I'm out on the interstate somewhere in the middle of Indiana, hitching and watching the cars roll by, hoping that I get a ride before the Staties come by and tell me to get my hippie-dippie ass back on the on ramp where there is absolutely no action. A little red car is stopping up ahead. It has three guys in it so I'm not too hopeful. A lot of young dudes think it's funny to stop, then pull away just as you get to the back of the car, and I suppose it is. Look at that hippie run, Joe. You have to have a good sense of humor to hitch hike.
But these guys wait until I'm even with the driver window then the driver, a Latino, says, “Hey man, we're just coming back from Las Vegas where we lost all our money, so if you can give us $10 for gas then we'll give you a ride to Cleveland.”
"Sounds fair to me." I say. I throw my pack into the trunk and get in the back seat.
The other two guys are Latino too. They tell me all about their rotten luck in the casinos but since they’ve been working their asses off at minimum wage in Cleveland for the last year, it was worth it to have a bit of fun, and they got to see some of America. They're all up from Mexico working in the states saving their money, except for this trip, so they can go back home and open a little business of their own. They tell me that America’s okay for making money but they sure wouldn't want to live here when Mexico's so much better. I have to agree with them seeing as Mexico is one of my favorite countries in the whole world.
We pull off of the interstate and into a gas station then fill her up. I give them $10, which is all the money I have. They fill up. With the change that’s left over they buy a big bucket of KFC and some cokes. Back on the interstate and the chicken is finito so I ask the hombres if they'd like to smoke some killer mota that I happen to have with me.
They say "Si, you bet." They say they ain't smoked no descent grass since they left Mexico.
I tell them this is extra good and twist one up. We fire it up and suck it down "Ahhh!"
After we finish we talk for awhile but then the car gets real quiet. I think that everyone's just groovin’ on the ride.
However, the driver pulls over into the breakdown lane, looks back at me saying, "Hey man, what'd you put in that joint?" And not friendly like neither.
I laugh saying, "Nothing mano. It was just a killer cola, that's all."
He turns to his chavron and says, "Well man, I am too fucked up to drive. How about you?"
His amigo says "No way man. I ain't driving.”
The vato sitting next to me says, "Shit ese, move over. I can drive.”
So they switch places and onward we go.
After an hour or so they want to smoke another one. They'd forgotten just how good really good dope is and now that they remember they're ready for more. We cruz along having a good old time.
It's midnight and there's the lights of Cleveland, but oh oh what’s is this? We're almost out of gas and we have no more dinero.
The driver says not to worry, there's a tavern that he frequents just a couple miles up ahead where he can borrow enough cash to get some gas to get us home on.
We make it to the tavern and he borrows a few bucks, but we run out of gas before we can get to the closest station. The driver grabs his gas can and starts walking. Of course, a cop comes by and wants to know what a hippie and two beaners are doing on the side of the road at 1 a.m. We all show him our ID's and tell him that we are out of gas and are waiting for our friend to return with some.
He tells us just to make sure that we're not here when he comes back or he will call a tow and run us in just for the fun of it. Luckily the driver shows up with the gas and we're on our way to their place.
When we get there they ask how much mota do I have.
I tell them an ounce or so.
They tell me that I can stay with them rent free, meals included, for as long as the pot lasts.
I tell the thanks, but this is Cleveland so I am gone in the morning.
"Too bad." they say.
Adios Amigo and Muchas Gracias for Everything!