The Smoker's Cart

    The Smoker's Cart was the main place I hung out. It was the only place we could smoke on the train, that is until we hit CA, and then we had to wait to stop or sneak them in some hidden corridor or bathroom.     My boy Greg, or Greggers, as I called him had no money but came along for the ride as long as I did have some cash left. (As soon as i went broke in Seattle he had his girlfriend wire him a money for a bus ticket home).  Greg only smoked weed at this point in his life (he picked up smoking cigs in prison a couple of yrs later) and so he and I chiefed it up and used Greg's fake id for me to stay drunk constantly on the 5$ drinks they served.  No one seemed to bother us on the smoking cart, and we only had seats to sleep in anyways, we didn't have private rooms w beds.  I was always a voracious reader and besides the alcohol and marijuana the book On The Road inspired me to start my travels early.
         "I am going to grab some cigs Greggers," I informed him as we pulled into El Paso, TX.
          "K dude, just meet me in the restaurant area," He replied.
          "Yea order me some fuckin' nachos man w jalapenos."
          "Fuck u.... U dont need to be gassing me out for the next 12 hrs."
          "Ok whatever ill get em dick.... I guess u need some money." I handed him a ten.
          "Uh yea... Im going to roll up a j too so ill find u when im done."
        
   We along w the masses shuffled off the train... it was like 3am and was very refreshing to get out and stretch. I flicked half a smoked cig and watched a bum chase it in the wind to finish it off for me. Good I thought, it wont go to complete waste. Greggers laughed and called him a stupid beaner and headed inside. I let my imagination wonder how one gets to be that low in society.... now I realize it is very easy especially when people have not much family or friends. I know I would be way worse off if I didn't have a caring family.... they planted the seeds of my faith in God. I rebelled and remember how as a teenager I questioned the existence of God.... I thought I was real fuckin' sophisticated and intelligent.  It is classic case of being a know-it-all kid.... high on weed and already experienced a variety of other chemicals, acid mainly, the heroin didnt come till like a yr later, but I was destined to try it at one pt or another due to this newly found way of existence. I had to learn it all for myself. I am not the first and wont be the last stubborn youth of America.
       I purchased a carton of Marlboro Reds and dined on some nachos... like a little heathen I looked at everyone w contempt.... all adults could suck it cause they didn't know how to live their lives full and free in context w my own vision of how the American Dream should be defined. I jumped straight back onto the smoking cart and we waited for the one other person to finish her cig' and leave so we could light up that joint! As we left El Paso we went right by the shanty town on the Mexico side. Damn I remember feeling lucky and even in my young burned out brain could construct empathy, and this drained my thoughts and energy as I passed out on the smoker's cart. Bam.... bye bye smokin cart as we hit CA.... damnned hippie nazis out there in CA! LOL!