Reality Sets In

As the sun began to grace the sky, I kicked back in the chair by the smoldering remnants of the fire.  I took out my cigarettes, slowly drew one from the pack, and proceeded to set it aflame.  I took in a long deep drag, and as I did my head seemed to spin.  Man I wonder what Joe and Derrick are doing right now.  I took in another long inhale.  Man this feels good.  With each drag I took, I seemed to go into a type of flashback:

Ah! The city of gold, so beautiful, so peaceful.  Joe you really had the right idea.  How intense, leaving earth in that space shuttle, I almost lost myself.  Damn Germans! They almost got Scooter, but man I was so happy to see him.  Buddha, so wise with his words, you taught me so much. Lucifer, so quick with your tongue but false with your speech.  And God! So powerful with his movements, and how direct he with his word.  He only wanted to be sure that I knew Him.

As I looked across the reservoir, I could almost feel like decades had passed.  I had been gone for so long, even though it had just been for a night.  As I thought this, I could hear rustling in Donnie’s tent.  With a swift zip, he was out… “Gabe!  How are you my man.”  I said not a word, instead I held out my pack of Marlboros.  With a sly grin, he reached for the sticks, “Rough night, huh?” his voice was true in tone.  “You don’t even know the half of it,” I said, with the taste of tobacco on my lips, “Come have a cigarette with me.”  As we sat, he looked over at me, “Dude! Talk about trashed those guys, huh, totally blow their party up at their campsite, do their drugs, s**t in their camp, then just f*****g leave.  Like a bunch of pirates!”  I couldn’t help but start hysterically laughing.  “Your so right brother! We totally were like pirates!”

As we sat there smoking and laughing, not a word was said.  He could tell that I was strung out.  We sat in silence, just exchanging the occasional sly glance.  As I looked to the reservoir, a sudden drizzle of rain began to fall.  It felt cool upon my skin, and I invited it.  Such a calming feeling, after such turmoil; it seemed right to me.  I stood up and raised my arms to the sky, inviting the rain to wash me clean from my experiences.  Donnie just looked on, not saying a word.  As I sat back down in my chair, he grasped my right shoulder.  “Didn’t I tell you I’d be up early, where the hell is breakfast?”