Electric Avenue • [h.s]

chapter five

San Francisco, California
May 23rd 1976

The parking lot extends as far as the eye can see, all aglow from a psychedelic flashing sign displaying the cursive words "Skate Estate", crammed with clusters of bikers and teenagers hollering in the humid evening air. A symphony of jazz and rock and roll music escapes from rolled-down car windows; brightly garbed girls lounged atop the hoods and boys clinked beers in animated cheers motions.

"Is this place always so packed?" Delilah tilts her head as she takes in the masses of people in every corner of her vision.  On a Monday.

They'd occupied a curb off to the side of the parkade- close enough to pick up the buzz of those around them but distanced enough to be able to hear one another's voices over the bustling crowds.

She looks over at Jane, who is rolling what is possibly the biggest joint she had ever seen.  In one swift motion, she pulls a brown leather encased lighter out of her denim jacket pocket and sparks the end, taking a few generous drags before holding it out to Delilah.

"My sweet, sweet Delilah. You have so much to learn this summer" She chuckles while exhaling, triggering a spluttering cough which she catches in a closed fist. Delilah bites her cheek to stifle a laugh as she takes the joint and inhales.

"I have a good feeling about this summer, y'know?" Delilah can already feel a warm fuzz forming in her head as she blows smoke out in perfect rings.

"You ought to. Trust me, I'm gonna make it my project to have these springlings buzzing about you long after you're back on the East Coast"

Glitter and sickly sweet perfume mix with the earthy smell of weed to create an intoxicating brew. Delilah breathes it all in and sighs, leaning back on her elbows on the gravel. She toys with the strings of her sequined halter neck.

"You're gonna be my poster girl" She continues playfully.

Jane had explained the hierarchy to her on her first evening in the Bay. Amongst the youth of San Francisco, you fell into one of two categories: townies, or freshies.

The townies were full time West Coasters, their families were settled into family homes in the suburbs and lived here throughout the whole year. They usually went to the local High School and were settled with other townies who played for the varsity football teams. Their parents owned the local businesses, so many of them were roped in to summer jobs. They knew the ins and outs of the Bay, they decided your fate.

Then you had the freshies, the classification Delilah found herself filed under. They came to the West Coast, typically from the south or the mountain states, seeking the sunshine and easy breezy vibes of the Bay. Vacationers, or trust-fund babies with summer homes. They overpaid the townie dealers for their fix, hung out in the touristy spots on the main parade of the beach and were automatically considered rookies- unless you knew a townie.

Amongst the townies were a far more intricate puzzle of cliques. Not everyone belonged to  one, but those who were more active in the Downtown scene typically fell into the branding.

You had the leatherbacks, usually understated and found on the back of a beat up moped or having sex with someone who was. Leather jackets, back-combed hair and a LOT of fighting. The more well-known leatherbacks took part in races down by the Golden Gate bridge and placed bets for the prize money.

You had the stoners and the Mary-Janes, hippies who drove around in rusty campervans and considered themselves too chill to get caught up in the intricacies of the San Francisco social calendar but still rocked up to all the parties and gossiped amongst themselves between bong rips.