Turn My Page | Led Zeppelin

Trampled Under Foot

There is a picture of the actual concert on the right.

Victoria's body was shaking in excitement. She and her friend Jackie were heading to a Led Zeppelin concert at the Civic Center. She still couldn't believe that Led Zeppelin was coming to her town, her town! How many bands would go to Baltimore, Maryland? Nothing was there, really. Except for tonight. Tonight Led Zeppelin, her all-time favorite band, was going to rock the stage.

   She looked over at Jackie and could do all but suppress a smile. Jackie grinned too, her hands between her knees to keep them from shaking. She wore a Robert Plant shirt with his feather-symbol on it and topped it off with a hat that resembled one he wore at some concerts.

   Vicky wore a Jimmy Page shirt depicting him holding his two-necked guitar, the coolest guitar she had ever seen. And she knew guitars. She, herself, played electric guitar, and very well in her opinion.

   Jackie's boyfriend, ironically named Robert, drove the two friends in his blue Grand Am GT. They wanted to arrive in absolute style, should they meet anyone they knew.

   "How much longer until we get there?" Vicky's light voice asked as she looked in the rear-view mirror.

   She saw her own gray eyes shinning back at her, accentuated by a kohl black rim she had applied back home. She wanted to look her best, in case she got lucky. Her curly auburn hair burnt red against her face, diluting her freckles. Perfect, she thought and looked to the driver's seat to watch Robert reply.

   "Vicky, you asked that five miles ago. What did I say to you then?" he implored. The two didn't get along too well, but were almost forced to, what with Jackie loving them both equally.

   "At least and hour, I know!" she replied, annoyed. "But that was an hour ago!"

   Robert and Jackie said nothing, so Vicky looked out the window in time to see a group of hippies on the side of the rode holding up protesting signs that read, "Impeach Nixon!" She remembered when she used to be one of them and laughed, grabbing the attention of Jackie. Jackie and Vicky had only become friends last year, so Jackie didn't know about Vicky's Experimental Days. In 1970, Vicky had become the biggest hippie; doing drugs, listening to rock music and putting a bad word out for anything or anyone that had sparked hatred in her like Nixon, who had just been inaugurated. But Vicky had met Jackie one day (although neither remembered how) and Vicky had cleaned up her act, promising to forever rise above that.

   And yet... there was a small pining in the deepest part of her heart, a pining that told her that even if she stopped doing drugs, she'd always want to protest peace with her fellow peace-protesters. Only, that was two years ago. No-- today, she was going to see Led Zeppelin.

   Robert slowed the Pontiac and turned into a crowded parking-lot shadowed by a tall coliseum-like building. The Civic Center! His car crawled up and down rows and rows of cars, searching unsuccessfully for a place to park. It seemed like everywhere was taken until--

   "Get it! Get it! Quick!" both Jackie and Vicky shouted, bouncing around in the car and pointing to a spot where Robert could park. A red car a few feet away sped up. Robert hit the gas and sent his superior car into the spot first. He took the key out of the ignition as Jackie and Vicky hopped out, anxious and excited.

   The man driving the red car stopped and rolled down his window, then gave them the the finger and sped away with his clutch screeching obnoxiously. Once the two friends recovered from the car, they faced each other and held their two hands together, jumping. Led Zeppelin!

   Robert, a big Zeppelin-buff except when around the two girls, acted casual as he fast-walked toward the building, about 30 yards away. The two girls followed quickly.