I was hitching just north of Santa Cruz late one afternoon when a cute little red MG with an even cuter dark haired babe stops and asks me where I'm going.
I tell her, "South."
She says she's going that way so hop in. I throw my pack and guitar case behind the seats and get in. She introduces herself as Michelle then tells me that she stopped because of the guitar which was the reason a lot of people did in those days. She asks me if I'm in a band.
I tell her, "No, I'm just a street musician."
She then asks if I’d play something for her.
I tell her that's it's kind of cramped in her car but I’d try so I get out my Gibson and play her a tune.
She looks at me saying, "That was pretty good. Do you know any Crosby, Stills & Nash?"
I tell her almost all of them. Then I ask her which one she'd like to hear.
She says, "Love The One You're With"
So I play that plus a couple more of theirs.
Michelle says, "Wow, you do know a lot of their songs. What else do you know?"
I tell her that I can play about 200 songs and can last around four hours before my fingers start to get tired.
She asks, "How do you remember that many?"
I say, "I don't know, I just do."
She says, "I’d really like to hear you play more and it is getting kind of late, so would you like to stay at my house tonight?"
I tell her that sounds great.
As we're driving she name’s songs and I play most of them, faking my way through a couple but she either doesn’t mind or doesn't notice. I do notice that we've come into a nice looking suburb then Michelle pulls into the drive of a really upscale house. After she stops, I ask her, "You live here?"
As she gets out of the car says, "Yeah. Come on in and meet the folks, but leave your pack for now and just bring your guitar."
I ask Michelle just how old she is, and she answers, "16, but don't worry, Mom and Dad are cool."
I think that I probably won't be here long as I grab my guitar and follow Michelle in.
As we enter Michelle calls out, "I'm home, and I've brought a friend with me."
I hear two voices say, "We're in here." and follow Michelle into the kitchen. Mom and Dad are standing at the counter, a nice looking couple in their early 50's both well dressed and groomed, and both wearing white aprons. They see me and smile saying, that their Michelle's parent’s, that their happy to meet me. And who am I?
I tell them that I'm a street musician and Michelle picked me up hitchhiking, but instead of telling me that I have to leave they say, "Welcome to our home" then Mom says to Michelle, "Are you planning on having him spend the night?"
Michelle says, "Yeah, if it's all right with you."
Mom and Dad look at each other but before they can speak, Michelle says, "He really very good, you should hear him play." then tells them about all the songs I know.
They tell her to take me into the living room and they'll join us as soon as they've got supper started. Michelle takes me into the living room then asks me if I’d like something to drink.
I tell her no, but I ask if I could take a shower.
She says, "Sure" and we go out to her car and get my pack then we go back into the house. She takes me up stairs and leads me into her 16 years old girls bedroom with all it’s posters and frills, telling me to leave my pack in there then she shows me the bathroom, asks if I need anything and tells me to come downstairs when I've finished.
As I'm showering I'm thinking that this is the weirdest situation’s I have been in a long time. I finish up, put on clean clothes and go downstairs, and there are Michelle, Mom and Dad sitting in the living room all having a glass of wine. They ask if Id like a glass.
I say, "Sure"
Then Michelle says, "Play something for us.” and turns to her parents and says, "Go ahead, name a song."
They ask if I know anything older and I tell them that I know a lot of folk songs. They ask if I know any Bob Dylan so I play a half dozen of them for them. They tell Michelle that she was right, I am good then tell me to play some more for them. I play about an hour. Michelle and Dad sit there and listen while Mom goes to check on dinner every now and then. Mom says that dinner is ready and we all sit down to eat.
During dinner we all chat, they ask me about my life and I ask them about theirs. Dad is a professor of psychology at the university, Mom is a nurse for a private doctor and Michelle goes to high school.
I tell them that I have never met anyone like them before, and they tell me that they believe in Michelle and trust her choices. I ask if Michelle is their only child and they say no, she's the youngest of their four then Dad says, "We learned a lot from the other three. Mainly that kid’s today are going to do exactly what they want to. And it's much better to have them do it at home where you can make sure that they won't get in too much trouble than it is having them do it somewhere else, then getting a phone call late at night telling you that something is horribly wrong."
They're all quiet for a moment then Mom says, "Our eldest daughter was killed in a car accident when she was 17. They were all drunk and stoned."
Now we're all quiet for awhile then Dad says, "Well, you can't change the past, pour me another glass of wine, will you honey." his wife does and we try to make light talk for the rest of dinner.
After dinner I tell them that I'll do the dishes.
Dad says, "That's good, and Michelle can help you. Then meet us back in the living room so we can hear you play some more." Michelle and I do the dishes, which means putting them in the dishwasher then we join Mom and Dad. I play another hour for them until Dad says, "Thanks Tai, but I think I'll go up to our room and watch a little TV. Have a nice night you two."
Mom gets up saying, "I'll join you." then says, "Good night.” And Michelle, try not to make to much noise." Then she smiles.
Michelle gives her an "Oh Mom" and they leave.
I play for another half an hour before Michelle says to me, "Let's go to bed."
I put the Gibson away and follow her up to her room.
She tells me to get in bed while she gets ready for the night then goes into the bathroom. I look around the room, rock star posters on the walls, stuffed animals on the bed and everything is pink and white and frilly. I clear the animals off the bed, get undressed and get in. A few minutes later in comes Michelle wearing just a big PJ top. She laughs, spreads her arm out, twirls and says, "You like?"
I smile saying, "Very sexy."
She laughs again, jumps in bed then whispers in my ear, "We can't do it too much. I have a history test tomorrow so I have to get some sleep."
I just had to laugh at that.
We didn't "do it" too much and had a very pleasant night together. And even though she was just 16 she still knew all the moves.
Next morning I hear, “Wake up you two sleepy heads. Rise and shine.”
We wake up and say good morning to Mom who comes into the room, sits on
Michelle’s side of the bed then says, “Did you two have a good time last night?”
Michelle tries to pull the covers up over her head saying, “Oh Mom.”
But Mom says, “Come on Michelle, you can tell me. After all, I am your mother.
Did you have fun? And how big is it?”
At the same time Mom is laughing and tickling Michelle.
But Michelle just keeps saying, “Come on Mom, stop it. You’re embarrassing me.”
So Mom stops then says, “Well, it’s time to get up. Breakfasts almost ready, so don’t dawdle.”
Michelle says, “Okay Mom, we’ll be right down.” and Mom leaves.
I, of course, don’t say a thing. I have never seen anything like this in my whole life.
Michelle turns to me saying, “That ‘s my Mom just trying to be funny. Hope it didn’t embarrass you too much.”
I tell her that I thought it was really cool in a kind of weird way.
She says, "Yeah, that's my Mom." We kiss a little then Michelle pushes me away and says, "I really do have to get ready for school, so..."
I say okay, get up and get dressed then go downstairs and into the kitchen.
Mom and Dad say, "Good morning." Then Dad says, "I'll be leaving in a half hour.
Can you be ready to leave by then? I can drop you on the 101 if you like."
I tell him that will be fine.
We chat a bit about this and that until Michelle comes down.
Dad tells her that he will be giving me a ride to the highway, and Michelle says, "Okay Daddy." then give him a kiss on his cheek.
We all have breakfast until it's time for me to go. Michelle walks me out to Dad's Mercedes, kisses me then says, "I had a real nice time last night" and hands me a piece of paper with her address and phone number on it, telling me to give her a call if I ever pass though Santa Cruz again.
We kiss again then Dad says to me, "Time to go." I tell Michelle that she was right, her parents are the coolest. I thank her for a wonderful night then get in the car. Dad puts it in gear and we drive away.
Dad and I talk on the drive. I tell him that I have never met a more open minded parents.
He says, "One night two years ago Michelle had a crush on this older surfer she had met at the beach. We caught her sneaking in late at night. When we asked where she had been, she told us. At first we forbade her to see him again, which just made her want to see him more. And after what had happened to our other daughter we thought we would try something different. So we told her that if she wanted to drink, experiment with drugs or have sex that she could but only as long as she was discreet and did them at home.'
"At first it was really hard for us to accept and she did abuse the privilege a couple times, but after that we all calmed down and got use to it. Michelle started acting responsibly and everything has been all right. Mostly she has steady boyfriends for awhile but every now and then she brings someone strange home."
I ask about her booze and drug use.
Dad tells me, "She smokes a little grass and has wine with us at dinner but as far as we know, that's it."
I tell him that I think that he's doing the right thing.
Dad laughs saying,, "You would." then laughs again, "Just wait until some guy is sleeping with your teenage daughter, then come back and tell me about it."
We chat a little more and pretty soon he is pulling over saying, "Well, here's the 101. It was nice meeting you." and sticks out his hand. I shake it thanking him for his hospitality. We say, "Bye." I close the door and he drives away. I stand there on the 101 wondering what new adventure this day will bring.