It was fascinating watching my sister interact with her twenty year old future husband. She was nervous and seemed a bit on the defensive, although it could have been left over irritation from the hotdog-in-face incident. Whatever the case, the atmosphere between the two of them was charged with electricity. My thoughts drifted elsewhere while they continued their flirtatious bickering. I started thinking about a science fiction piece by Ray Bradbury called A Sound of Thunder. It’s a tale about a group of men from the future who go back to the past on a time travel safari. The hunters are warned not to disturb anything and to stay on the designated trail. Of course, one miscreant traveler steps off the path, flattens a butterfly, and this small action alters the future. I thought the story apropos, but I decided not to mention it to my sister at this time for obvious reasons.
Claudette’s unrestrained laughter broke my reverie and I snapped back to the present. “Sis, what is so funny?” She pointed to Sam who was self-absorbed in a daydream of his own. His eyes were rolled back in his head and the contorted o-shape of his mouth made him look whacked out. He was jamming on an air guitar and his legs moved like James Brown to some tune in the distance.
“Thomas, I didn’t know you were friends with the finest guitarist in the world, Samtana.” We all laughed at my sister’s joke which seemed to break the tension. She chose just the right moment to pounce. “Hey guys, Paulette and I really want to go to the party. We’re game if you are.”
Thomas stuck his hands into the front pockets of his beige cords and shifted his weight uncomfortably. As he gave us both the once over his face registered concern. “Well, the party is in an old beater house in the Haight and it could get really gnarly. I heard they are going to have a couple of bands so the place will be crawling with all kinds of groupies and hippie types.”
Sam chimed in. “Yeah, and I bet there will be a lot of drugs too. The fuzz will probably show up and bust everyone.”
Claudette decided we were definitely tagging along and nothing could dissuade her. “Thomas, my sister and I are more mature than you think.” She turned my way and flashed a quick all knowing smirk, but only perceptible to me. “Seriously, you don’t have to act like Bonkers the Guard Dog because we can fend for ourselves. Just point us in the right direction.”
Thomas absently ran a hand through his sun-bleached surf-do as he contemplated a new plan of action. He clearly wanted to make tracks but it appeared he couldn’t bring himself to move his feet. For a minute he wore a bewildered expression and he looked like he could faint. Suddenly, he shook his head as if discarding a scary thought. “Wow, that was weird. I thought I saw this big yellow dog running at me with its tongue hanging out. I was about to block it from jumping on me but the doggy mirage just disappeared mid-leap. Damn, it was like something right out of Star Trek! You know, when Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock dematerialized. Seriously, it felt like I was tripping out. Sam, did you spike my Coke?”
Sam vehemently denied any wrongdoing. “No way Jose. I’d never do that to you. Dude, are you okay?” They put their heads together and conversed quietly.
Claudette looked shaken, not stirred. Only minutes before she had mentioned the name Bonkers, their furry and perpetually smiling Golden Retriever who lived with them in the future. She quickly leaned over and whispered in my ear. “Shit, do you think I’m tempting fate by talking to Thomas? Why did Bonkers make an appearance in this time zone?”
I gave my sister a comforting pat on her shoulder. “Hey, it’s 1969, anything can happen. I mean really, here we are talking to a young babelicious Thomas from the past. As for Bonkers, it seems fitting that he'd show up, hence his name. Maybe we are experiencing some kind of bleed through from the fourth dimension where our past, present, and future lives are intersecting. Hey, did you ever hear of “The Butterfly Effect? Did you step on any butterflies recently?”
Claudette eyed me suspiciously. “What are you talking about? Butterflies?”
The boys broke huddle and saved me from having to explain myself further. Thomas’s color had returned and he appeared to be steady on his feet. “I just want you to know that I’m okay, so no worries. Let’s forget about the whole disappearing dog act. It was probably something I ate that made me go temporarily loco. Go figure. Anyway, if you want to go to the party with us let’s get rolling.”
We all hunched our shoulders in unison and agreed to follow the leader. Sam had everyone turn around and then waved us forward. “Okay, right this way mademoiselles and monsieur.” He took us on a circuitous route through the park and headed in the direction of the Haight. I was excited about the prospect of seeing a real homespun hippie hoedown. I’d seen pictures of the area in its heyday, and appreciated that the boys were brave enough to take two “fifteen year olds” along on a little H & A joyride.
Claudette spied the infamous Haight-Asbury street sign before anyone else. “Wow! That is so iconic.” Sam and Thomas shook their heads in agreement, but for different reasons.
We walked another block before Sam stopped us just shy of a towering monstrosity painted a robin’s egg blue. The sickeningly sweet smell of pot permeated the air and seemed to envelope the dilapidated old Victorian in its smoky tendrils. We watched as the densely packed veranda undulated slowly under the weight of people coming and going. The trendy sixties “costumes” and hairstyles gave the mise en scene a carnivalesque flavor. Sam waved his hand at the crowd. “Voila mes amis. Have you ever seen hippies in their natural habitat?
Thomas bit his lower lip. “I don’t know about this place. Everyone looks kind of messed up. I mean, I guess anyone can go inside, right?
I ran past our little entourage and elbowed my way up the front steps. The orange lacquered front doors were propped wide open by two grimacing gargoyles. A stop sign painted with a swirling black and white optical illusion was positioned in the entryway to halt traffic. Printed on the octagon were the words Go ask Alice, I think she’ll know! I turned back and yelled loud enough so my sister could hear me. “Claudette, follow me. I’m going down the rabbit hole.”
Claudette shouted above the droning crowd. “Paulette, please wait for us.” She saw me hesitate and I motioned for her to come up.
Thomas grabbed Claudette’s arm. “Your sister is crazy. She shouldn’t go in there alone. Can’t you make her stop?”
Smiling, she shook her head in the negative. Without thinking, Claudette took Thomas’s hand and led him up the porch stairs. The three of us stood together and looked around for our fourth comrade. My sister frowned. “Hey, where did Sam go? He was standing next to me a minute ago.”
Thomas searched the crowd but didn’t see his friend. “He must have gone inside by himself. I hope he doesn’t do something radical. He is pretty wild.” Thomas became aware that he and Claudette were still holding hands. For two seconds they sustained eye contact, and once again I felt an electric current pass between them. They both released their grip at the same time but neither appeared to be embarrassed over their brief connection.
I stepped inside the foyer and turned back to get their attention. “Okay kids, I’m going in so follow me.” Thomas put his hand on Claudette’s shoulder and guided her through the entrance. Someone had kindly taped paper pointing finger signs along the walls to help lead partygoers to the garden.
The house had a labyrinth of rooms we had to navigate in order to find the backyard. As we moved through the hallway we slowed to peer into a few rooms as we passed. The darkened living room was filled with a more subdued group seated on large over stuffed chairs and back-to-back couches. Psychedelic rock posters (of now long dead rockers) covered the walls and each one glowed with an eerie phosphorescence. Black lights had a mesmerizing effect and were “so sixties.” We moved down the hallway and passed a bedroom with a hanging beaded door. Inside, a circle of moaning naked people were entangled in one big group grope. I kept the line moving and was glad when another pointing finger led us into the kitchen.
Claudette had pretended not to notice the nudes and made small talk instead. “This old place is a maze and we’ve just seen the downstairs. I wonder if there is anything here we can eat without tripping the light fantastic? I am starving.”
Thomas walked closely behind her. “We had better be careful about the food. I don’t want to end up hallucinating again. Seeing that dog kind of freaked me out.” Claudette reached over and gently smoothed his hair. He didn’t seem mind the intimate gesture one bit.
The kitchen was jammed with people who were laughing and talking loudly. At least this group appeared to be coherent. In fact, it looked like a bunch of young college students who had gathered casually in the quad before class. I saw a lot of denim, paisley, and long hair. They were drinking mostly beer and wine, although a few were puffing on joints. In a dim corner, a hairy bunch of cerebral types sat around a large picnic table and passed around a cup of brown liquid.
I turned to Claudette and Thomas. “Mushroom tea, anyone.”
Claudette rolled her eyes at me. “How about a beer?” She handed me a bottle of Coors that she’d fished out of a barrel. “Colorado Koolaid, my dear. At least this stuff should be safe. Paulette, you should stay away from the tea. Do you remember the last time we took mushrooms together? You saw a room full of tiny twirling fairies.” We both snickered at the memory from long ago.
Thomas’s mouth dropped open and I thought he was about to scold us for talking about schrooms. Instead, he put his hand out. “Hey under-agers, give me one of those beers.” My sister threw him an icy cold one with a perfect right-handed pitch.
After my second beer I had a nice buzz on and was ready to tackle the garden party. I had not forgotten the octagonal sign in front hallway and my curiosity was still piqued. I wondered if there really was an Alice, and if so, what exactly did she know? We walked into a huge backyard just as the band started their first set. There were a ton of people outside and many were starting to dance. Thomas and Claudette veered towards the music. He put his arm around my sister’s waist and lead her through the throng. I spoke out loud to myself as I watched them disappear into the masses. “Well, this is getting interesting.” Scanning the area I noticed a small handful of people lined up along a side fence. I walked towards the gathering and loitered behind the last person in line. “Excuse me, I just arrived. What are we waiting for?”
A tall young man turned around and looked questioningly into my eyes. “Man, don’t you know? We are waiting to see Alice, Oracle of Ashbury.
I nodded. “Thanks for the info. Then I guess I’m lined up to seer her.”
He didn’t catch my pun and continued talking. Ya, it’s Grace Slick’s party and she hired Alice to tell people’s fortunes. Isn’t that far out?” I heard she looks into your soul and tells you where it’s at.
I peered around the three other people ahead of me. Seated on a red velvet chair was a very petite and pale complected individual. She was dressed in street clothes except for a purple turban bound around her head. As she shuffled a deck of cards our eyes met. It was her toothy grin that sent me quick stepping backwards. I felt unnerved as I tried to place her. My twin had a mind like a trap and I knew she would remember Alice’s face. I needed to find Claudette in a hurry before I had to step up to the plate and have my fortune served to me by the “Oracle of Ashbury.”
