it on the stand again and checked out the engine and suspension, looking for signs of leakage and came away nodding.

“Workable. Pretty rough shape though. What do you want for it?”

Gus looked at JT and then to Tom, deciding on what to charge for it.

“Gimme seventy five for it and it's yours.”

“Got yourself a deal, Gus.”

Tom took out a small roll of bills and peeled off four twenty dollar bills and handed them to Gus. Gus took out a roll twice the size and flipped through it with his thumb, to find a five. He picked one out and handed it to Tom, wrapping the twenties around his roll and put it in his pocket again. Eyes carefully noted the value of the rolls mentally and were impressed with what they saw. Might be dirty, boring work, but Gus made a sizable sum of money, from scrap metal and parts.

“I'll get a truck and pick up the bike soon, Gus. Need anything from me?”

“Nope, I'm good for now. If you see anything interesting, give me a call and I'll let you know if you should pick it up, or not.”

“You got it. Thanks, Gus.”

“My pleasure. Hope it runs good for you. You guys ride too?”

“Yeah, just started a club, Sons of Anarchy.”

JT turned around and showed him the patch.

“Not bad, one of the better ones I've seen lately.”

“See many clubs around here?”

“Oh yeah. See all kinds going up and down 5 and 99 and across 580 into Oakland.”

“Seen a couple on 580 ourselves, didn't we, Piney?”

Piney gave JT a leery look and never said anything, then turned back to Gus. Gus asked what they were into and JT just said they liked to ride together and that was all. Gus seemed happy with that and headed back to the bins again. JT thanked him again and said he'd be in touch and bring a bottle down to him. Gus' toothless smile came out and a happy wink followed. With their quest over, they headed back to Charming, with talk of Jake being the main subject and his relationship with Marlene.

They pulled to the gate and saw it was open, so they went right in. The bright colours and designs on the VW micro-bus were hard to miss, as were the hippies that were milling around it. JT saw Piney looking at the engine, shaking his head to the long haired man beside him. Wally pulled in where the bikes were and shut the car off. JT walked over to Piney and the guy beside him. For the most part, there wasn't much of a difference between himself and the other guy, except for the way he was dressed. He looked at the headband made from a flag, as well as the billowy shirt he wore. He noticed the bell bottom jeans and the thick, leather belt with a pot leaf for a buckle. The braided, leather necklace he wore, held a large peace symbol at the bottom, all wrapped in different coloured strings to look like a rainbow.

“Hey there, name's JT.”

“Hi JT, I'm Moon Child, or just Moon, like most call me.”

Moon held out his hand and JT accepted it, shaking it happily. JT couldn't help but notice the round, pink lens of Moon's glasses.

“So Moon, what's with the pink glasses? Haven't seen anything like those before.”

“Just looking at the world through different eyes, JT. The world is what you make out of it, right? We're heading to a place in Calaveras, where a friend has two hundred acres of land and a house. We're going out there to live and practice free love, man. No more society bullshit about what we can and can't do. All we want is peace and smoke the good herb, you know?”

“I can dig that, Moon. We're sort of the same. We just started our club, the Sons of Anarchy. We want to live by our own rules as well. After 'Nam, it seemed like the whole country went to shit when we were over there. Jake, the guy that owns this shop, gave us the only decent job we could find. Now we're mechanics. So hey, speaking of which, what's wrong with this thing anyway?”

“Fucking engine, man. We got to here and that's as far as it wanted to go. It died the second we stopped right here and it won't even fire up now.”

“Damn, that sounds like it's fried completely, if it won't even spark.”

“No shit, man. We're supposed to be there this afternoon, but there's no way now. You think you guys can get this thing running again?”

“Not sure, man. Give it a try and let me hear what it sounds like.”

Moon went in and turned the key and the starter wouldn't turn the engine over.

“That's about as seized, as seized gets, Moon. No way this engine is ever going to run again.”

“Awww, shit, dude. How the fuck are we going to get out to Calaveras now? I better talk to everyone and let them know what's happening.”

Moon called his friends over to him and explained the situation. Faces went long and discouraged by the news. JT knew the predicament they were in and the need to be somewhere else, other than here, with him.

“JT, you know anywhere we can set up a tent for the night?”

“You thinking of camping out, until the thing is fixed?”

“Not much choice, man, unless you know of some other way to get us and our stuff out to Calaveras?”

JT could see their plight. He thought about the motel, but figured they'd imposed enough of themselves on Marlene already. Money was obviously an issue with them, their combined resources going to be depleted by the repairs, so that was out. He thought of the open fields next to the motel property, that were vacant and unused.

“Got an idea that might work, Moon. Come on into the clubhouse and we'll smoke a few joints and talk it over. I think you'll agree with me.”

“Cool man. You have a good spirit in you, JT. I sense that. We should let Flower do an aura reading on you, see what colours you are.”

“What the fuck are you talking about, man? What aura? What colours?”

“JT, come, let's share what you have and what we have, then we'll talk of ideas and auras.”

JT was mystified by Moon and what he was talking about, never hearing of the things he mentioned before. The guys rolled up the bay door for JT and Moon, followed by four girls and two more guys. Being good hosts, they let the girls have the seats and the guys pulled up boxes and crates to sit on.

“We're not quite up and running yet, so we just make do with what we can find for free and go from there.”

“That's cool, JT. We do the same thing, too. We're all from the San Francisco area and had enough of the shit from the man, telling us how we had to live. Golden inherited some land from her grandparents last month, so we're heading out there to live. There's a small house there now, so we can build more rooms on to it and grow our own food as well.”

“Uhm, who's Golden?”

Joints were going around and around, as both groups rolled up samples of what they had. Moon took a hit off the Panama Red and looked at the joint, as he tasted it, then felt the high hitting him.

“Sweet grass, man. This is killer shit, dude.”

JT smiled, as he saw the expressions Moon made, as the pot mellowed him out totally.

“So, Golden, you were going to tell me who that is?”

“Oh yeah. She's part of our commune that we started last year in Frisco. She's out there now at the house waiting for us to show up with food and shit. That's why we need to get out there as soon as possible. She had enough for a couple of days, plus what was left from her grandparents and she has no car to get into town to get more. At least the well is good and she has water, but there's no phone to let us know how she is. See why I'm worried, JT.”

JT could see the same care and concern for those he was leading. Whatever differences in lifestyle they had, the common bond was a love and respect for those they were with.

“Guys, we need to give these good people a hand. You heard their situation, so how can we help them? I came up with an idea that will work for a night or two, but they don't have that kind of time to sit around, not when Golden is out there and ready to starve. Let's hear some ideas from everyone, you guys too. In fact, let's find out who everyone is, so we know who we're talking to. I'm JT.”

“I'm Moon Child, or just Moon.”

“Piney.”

“Chico.”

The guys said their names and then the guests introduced themselves, girls going first.

“Spirit.”

“Flower.”

“Poppy.”

“Rainbow.”

“Star Rider, or just Star.”

“Phoenix.”

The guys looked at them all, after saying their names and Piney was first to ask why the change. Moon smiled, as he looked at them through slitted eyes, behind the pink lenses.

“We gave up what society called us. We gave ourselves new names, ones that reflected who we were inside. A name is nothing more than letters after all. You use initials, most everyone else has a nickname instead of their full name. You're no different. Our names just sound strange, because no one ever thought of calling themselves that.”

JT chuckled out loud, realizing the similarities between them, the others realizing the choices were all individual like they had done themselves, just breaking the confines of normal convention even farther they they were. He shook Moon's hand and agreed with him totally on that point. Wally made the first offer of friendship to them, as he blew out the smoke of his hit.

“JT, Moon, I got an idea that might solve everything and give everyone a good chill about this.”

Everyone focused on Wally to hear what he was going to say.

“What if we go and get Golden out in Calaveras and bring her back here for now. It's only what, forty, fifty miles to there? So we can be there in half an hour or so, then bring her back here and she's out of danger, or anything.”

Moon had a look of pure relief wash over him, after hearing the offer.

“Shit, Man, that's a great idea. What's your name again?”

“Wally.”

“Wally, that would give my soul the peace it needs. How soon can we go?”

“Anytime man. We're just sitting here, doing nothing, so we can go now.”

“Let me get my stuff from the bus and I'll bring Spirit with me for the trip.”

“Cool, I'll stop off and get Annie to come along with us, too. She's getting antsy sitting around the motel all day and would love to get out, sound good?”

“Sounds good, Wally. I owe you for this gratitude you've shown us. All of you. JT, before we go, what was your idea that got us in here, in the first place?”

JT perked up, his head getting foggy from the herb's effects.

“Oh yeah. I was thinking, there's all this land sitting vacant beside the motel. Maybe flatten the grass down and pitch a tent. You can use our washrooms to shower and stuff, so that helps with that part of things. We can help you get food and stuff, but cooking it might be hard. Oh yeah. Tom has a great eye for finding shit, so I'm tasking him with finding another engine for you. There's a guy I just saw earlier that has all kinds of engines lying around that are still good, so he might have one for that thing.”

Moon looked at JT, his eyes holding the thoughts in his heart for him, after hearing of his idea and offer.

“It's divine fate of the spirits to meet, JT. The bus made it to here, because it knew it would find salvation at your door. Fate brought us together, because it knew we would be in the company of kindred spirits like ours, ones who would offer us shelter and comfort in our time of need.”

“Can't really argue with any of that, Moon. Jake is kind of like a father to us all and he helps us with guidance and wisdom. I know this is what he would do in this situation.”

“I'd like to meet Jake sometime, he sounds like he has a spirit I would enjoy knowing.”

“Sure, he's an open kind of guy to shit. Doesn't get all bent out of shape if we smoke some pot and drink beers, as long as we don't go crazy.”

“I do believe he will prove to be interesting, JT. Okay, I'll go get my things and Spirit, if you're ready, we should get going with Wally and pick up Golden. Star, Phoenix, you unload the bus and we'll take everything up to the lot by the motel. We can set up camp and rough it, until the bus is fixed. How far is it to the motel from here?”

“Not far, about three miles down the road that way.”

“Not that far to go then, Star. Can you carry everything in one trip?”

“If the girls can carry the packs that far, we might make it.”

“Wait, the guys can give you a ride on the back of their bikes and make things a whole lot easier that way. Save time and walking, not to mention sore backs and legs.”

“We have been blessed to no end by your hospitality. We are forever in your debt, JT and will repay this kindness back to you, whatever way we can.”

JT was going to deny his debt, but saw the conviction of his words to him and felt it was better to let the honour stand between them. They shook and hugged, then Wally went and got his car, while Moon brought a knapsack from the bus and got in the front with Wally, while Spirit sat in the back. Wally blew several short beeps as he left and turned down the street and was gone.

Star and Phoenix started unloading all their gear from the back and under the tarp on the roof. It presented quite the load to divide, to travel with, so they broke it down into two trips and they would take the girls and Phoenix up first and drop them off and then come back and bring Star and all the knapsacks themselves. Once the first load was ready, the guys got their bikes started and got the girls and some of the equipment on the back.

It was a slow, easy ride down the road, not wanting to spill, or scare the girls, who were clinging on tightly, never having road before. Even Phoenix had a need to hold onto the back of Otto, unsure of how to ride properly as a passenger. The trip over, the bikes stopped as close to the field as possible and the new riders happily got off. Cindy, Suzy, Gloria, Marietta and Mary came out, hearing the bikes come in. They looked at the girls getting off the bikes and jealousy was written on their faces. Keith was first to see them coming and the looks they had. He made his way towards them and held them back.

“Girls, girls, I'd like ye's to meet some nice folk in a bit of trouble. They've had some bad luck with their engine conking out on them and they'll be needing to set up camp in the field there, for a spell. We have to go back and get the rest of the stuff and get Star, as well. That's Phoenix there, the darker skinned chap. Come and say hello to the girls and see if they need to use the facilities.”

The girls were cut short to move any further, hearing who the girls were and why they were riding with their guys. The more Keith explained, the more concerned for them they became. It was the mention of Phoenix that grabbed their attention and they looked at the five people and noticed one was a guy, with long, straight, black hair down his back, obviously native American. He wore a brown leather headband and a matching leather vest. He was trampling down the grass to delineate the site, making a squared off area to pitch the tent, the girls following him in a line and trampling everything down. Keith brought the girls over and made introductions, getting them to join in, then bid them goodbye to join the others and get the rest of everything and Star. A hug and a kiss later, the thunder of V twins dominated the scene, as they headed back to the clubhouse.

The girls associated easily, as they helped trample grass, but they were entranced by the good looks and fit body of Phoenix in front of them. Whispered talk was passed back and forth about him, as the girls wanted to know more, but they didn't see the big smile on Phoenix's face, having overheard their cautioned talk anyway.

JT and the others roared down the lane way and stopped in front of Star and the rest of the stuff. They were loading it up, when a horn started blowing at the gate. Everyone stopped and looked, then noticed it was Clay coming in his Grandfather's truck, his arm out, waving at them. He pulled up and got out, saying hi to everyone and then was introduced to Star. His smirk and chuckle at his name, earned him a couple of slaps on the back from Lenny and JT both, for his attitude towards him.

“Respect, Clay. That's his name, no reason to laugh at it. Like Clay is any better? Don't see him making fun of your name, do you?”

Clay realized his name held negative connotations to it and his full name Clarence, held ones to a noted TV clown.

“No, sorry JT, sorry Lenny.”

“Not us you need to say sorry to. Star is the one who you insulted.”

Clay looked chastised and put in his place, as he turned to Star and held his hand out to him.

“Sorry man, didn't really mean anything by it. Just never heard anyone called that before.”

“Apology accepted, Clay. Full name is Star Rider, but Star is cool.”

The full name almost set Clay off again, but he caught himself instantly and shook his hand a bit more and let it go. JT clapped his arm over his shoulder and talked to him.

“Need your help, brother. All this stuff will go up the road a lot faster in the back of your truck and giving Star a lift to the motel.”

“Sure, JT, no problem.”

The tents and gear, including an old barbeque, were tossed in the back and in short order, a line of bikes with Clay and Star trailing behind, made their way out and on to the motel.

“Those are great guys you know up there, Clay. Moon is very happy with JT and his kind spirit. Your friends have been very generous and shared whatever they could with us. We're strangers to you all, yet we have been welcomed by you and given the gifts of love and peace. I know Moon will always have a place for you all at our table and share our food and love with you. You are always welcome to join us anytime you wish.”

Clay felt like he was in another world, listening to Star talk about things the way he did. He was still unaware of the communal living arrangements they would have, or any of their understandings of their lifestyle. He was happy enough to be pulling into the lot and stopping at the field, unable to fathom any more spirit talk. Hands were unloading things, before they even got out of the truck, as Phoenix grabbed the tents in both hands and walked them to the site. He opened the first bag and unloaded all the canvas and poles. Everyone watched, as he flattened out the tent and took the main pole in with him and raised the centre up. Star took a couple poles and put them in the corner holes, so JT grabbed the other two and the tent was raised completely. Piney took the tether lines and stakes, slipping them over the tips of the poles and pressing the stakes into the soft ground with his boot heel, securing the lines in place.

Star had four sleeping bags in his hands and under his arms and tossed them inside, then went back for the others. The girls went inside the tents and had them all laid out for sleeping. The club guys and girls just stood and watched the others set up camp, turning a vacant field into a campsite in less than half an hour. A few rickety lawn chairs were set up, along with the barbeque, making it more like a family campsite.

Once everything was in place and readied, everyone congregated again and began talking about each other. The girls were far more acceptable of the name changes, than the guys were, the idea of being born again as the new identity, made all the sense to them. They asked if any of them needed to use a washroom and it was an instant separation of males and females. The guys sat around talking with Star and Phoenix about what got them to change their outlook and way of life, like themselves. A common disenchantment with how American life had become something different, different from what they had believed before and what they believed it to be now. The values in life held no real meaning to them, the way they did to their parents. Money only brought misery and trouble and taking it out of the equation, was the best way for them to avoid dealing with it.

JT sensed a commonality between them, a kinship of souls that ached to be free. He understood the differences in the paths they chose, although both were heading away from the mainstream way of thinking. He felt pangs of self-condemnation, knowing his path had led his people down a slope into a life most despised, while Moon was leading his, towards a life of peace and love. The die was cast for them and changing who they were, wasn't going to happen, but JT began feeling the niggling pangs of making hasty decisions based on emotion, instead of logic and understanding.

Everyone was getting along well, no one discounting the other for life choices made, as the afternoon wore on. Food was brought up by the girls and Star asked if the guys could take him into town and buy food and charcoal for the barbeque. Clay made amends for his attitude earlier and offered his services to them. Star showed his happiness at Clay's acceptance of them, no longer feeling they were society's dregs. A list of things to get was made, then Star and Clay got in the pick up and headed into town to shop. It was decided to share a meal with their hosts and offer their own hospitality.

Wally was enjoying the ride with Moon, listening to him talk about their commune and the lifestyle they wanted to live. Spirit was in the back with Ann-Marie, sharing a joint together, leaning towards each other for support. They were sharing thoughts on living as one, how each girl could be with any guy and any guy could be with any girl. Ann-Marie couldn't grasp the concept of such an open lifestyle, one where the institution of marriage had been fully entrenched into her mindset. Spirit began explaining their concept of love and how it applied to all of them, not just between two people. Love was to be shared, just like the grass they smoked. Smoking it to them, was an association with love and the two were synonymous. She said everyone in San Francisco, called it the Love Drug and people like them were called Hippies, because they were hip to the scene and what was happening.

The car seemed to be alive with the energy of positive vibes inside, as the four shared thoughts and soon shared an admiration and respect for each other. Moon said openly, he truly enjoyed the freedom of riding on a bike, the oneness with his spirit and nature had convinced him of the need to get one of his own, for riding the land that cars couldn't travel on.

Wally followed Moon's directions and the slow, winding road nestled between the hills, came to an end at the entrance to a property. It was thick with bush and trees all along the front, an old, steel gate sitting derelict on its hinges, never being moved for over a decade or more. The dirt drive was nothing more than tire tracks with tall weeds growing in the middle of them and along the sides, curving subtly, taking them back past the trees surrounding them and into a large clearing. A worn out fence surrounded a small two storey house, that had a wrap around porch, both still in a decent state of repair. Wally slowed and pulled up to the front and shut it off. They got out and Moon called out for Golden.

The peaceful quiet, was softly enhanced by the field birds and their whistles and chirps to each other. Wally took Ann-Marie's hand and walked off the drive and into the field a short way, to look at the view. Moon shouted out again for Golden, then movement was seen about twenty feet in front of Wally and Ann-Marie, in a patch of field daisies. Slowly, they saw a head rise up, covered in golden blonde hair with a yellow headband, tresses that seemed to keep appearing, the more she stood up. Finally standing, with her back facing them, she spread her arms open to the sun and let it wash over her, her hair covering her past her ass.

With her arms out straight, she turned and Wally and Ann-Marie could clearly see she was naked. The same colour of hair adorned a spot between her legs, highlighting the dark bronze of her skin. She smiled happily and dropped her arms, running past the stunned couple and jumped into Moon's arms and kissed him passionately. His arms held her close, as his lips met hers, their connection one of great joy and love. Golden broke away, her smile showing white teeth and a happiness that could only come from within. She turned and saw Spirit standing to the side and went to her, hugging and kissing each other, no differently than she had with Moon.

Wally and Ann-Marie were agog with the display of nudity and free loving, watching the two girls express themselves so openly. Ann-Marie was finding herself attracted to the naked nymph before her, admiring not only her body, but her freedom to enjoy something she had to hide away from everyone and keep to herself. Golden and Spirit finished and stood holding hands, as Moon made introductions.

“Golden, this is Wally and Ann-Marie. Wally, Ann-Marie, I'd like you to meet Golden, she's our spiritual guide. She helps us to become one with nature and draw from its goodness.”

Golden came to Wally first and hugged him. Wally stood perplexed, unsure if he should touch her naked body. Golden pulled Wally's face to her and kissed both cheeks softly, then gave him a soft kiss on the lips, before letting him go and stood in front of Ann-Marie. They looked into each others eyes for a moment first, something passing between them that the others could sense as well. Golden moved forward and took Ann-Marie's hands and put them around her waist. She put her hands around the back of Ann-Marie's head and pulled her forward to her face, then kissed her lips. Deep breaths were drawn, as emotions were lit inside each other.

Willingly, Ann-Marie moved a step forward and her hands went around Golden's back, their kiss increasing in passion. Golden reached up and took hold of the hair clip holding Ann-Marie's hair up and released it, letting all of the white tresses spill down her back. Mouths sought greater interaction from their lips, as tongues were slid between them.

Wally was speechless, as he watched his girlfriend enjoy herself openly with another girl. He wasn't sure if he should feel jealousy, or resentment. He had no idea what emotion to feel at that point, as none of them made enough sense to act on. Moon could see it clearly and went to him.

“Are they not beautiful together, Wally?”

“What do you mean beautiful?”

“The love they share. I can't read souls as well as Golden and Spirit can, but even I can see they share a bond between them. Golden can sense things in a person, read them like a book and she sees something in Ann-Marie, that she is drawn towards. Whatever Ann-Marie is feeling, Golden is sensing it and responding to it. It's a gift of love they share between their souls and love is a beautiful thing, is it not, Wally?”

Wally stood and watched the loving kiss between Golden and Ann-Marie, trying to see past his own feelings for right and wrong and tried to look at it through Moon's eyes. His girlfriend held the naked stranger to her, as if they were lifelong lovers, reuniting after a long absence. Their hair spilled about them, wrapping them in a cloak of gold and white strands blending together. As hard as he tried, understanding what they shared together, was far beyond what he could comprehend, with what he knew life to be like as he knew it.

The pair separated, still holding each other, their smiles showing a true happiness coming from within.

“She is my twin, Moon. My spirit twin. I was just searching for again her in my meditation, as I have for three years now. She's here, Moon, she's finally here.”

Ann-Marie was unsure of what Golden was talking about, but she understood the connection between them. She felt it the moment she looked in Golden's eyes, seeing the gold flecks sparkle the second they looked at each other. She felt a sense of being one with Golden, that they were meant to be joined some how. She kept holding her hand, looking at Wally with a richness of love in her heart, seeing confusion and sadness awash over his face, as he looked back at her.

Ann-Marie pulled Golden along with her, as she went to him and hugged him.

“Wally, I really like you, I do. You're a really great guy and you're fun to be with. Please try to understand this side of me, please. I know it's weird that I like other girls, I don't really understand it yet either, but I do. I knew after being with Marlene and Suzy, that I did. I like guys too, I do, but I like this part of me as well. Wally, please don't hate me, because of this.”

Wally could see how distraught his girlfriend was, coming to grips with her own sexuality and trying to appease his wounded pride and manhood. He didn't want to do anything that would lose what he had, but he didn't know how to handle the threat to his relationship with her and how he fit into it all anymore. Golden could see the conflict of emotion between them and looked at Moon, who nodded to her, as if they had shared a mental thought between them with just a look. She moved closer to Wally and took his hand, placing it over her firm breast, letting her stiff nipple press into his palm. She held it to her and looked into Wally's eyes, his confusion rising in wonderment. Golden used her other hand to pull Wally to her and kissed him, evoking him to respond to her, then felt his hand cup her firm mound and squeeze it gently, as his lips began answering the call of arousal.

Ann-Marie took a step back and watched, as Golden folded herself into him and he accepted her, hugging her close. The passion Golden injected into her lips, was transferred to Wally's and his libido was taken over by the nubile, young woman, her naked skin aglow with the light of the sun, her hair shimmering around her. Wally froze momentarily, as he felt Golden's hand take hold of his burgeoning growth between his legs and fondled him. Wally's eagerness to want more, had him forget the moment he was in and ignored everything, but the intense pleasure he was feeling with Golden.

Just as he was at the point of wanting to make out with her, his passion inflamed to its zenith, she stopped and held him close still, as she whispered in his ear.

“Do you wish to make love with me? Complete yourself with me? Do you want to make me feel the power of your love, or just satisfy your carnal needs?”

Wally stood and breathed hard, holding the beautiful, bare flesh of a woman offering herself to him and looked at Ann-Marie beside him. He could see she had no animosity towards him, nothing that told him he would be doing wrong, if he said yes to her. He looked at Moon and Spirit standing arm in arm, looking at him and smiling, a small nod from Moon to say he was okay with whatever he wanted to do. Wally looked back at Golden, her brown eyes sparkling with the gold flecks in them, holding him entranced by them, as she continued looking at him with the same intensity of sharing herself with him.

“I, I, don't know. I want to say yes, but it feels so weird to say it. I really like Ann-Marie and want to make her happy, but now I want to make you happy as well and it just doesn't make sense.”

“I know it's hard to understand, Wally. Love is such an incredible thing, it has more power than you can ever imagine. It can make us do things that we would never think of doing before. It has the power to heal your soul, heal your body and mind. Think of the last time you felt love, real love, Wally and how you felt being in that state. How did it make you feel in your heart to feel that?”

Wally thought back to moments in his life when he had felt love. Moments in his childhood and growing up. He remembered his first girlfriend and how head over heals in love with her he was at the time. He could see what Golden was talking about, the incredible feeling that was in him, when he felt he was loved, or loved something. It sort of made sense to him now, how love was something more than sexual, that it was something he had experienced and enjoyed. How it translated into Ann-Marie and Golden sharing that depth of love, was still hard to grasp.

“You have a hard time understanding why Ann-Marie likes other girls, don't you?”

“Yeah. I kinda understand the love thing a bit, but you two doing it together is just strange. I don't get it. How do you get off, if neither of you has a dick, or anything?”

Golden smiled at him and Wally saw the peacefulness in her eyes. A peace that seemed to calm the unsettled sea of emotion in him, a peace that he found solace in his heart with, that quelled the raging turmoil of confusion and ignorance.

“I know you don't get it. I don't know too many guys who do. How we find pleasure together, is different than how you do. We understand our bodies and how they work. We know what our hearts need to feel, to become aroused and how to touch ourselves in ways you can't understand, because you have no knowledge of how those parts of us feel. We do. Ann-Marie knows the beauty of her love and is able to share it without doubt, without the bounds and bonds of society saying it's wrong to love like that. She has accepted it in her spirit, that she is that way, that she can share her love with someone, no matter what gender they might be.”

Wally stood looking at the two women, unable to fathom the ideals presented to him, his own morals and values still being dictated by society's standards. Moon came to him and put his hand on his shoulder, disrupting his thoughts of the two women and got his attention.

“Wally, you know why I wear these pink glasses?”

“Haven't got a clue, man.”

“It's so I can see the world more like a woman does. I've always seen it through the eyes of a man, just like you. I didn't understand it either, the way women see things, how they feel things guys don't. I think of Mother Earth and Mother Nature and how we feel comforted and loved by them, as we go about our lives and pay no mind to their power and greatness. Women are the soul of the earth and we are the spirit. You feel that spirit with JT and the others, whenever you are together, don't you?”

“Yeah, I do. It's like being with brothers, sort of, I guess.”

“That's exactly what it's like. You and I are brothers, Wally. Even though we come from different fathers and mothers, we are still one, still family, still brothers. Every man is your brother, no matter what his colour, no matter what his beliefs in God are. We are learning to treat all men with respect, but more so, we are learning from our women, that love is a power within us. We can try to deny its existence in us, but its light will always find a place to shine, in even the darkest of souls. “

Wally began getting an inkling of what it all meant and began putting all the bits and pieces scattered in his head, into something intelligible he could understand.

“So, Annie isn't really a dyke or anything, she's just connecting with her spirit twin, which is Golden, am I getting it?”

Moon smiled and patted his back.

“That's more or less it.”

“Who my spirit was, long ago, I have no idea, neither does Annie. What I do know, is that we were joined at one time in the past and shared something special, something powerful that completed us.”

Wally began becoming lost again in Golden's words and Moon put his arm over Wally's shoulder and walked him inside with Spirit. Golden and Ann-Marie stayed outside together and waited until the others had gone inside, before looking at each other and clashing together in passion, kissing and loving on one another happily.

Moon looked through the cupboards and the fridge and saw there was very little left to eat.

“Damn, Wally. We came at the right time. Golden has nothing left to eat here. I wonder how long she's had no food? Doesn't matter, she's coming back with us now and she'll have all the food she can eat. Let me get her in here to put some clothes on and we can get back to the others. Hard to keep her in them once she has the chance to shed them off of her. I'm sure they're all wondering what's happened to us, we've been gone way longer than expected.”

“Yeah, I noticed she has a tan all over, no lines or anything. I can see why you call her Golden. Her hair is like one shade of gold and her skin is like another darker kind. Even the sprinkles in her eyes are gold. She's like, really gorgeous, you know.”

Moon could see Wally was smitten by her looks and had an interest in her, but it was on a physical level only. Spirit spoke to him for the first time since arriving.

“She likes to feel as close to nature as she can and when we're all together, all the girls, we sit among the daisies and meditate in the nude. I felt weird at first, like anyone would doing it for the first time. After the first meditation we did together, I felt the energy in me and the love in my heart. I felt more at peace and happier than I ever was, living with my parents and doing what they wanted me to do. I moved out and joined Moon and Phoenix three years ago, then learned I had powers in me I never knew I had. Freaked me out at first, but with the love and understanding from everyone, they helped me know what it was I had and how to use it. I'm still learning, but it's getting easier, now that I accept it and know its a part of me, that it was with my spirit, long before I was born.”

Wally heard Spirit's introduction into this new world and he found an association of feelings with her. His own life had been one long disappointment, since he left school at sixteen. He had no home, no job, no real future, just a shared brotherhood with eight other guys, who had lived similar lives like his. He could see how a common love, a common bond between men and women could happen, like these people were having. His thoughts were broken, as Golden and Ann-Marie walked in, hands held tightly and both smiling broadly. Wally couldn't deny what he saw, was good. It would challenge his conscience for days, trying to come to terms with it all, but he found a smile of his own, as he looked at them.

“I gave Annie her new name. She is now called, Azure Cloud. Her hair is like the clouds, so soft and white and her eyes are blue, as the sky is this day. Everyone, say hello to Azure.”

Wally stopped himself from shaking his head, hearing Ann-Marie's new name. He looked at her and saw how happy she was with her new name and couldn't diminish her happiness in any way. She came to him and hugged him, kissing him with more passion in her lips, than he had felt before. It was like she had an awakening in herself and he could feel the energy in her kiss, as she aroused his own passions.

Golden went into the bedroom with Spirit and was back out in five minutes, dressed in cut off shorts and a short sleeved white shirt, tied at the waist, with barely enough buttons to close the front enough, to keep her breasts from being exposed. Moon was hugging Ann-Marie, telling her, her name was well suited to her, the white mane of hair now left down and free of any ties, or pins. Wally looked at the transformation and liked what he saw. There was less of the formal dress up and more of the natural look. Golden came up with something behind her back and told Ann-Marie to close her eyes.

Ann-Marie stood still and closed her eyes, waiting to see what it was. Golden brought her hand up and fixed Ann-Marie's hair a bit and then slipped a light, blue head band over her head. She slid it down, so the band was across her forehead and the turquoise stone set in silver, was in the centre.

“Open your eyes.”

Ann-Marie reached up and felt the headband and went over to the mirror to see it. She cried out happily, seeing how the colours were hers. She came back and hugged Golden tightly, her thanks being given in bond, rather than words. Wally smiled, liking the transformation even more.

“One more thing, Azure. Allow me.”

Golden began undoing Azure's all too familiar jean vest and slipped it off her shoulders, leaving her in her bra only. Golden reached behind her and undid the clasps and slid the straps down her arms and let the cups fall away, leaving her bared. She had Azure put her vest back on and did it up for her, doing the same as Marlene had done before and smoothed out imaginary wrinkles over her breasts.

“Much better. When you come here, you'll learn clothes are restricting to your freedom to express who you are and won't wear any, like I do.”

Azure/Ann-Marie smiled excitedly and nodded, then joined hands with Golden and Spirit and went out to the car, the three getting in the back seat and talking excitedly. Moon looked at Wally and picked up Golden's knapsack and small carry case.

“Wish you had a better radio, man. It's going to be noisy as hell in the back with those three talking, trust me.”

Wally realized Moon had been driving around for quite some time with them and would know, if anyone, what it was going to be like. He shrugged his shoulders and just accepted what was, so much happening in such a short time, he knew his head would be deep in thought the whole way back. He started the Biscayne up and turned around, heading back out the drive and past the rusted gate, the three voices in the back all talking at once, somehow understanding each other, while Moon had his eyes closed and seemed to be letting himself drift away, where the sound didn't penetrate. Wally just focused on the road ahead, remembering where the turns were in reverse, as his mind began making sense of who he was and what he believed.

The combined group at the motel, were sitting around in a circle, talking about the changes in their lives and the world around them. Star described the scene happening in the Haight-Ashbury district, in San Francisco and how things were happening there, that would soon change the way every person in America would think. Phoenix was working away at the barbeque readying it for the food to go on and shouted over to them, hearing what they were talking about.

“Psychedelic, man. The world is no longer black and white, like before. It's made up of rainbows of colour, all blending as one, to become the new reality. Love is the beauty, peace is its colour. When you learn how to dig it, it all makes sense.”

JT heard what Phoenix said, but wanted to know how they had made this discovery and how they made sense of it.

“So, how did you guys get to this understanding of things? I can dig what you're saying and everything, but I don't know how you got to see things in colour, if all we see is black and white.”

Star looked at him, his face stating a revelation to be expounded upon them.

“Acid, man. It's the ticket to your mind. Society locked your mind up the day you were born and threw away the key. This will open it again and let you see what they don't want you to see. Freedom, real freedom. You can see what they've lied to us about. How they've shackled our minds to believe what they want us to believe and not what's really there. Their world is just bullshit man, it's just about money and greed. None of them are happy with what they have, because they always want more. We found true happiness in love, in peace and being at one with everything. All we need is the air to breathe, clean water to drink and food the good earth provides for us. Everything else is a trap that closes tighter and tighter on you, holding your will to them, to live their way.”

JT and the others could relate completely with that understanding of things. These people were just like them in so many ways. They had a common love of one another, albeit theirs, less affectionate and intimate in nature. They had an understanding as well, of the collapse of society as it stood now and knew changes were needed to make it better for everyone. They had banded together as like individuals and shared a common goal, of peace and happiness.

The twilight of the sunset was broken with headlights coming down the road to them. At first, hopes were that it was Wally and Moon coming back, but the sleek automobile told the Charming group that Jake and Marlene were back from dinner and a movie in Stockton. They pulled up to the office and got out, then heard JT calling behind them and turned around. They walked down the lot to him and JT could see that Marlene wasn't smiling and Jake wasn't either.

“Shit, we go to dinner and a movie and I come back to squatters living next door. This better be good, JT.”

“Hi, hey, I'm sorry, let me explain, before you say anything. It's all my idea and at the time, we didn't have anything else we could think of to do. These people pulled into the garage, Jake and their engine in the VW microbus is fried, like it's seized tight. They're on their way out to Calaveras to a place out there and now they're stuck here, until they get the bus fixed. Money is a bit tight, considering the repairs they need, so I thought of the empty lot beside the motel here and figured a couple of days to camp out, until they're running again.”

Jake looked at JT and smiled warmly at him, seeing the kindness his heart had shown to strangers. He looked at the newcomers and realized they did look a bit strange. Marlene was noticing too and took better stock of who they were. JT led them over and did introductions. Jake wasn't buying the new names they called themselves and laughed openly. Marlene thought the girl's and their names were cute and the guys were definitely getting her attention, new names or not. Jake looked at Star, as though there was a familiarity with him.

“What's your last name, son?”

“Rider. Star Rider.”

“No, not that silly ass name, I mean your real one, your dad's name.”

Star did his best not to take offence to Jake's comment.

“Chapman.”

“Your dad isn't Dick Chapman, is it? You sure look like him, at least in his younger years, not sure about now.”

Star looked stunned that someone knew his father and recognized him, in his own face.

“Yeah, how did you know?”

“Son, when a man saves your life, you tend to remember him pretty good. I'd be nothing more than a headstone and a forgotten soldier, if it wasn't for him. He ever tell you what he did in the war?”

“He tried, but I don't want to hear it. I hate war and everything it stands for and does to people.”

Jake could see the passion of Star's beliefs in how he felt about the war and went about his speaking in a milder tone.

“I get that. God knows I feel the same way at times, but here's the thing, son. None of us wanted to go over there and shoot Germans. We sure as shit didn't want to get shot at either. We were told to do a job, that it was our duty to protect the way of life that we knew, at all costs, so you can stand here freely and tell us we're all bastards, because we picked up a gun and shot some people. Think to yourself what it would be like, to wake up one day, and you find yourself taken and beaten for no other reason, than some asshole has thing against your type. Imagine that as your life, because if we didn't go over and do our duty, that's what your life would be like, as a Nazi Kraut. You don't want to know what your dad did in the war? Doesn't matter, I'm going to tell you anyway, so you know what a damn, fine man your father is and how proud you should be, to be his son.”

The entire group of over twenty young people gave their attention and respect to Jake, as he looked at them, not with hatred or disgust, but a disappointment that riled him, that children had lost respect for their parents and elders.

“I was coming back across the eastern part of France, after running messages to the front lines on my motorcycle. I had to go through some areas that either we had, or the German's had taken back. This one time, the German's had taken it back and I rode past a sentry on a motorcycle. He'd been stationed there to watch for troop movements and now I was the rabbit, to his hound. I rode my ass off, but he stayed with me the whole time. I heard him shooting off a few rounds with his machine gun at me.”

The faces on everyone showed they were rapt with suspense, as he relayed the event.

“I was on an open stretch, I had it wide open, going as fast as my bike would go and trust me, I wasn't even sure if the thing would hold together, or I'd lose control and crash, ending any worry of being shot. I remembered the curve coming up, up ahead and I knew I had to slow down to take it, or I'd wipe out for sure, but then he would catch up and have an easy shot at me.”

The tension was thick in the air, as everyone listened, including Marlene.

“I started to slow and waited for the bullets to start tearing into me, when I heard his bike make an odd sound and then crashed. The bike was wrecked completely, hitting the steep hillside and smashing into the trees, while he became part of a tree, or at least most of him. Going that fast, tends to put an awful strain on the body to hold itself together. I stopped and went back, wondering what the hell had happened, when I heard your dad's voice from up in the trees. He was a sniper for a unit mine had hooked up with, when we advanced together. He'd been up in that tree almost two days, when I came along. He spent two more, before he was relieved of that assignment. You know how many men your dad saved, doing that? Hundreds. I heard stories of him shooting out other snipers the Krauts had stationed along the routes. Dead Eye Dick, was what he was called back then. Their snipers took out hundreds of our boys, your dad stopped them, not as a unit, but all by himself. He had to go in alone and get set up, without getting seen, or caught. He did what was was asked of him, nothing more. All he had to go on, was his ability to shoot a moving deer through a scope and travel quietly through the woods. He survived because he wanted to. He had your mother to come back to. He'd write to her as much as he could. Sometimes he'd be sending four or five letters at once, because he was unable to get them to me, or another courier.”

Star was listening with a new found interest of his father and who he was. Jake could tell he was, because he saw the sense of disappointment in Star's face, knowing he had never honoured his father properly, or gave him a chance to be someone to him.

“I remember sitting around at camp, when he was between missions, he'd be the first one having fun and pulling pranks and cracking jokes with the guys. Everyone liked your dad, but more so, they respected him and thought of him in the highest of regards. They all owed their life to him, because he risked his, to protect theirs. We all hated the war as much, or even more than you all do and wished we could be back home with loved ones and live a happy life, but we were called upon and we did what was needed doing and came back. I know it's different now, this Vietnam war is the biggest mistake the government has ever made and it doesn't look like they're ready to admit they're wrong yet, either. These boys have been there and done their time and came back. Now society looks down on them, because the threat to our way of life isn't there anymore, so it's doesn't matter to society the same.”

The hippies could see the reality of what they fought against, being presented in a new way to them. One from a perspective of being there and having just cause for hating war and its atrocities. Heads nodded in agreement with his words and he saw he had gotten through to them, presented an understanding of what it means to give it all up and put your life aside, for the sake of others. Star voiced his groups feelings, to the man who had put another truth to the way things were, especially for him.

“JT said you were a good man, Jake and now I truly believe him. I see the love you have for your brothers and JT has told me how you have taken care of him and the club. Marlene, we are in your debt for allowing us to camp here. We will make sure not to disturb you in any way and be gone, as soon as the bus is fixed. And Jake, thank you for telling me about my dad, I should be a better son to him.”

Two sets of headlights caught their attention, as they approached out of the darkness. The first to pull in was Wally, followed by Clay. They drove up and parked close to everyone and got out. Once again, introductions were made to Jake and Marlene, then they bid everyone a good evening and to keep the noise down low, then walked hand in hand into the office and shut off the lights inside. The guys knew they would be occupied with other things, instead of them, once the sheets were laid upon.

The girls were all over Ann-Marie, asking about the make over. She happily announced her new name given to her and the girls immediately wanted to have a new name of their own. The guys weren't as interested in that part of things, but more about the new way to get in touch with themselves. Moon was quite happy to talk about the wonder drug, LSD with them and all it's magical powers.

Phoenix brought out a portable radio and turned it on, then adjusted the tuner to pick up a station. The Mamas and Papas were just finishing singing California Dreaming, then it went straight into the Byrds and their song, Turn, Turn, Turn. The words were sung out, but their meaning was clear and felt by them all, as they listened. Each verse JT heard, brought back a vision of recent history he had just lived through and could see the words were making them all take stock of their lives at that moment and who they were.

Visions of Martin Luther King jr. and Robert F. Kennedy being assassinated, riots and protests taking place across the country about the Vietnam war and racism against the American blacks, who only wanted a chance to have more than the pittance given to them to live off of. Poverty was showing it's ugly side everywhere, as more struggled to understand where the prosperity was supposed to be and rioting won out. They had circled the moon and knew it was only a matter of time, before they would walk upon it, but lives and families were struggling to keep the status quo, let alone save and look forward to a brighter tomorrow. The song ended and left everyone speechless for a moment, as they gathered their thoughts back from where they went in their minds. Change was coming, that they knew, what it was and what it would do to the way things were, was something they had to wait for and find out what they would become and what would be.

JT could feel the peace inside himself and could see it on the faces of everyone in the circle. What he was experiencing was something his soul needed to know, something it needed to grow on. He began having feelings about the club, ones that nagged at him to rethink his choices. He liked riding, but the threat of violence at their door, was weighing on him. Money was their only goal, the objective being their clubhouse and the club itself. Now he was looking at Moon and his people and what they were searching for, giving up on material possessions, in search of true happiness and the way they were going about achieving it.

Suzy was now saying she wanted to be called by her new name, Stardust, the other girls wanting to use their new names as well. Wally was sitting beside Ann-Marie, but his body language was saying he wasn't with her. She was sitting beside Golden, becoming more like her new friend and would now only answer to anyone, if she was called Azure. Wally had a reluctance to accept it all, but he wasn't against it either and Tom sensed that in him. He tapped his shoulder and told him to join him and went for a walk down the road into the darkness. vanishing from sight of the others, the bottle of bourbon passed between them.

Moon was sitting beside JT and nudged him, as he saw Wally walk away with Tom.

“Wally is still finding it hard to accept who Annie has become. He still hangs on to the old way of believing how things should be and can't accept the changes she's made to herself. He can't find his own happiness in another's happiness. We have learned to find happiness in ourselves, by making those we love feel good, make them feel the love you have for them. Words are easy to say, JT. It's what we do, that truly shows how we feel for one another.”

JT sat in inner turmoil, seeing both directions he was being given to choose from. Both had elements of who he was, what he wanted to be. Both offered the same brotherhood and love of freedom. The big difference that weighed on him, was his love for his brothers and which way would bring about the better end results for them. Guns were sought to protect themselves against the ones who wanted to take away their livelihood and do them harm, which made sense to them all, but JT knew in his heart, that one day would come, when those guns would be drawn and they would have to decide in the blink of an eye, to end another man's life, or face losing their own.

Suzy saw he was drifting off to a place he didn't like and brushed his hair back from his face and pulled him to her.

“Hey you, don't be glum. Kiss me and show me some loving. I want to be one with you tonight, Baby.”

JT saw the sparkle of Suzy's eyes in the moonlight, as she looked at him, waiting for his lips to press against hers. One thing he did know he was sure of, was being with her and sharing their time together. She never presented herself as a problem to him, the prior events with Annie and Marlene chocked down to experimenting in choices in life. Since then, she had been more devoted to him and showed no more signs of wandering to the other side, showing him how to please her in the new ways instead. JT saw the intimate love Suzy held in her eyes for him and felt it hit him inside. It didn't take much of a decision to decide to excuse themselves and the pair went into their unit. The lights went on for only a few minutes and went off again, telling most, that the pair were engaged in some serious loving.

That move sparked a notion in others to follow suit and amorous advances were accepted happily. Couples began peeling off and heading into tents and rooms. Wally stood up and began walking away from Golden and Azure, who were standing together, saying goodnight to Moon and Spirit. Moon motioned with his head towards the lone figure, fading away into the shadows of the night again. He smiled at them, then ducked into the tent with Spirit, giggles and moans coming back out. Phoenix invited Tom and Clay to join him and Rainbow in his tent, where they had the chance to lie with Poppy and Flower for the night and let them explain free love in a way they understood.

Golden looked at Azure and knew Wally was feeling the way he was, because of their connection. She took Azure's hand and they went after Wally, catching up to him, then each of them took one of his hands and walked him into his unit, before he could say anything. The door closed and both of them pushed Wally onto the bed. He sat in shock of their boldness, looking at both of the long haired beauties, as they started to undress.

The light from the moon, shone bright enough through the crack in the curtains, to highlight their bodies, Golden's hair shimmering, while Azure's white hair and skin seemed to glow. He saw them climb on the bed with him, one to either side and lips began kissing him, then fingers were undoing buttons and zippers. Wally finally lay naked and exposed, as warm flesh was pressed against him, the wetness of lust wrapping around his manhood and bringing it to life. All that had passed before in his thoughts, was being wiped away by the two women, as they shared the love they felt within them, with him. He gave up any resistance to the lifestyle he disagreed with before and let himself be taken away to new heights of pleasure, that his companions were eager to instill in him. As he lay with his eyes closed and felt the sensuous gifts being given to him, the darkness his eyes saw, began to see a pink haze light it up, becoming the colour of love.