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students stoned out of their minds. A few were trying to scribble down things in little spiral notebooks, but the majority of them were either dancing or writhing on the floor, letting us know they were salamanders. Soon, a group of high schoolers charged in, immediately racing upstairs where, we were later informed, Leary's son Jackie and his friends were downing LSD tabs. Alicia murmured how thrilling it all was. Appalled, I rubbed my stomach protectively.
    It was heading towards nightfall before the Great Guru came downstairs. He was certainly striking, with his white, high collared tunic embroidered in red, white pants, and brown sandals. His graying hair added an elder statesman quality and as he gazed at Alicia, it was as if he had seen Venus de Milo. He sank down next to us at the table.
    “Ladies, here you will be able to return to an environment of natural beauty,” he said, his eyes rolling slightly.
    Alicia was fascinated, but I needed to know why. “How will we be doing that?”
    “Why, by turning on with Morning Glory!” he still was concentrating on Alicia.
    “What's Morning Glory?” I probed.
    “LSD, baby! LSD!”
    “Yeah!” Alicia exploded with delight.
    He reached into his pants' pocket and withdrawing some tiny pills, tossed several down his throat and handed the rest over to Alicia. She cupped them in her palm, before flinging them down as I flashed on the Jefferson Airplane's White Rabbit lyrics about popping pills.
    Socrates at his best, Leary aimed question after question at Alicia—about her life, her family, her goals, then right before my eyes, I saw her metamorphosis. Her slim hands became portals of movement, sweeping motions that emphasized each answer. Her pupils were widening by the second, and at one point, after she had thrust her fingers through her fine hair, it stood up in delicate wisps like a little tow-headed girl, awakening from a nap.
    Leary, no longer the scientist, was now a mere mortal man readying for a good lay. “Let's go up to the Meditation Room, shall we?” he said, his voice thickening.
    Alicia managed to nod.
    I stood up. “There's no way you're disappearing with her alone. I'm going with you guys.” Leary launched a huge grin. “So, you wanna come as well? Cool, very, very cool.”
    I ignored his innuendo and thinking of Dante's Inferno , followed them upstairs. Just inside the door jamb of his Lair, I scoped out the room. In its center lay a double mattress, the sheets rumpled and well-used. Lava lamps, bean bag chairs, paisley cloth-covered windows and a gigantic poster reading “POW-WOW/A Gathering of the Tribes/For a Human/BE-IN” completed the scene. Burning incense wafted so heavily through the air, I had trouble breathing as I watched Alicia practically fall onto the mattress and a glazed Leary approaching me.
    I didn't realize that some men were like six-handed octopuses but I sure found out as I fought him off. Laughing, he turned back to Alicia and stood staring down at his lovely, unconscious prey. Figuring I was safe, I wasn't even remotely prepared for his next move. Racing over to me, he popped a tab into my half-opened mouth. I automatically gulped, fully ingesting the pill as he let out a deep, boisterous roar. My expression must have frightened him because he immediately snapped to his senses.
    “Hey, girl, I'm sorry, I really am,” he muttered, his face contrite.
    Panicking, I jumped up and yelled, “Where's the can?” Then followed his pointing finger.
    Grateful just to find a toilet, I leaned over it, and sticking my finger way down my throat, vomited. No more LSD, my growing embryo still intact. Then, hightailing it down the stairs, out the front door, and into our car, I opted for the chilled night air in a secure car to a warm, chaotic house. I switched on the car radio and closed my eyes. Country Joe and the Fish's Fixin' To Die Rag started airing, the very song Sam claimed they all sang as they were landing in Nam, and suddenly,