Rock n Roll in the Summer of Love (IC)

this is the OOC: http://forum.literotica.com/showthread.php?t=630196

if you'd like to be a part of this thread, please start there




Jimmy MacIntyre has been in San Francisco for about a year now. He's 22 years old. He hitchhiked to San Francisco all the way from a very small town in Georgia with nothing but the clothes on his back and an acoustic guitar. When he got to San Francisco, he got caught up in the hippy scene. He went to the Acid Tests and the Be-Ins and the free shows in Golden Gate Park and every other event he could find where people like him were gathering. There always seemed to be more. He slept most nights in an attic crawlspace on Haight Street, unless he'd found a girl, in which case he was at her place (which often was more dilapidated than his own).

He played his guitar on the street every day. He never made much money, because there wasn't much money to be made. Everyone was poor, but they were all so rich because they had each other and they all took care of each other. Jimmy played them songs, strumming his acoustic guitar and blowing on a harmonica and singing the blues off-key.

April 14, 1967

Country Joe and the Fish were playing a free show in the Panhandle of Golden Gate Park. It was really just a big party for all of the people who would be marching the next day in protest of the war in Vietnam. Of course Jimmy McIntyre was there. He was playing his guitar alongside the mass of people streaming into the park, blowing some mean blues on his harmonica as he beat out chords and picked fills. One young lady in particular caught his eye...

ooc: Opal Tyler had never been a girl to sit there and be patient. Growing up in the city of Chicago she always wanted something more...and one day she got it. After hearing her mother gripe about those 'heathens in San Francisco' again she decided thats where she needed to be. At 20 years old she shoved some clothes in a bag, grabbed all the money she had and hit the road to hitchhike to San Francisco. The 5'9' beauty was picked up by small time band that was traveling the states to play their music and eventually end up at the flower child mecca. While she traveled with the band she learned the ways of the free-spirit...and how to rock out on a set of drums. She became rather talented but never really thought further on the idea.

Once her and her now friends and lovers made it to their final destination they parted ways and hoped to meet again some day. The now 21 year old had finally made it to where she knew in her heart that she belonged. Over the next couple of months she wandered the city meeting tons of people, sleeping where she could, eating whatever people could give to her, and listening and playing as much music as she could handle. She had a decent drum kit that she kept in a nice woman's garage. The woman was a little older but though it was better that Opal had a central location where she could sleep and be 'safe' but still free. Although opal appreciated the offered 'home' she was usually much deeper in the city causing all sorts of mischief and discovering the things she had missed out on for so long.

Just description no pic:
She's 5'9" with slightly tan skin, long slightly wavvy brown hair that falls to a little below her shoulder blades. Blue eyes, thin but with some curves to her...not a complete stick. She can usually be seen in a somewhat low-cut loose fitting cotton shirt, pants/jeans that have holes and have obviously seen better days, bandanna on her head, sandals, and drum sticks in her back pocket. Rarely seen in dresses or skirts, and sometimes wearing a brown leather jacket that was a taken as a 'gift' from one of the guys she traveled with.

IC:

After a very interesting night of sleeping in a small park with a group of kids like herself she woke up with the sound of cheering and chanting. With a yawn her hand was grabbed and one of her new sleeping buddys was telling her about a band and a protest. She slowly made her way over and saw a rather massive group of passionate people and decided to stand back a bit on this since she had just woken up. Making her way to find a good spot she saw a guy with harmonica and guitar and made her way in his direction, liking the music he was making. She glanced over with a tiny smile and danced slightly. He had a good sound and she liked rhythem he had...and just like she did with every song she heard, she made up a drum beat for it.

It was a straight ahead, 1-4-5 blues he was playing, an old Johnny Johnson tune that he made his own:

"Well everytime I'm walkin down the street
Ponderin' my blues
All these pretty women
They start... breakin down on me

Stop breakin down!
Baby please stop breakin down

I got stuff here's gonna bust your brains out, sugar
Surely gonna make you lose your mind!

Well, you raise my temperature
a good ninety-nine degrees
How many more times do I
Have to say please

Stop breakin down?
Baby please stop breakin down

Cuz I got some stuff here'll bust your brains out, honey
Surely gonna make you lose your mind

Well you been on my case
For so damn long
Every time I sit down and
Try to hit my bong!

Stop breakin down!
Oh baby please, stop breakin down

You know I got stuff here'll bust your brains out, darlin
Surely gonna make you lose your mind"

He started blowing on the harmonica as he played through the progression again, belting out an angry solo before repeating the first verse. He's seen the girl dancing and moving her feet to his tune, and gave her a grin and a wink.

Off in the distance, they suddenly heard the first sounds coming from the stage. Country Joe was getting started! Jimmy finished the song and said to the dancing girl: "Hey, I'm Jimmy. Wanna come see Country Joe with me?" The people around them were moving faster towards the Panhandle, where the stage was set up. "Sounds like he's getting started."

She nodded her head and really liked his lyrics and she had to ask if he wrote it or not, but was going to wait until he was done and not interupt. As he winked and grinned at her she just smiled wide right back at him. In the back of her head she noted that he was rather cute but at that moment the music seemed more important. Then all of a sudden another guitar was heard...though much louder and a bit further away and her head quickly turned to look.

The next thing she knew the boy with the guitar as introducing himself and wanting to go see Country Joe with her. She nodded excitedly and then remembered to introduce herself.
"I'm Opal...and I'd love to."
She started to walk in the direction and looked back at him. They started walking together and after a second she looked over at him again.
"I really liked your song...you write it yourself?"

"Uhh... kinda," Jimmy replied. "Stop Breakin Down is an Johnny Johnson song... but the verses I put in myself because I couldn't remember what the original words were, and now they're just stuck in my head like that." He slung his guitar on his back and pocketed his harmonica. His hand found Opal's, on accident, but their fingers intertwined and they followed the people and music and came across a large gathering around a stage. The band was getting into it. There was an abundance of smoke wafting their way.

"Heya, Jimmy!" someone shouted. "Here ya go, for the show!" a guy in tie-dye came by and handed him a fat joint.

"Thanks Tony!" Jimmy called after him, but he was already lost in the crowd. Jimmy winked at Opal, pulled out a book of matches from his pocket and lit the joint, puffing on it as they made their way through the crowd, towards the stage.

Opal listened to his explanation of the song and she just nodded and smiled. She wasnt to familiar with the actual song he mentioned but was pretty sure she'd hear it at somepoint. His things were gathered, and his hand was in her and they quickly worked their way through the people. A friend of his caught his attention and gave him a rather nice 'gift' for somes show. She just looked at him and her eyes widened at the joint. It was rather impressive and smelled pretty nice. While he lit it and smoked they made their way closer to the stage.
"So what show or whatever did you do to get such a fat joint?"

Their hands met again and she soon started to dance as the music became louder. They got to a point where getting closer wasnt really going to happen and they stopped. She kept dancing and smiled wide at her new friend. She wanted to talk to Jimmy more, but dancing seemed to be taking over for that moment, plus it was rather loud in that area. But she managed to get something out.
"So...are you like in a band?"
And she nodded to the guitar on his back.

He handed her the joint as they danced to the music. "I think I shared one with him and his girlfriend at a Grateful Dead show a couple weeks ago. What goes around always seems to come right back, that's why I love this place so much," Jimmy said. "No band, not yet. Been trying to put one together but I can't seem to find the right bunch of guys that really gel with the sound I'm getting after. Know what I mean?" he asked her. He took the joint back from her and took a big puff on it as they danced around and around. It was strong stuff, and Jimmy soon felt fairly light-headed, the music washing over him in waves as he danced with this beauty next to him.

Jimmy handed the joint back to Opal, as Country Joe and the Fish really started to get into their jam. Jimmy whooped and hollered, a big smile across his face. He liked the southern, country sound; he infused it into a lot of his own songs. What's a Georgia boy supposed to do, besides play with a little twangy edge?

She took hits from the joint and thanked him many times. She nodded her head quickly in agreeance that she too loved the city. How people could bond, relax, party, love, and get along great with each other. He wasnt in a band and was shocked that he wasnt...he was pretty good with his guitar and harmonica. Opal did agree that it was hard to find the right people to mesh with since she had had trouble finding people to form into something more. Maybe Jimmy would be a good mix for her 'style'.

They continued to dance and she deffinately felt that warm feeling she got from smoking.
"Jimmy...maybe you could stop by my um...'place'...and jam with me and see if we gellll."
She ran her fingers over his cheek as she said it then kept dancing.
"I like to think i'm a pretty awesome drummer."
She made a crazy drumming motion and then winked at him.

He was pretty cute, a good dancer, a cool guitar player, and seemed like fun. She kept smiling at him, and having a great time listening to Country Joe. Hopefully Jimmy would say yes, to coming and playing with her and that their two sounds would work well together. Having new people to play with was always fun.

"I'd love to, I'm always down for a jam," Jimmy replied, though his thoughts were far from their possible musical chemistry at the moment, as her touch on his face and that wink in her eye had turned him on a bit more than he already was. They finished the joint and kept dancing, their hands and bodies touching more frequently.

A while later Country Joe finished his set, the show was over. A lot of people were still hanging out in the park, and probably would be all night.

"There's this bar around the corner from my place, wanna go? I made a few bucks today with my guitar and I wanna get a few beers. It's just on the other side of the park," Jimmy asked Opal, squeezing her hand.

He agreed to play with her and she got excited. Excited that she'd get to play with someone new, and that she'd be seeing him again. It made her smile and even more when his body moved closer to hers as they danced, and both of their hands adventured more. It was mostly friendly dancing but she wanted to turn it into more, maybe not then but eventually. They kept dancing and eventually the music ended and she didnt want it to stop. But when he offered going to the bar...she couldnt say no.

Jimmy had taken her hand and Opal squeezed it back with a wide smile.
"I'd love to go! Lead the way friend!"
Their fingers remained intertwined as they walked through the massive sea of people. Opal looked over at Jimmy for a moment and she just leaned over and kissed his cheek. She wasnt sure what compelled her to do that, but she thought she needed to. She was a very sporatic girl and it showed. A tiny blush came to her cheeks.

She giggled slightly and looked at him again.
"Sorry...I just felt that you needed a kiss on the cheek."
With a cute shrug and a giggle she went to continue walking.

A bemused smile came across his face right after she kissed him on the cheek. He was still holding her hand as she started walking again, but he slowed down and pulled her back towards him, squeezing her hand.

He leaned down and planted a kiss square on her lips.

"And I thought you needed a kiss on the lips," he said, smiling his easy, charming grin at her. "C'mon, we're almost there!" he said as they continued on through the park. They crossed a street into a neighborhood, and it was familiar territory for the both of them.

Haight Street. The kids were out, the music was on, the bars were open, the drinks were flowing, the herb was smoking... life was living. "I'm just right around the corner," Jimmy said, and they rounded a street corner and he led her up the steps of an old Victorian. He opened he door (it wasn't locked). "Anybody home?"

There was a shout from somewhere in the house. But it very well could have been next door. "I'm upstairs," he said to Opal, still holding her hand. "But I can leave my guitar right here." He set it down next to a sofa. He turned and looked at her then.

He leaned down and kissed her again, full on the lips.

Before she even knew it he pulled her back and kissed her hard. When her lips separated from his she just looked at him and grinned right back at him. They then continued to walk through the park and towards his place. When they made it there she nodded in approval and quickly went in. She thought they were going straight to a bar, but it seemed like had something else in mind. They got inside and she could smell the bud being smoked and the sound of people somewhere.

He set his guitar down and they went to run upstairs but kissed her and she stood there surprised for a moment. He pulled back momentarily and she just pulled him straight back to her lips. Kissing him more passionately. Letting her lips part his and her tongue move to dance with him.

After that kiss lingered for a bit she moved her face back from his and just smiled.
"I thought it should have lasted a bit longer..."
She giggled again and playfully put her hands behind his neck.
"So...where's that bar we were going to, to grab a beer?"
She looked him in the eye and then started to walk upstairs where 'he' was and raised an eyebrow at him waiting to see what his answer was and his next actions.

"The bar's just a block away. I just wanted to drop my guitar off here, it'll probably get busted up at the pub. I got a room upstairs." He took her hand and led her back to the door, out to the street. "Maybe you'll get to see it later," he whispered in her ear as they turned the corner. "But I gotta warn you, it's a bit of a mess up there."

Mack's Pub was right around the corner. They went inside. There was a band playing Beatles songs, and fairly well at that. Jimmy and Opal went up to the bar, snagged a couple of stools and ordered a couple of beers. "So you play the drums, huh? I can't wait to get a jam on with you. I'm gonna need to get an electric guitar and an amplifier though. I've been playing that acoustic for a long time, but it won't be loud enough to hear over the drums."

Raven grinned at herself in the mirror as she pulled her hair back into a simply ponytail. Her mother didn't really understand what she called the "overly casual" style of her daughter and her daughter's friends but she didn't try to change it either. Raven herself thought her mother spent far too much time on her hair and make-up but never said anything about it, after all if Elizabeth Andrews could respect her daughters style choices then raven thought she owed her mother that same courtesy.

At least her mom wasn't always harping on her like so many of her friends parents did!

Almost as if the woman had heard Raven thinking of her she was suddenly calling up the stairs, "Peyton, should we expect you to bring friends home tonight??"

Raven almost groaned at the use of her given name but she refrained and instead slipped from her bedroom to face her mother in the hallway, "I don't know Mom," she answered honestly. "There was a pretty big concert today so there's going to be a lot of people out tonight. Most of them will eat before partying but if you and Dad could maybe leave an extra plate or two out just in case that would be amazing."

"Not a problem dear. Have fun tonight and be safe," the older Andrews woman admonished her daughter gently before hugging her warmly and watching her leave. Elizabeth worried about her daughter and her daughter's friends. This generational experiment with "free love" and all that came with it worried her to no end but she'd seen enough of Peyton's friends just walk out on overbearing parents and recognized that the only real way she could keep her daughter safe was to walk gently and make sure she always felt like she could come home. With a sigh she closed the door as her daughter faded out into the night.

* * *

Raven was blissfully unaware of her Mother's worries over her. She simply thought she the best parents in the world. None of her friends parents were nearly so accepting which was why almost none of them lived at home anymore. Hell most of them were transplants anyway. Not Raven though, she'd been born and raise in San Francisco and couldn't imagine anywhere else she would ever want to live.

She was bummed about having missed the concert but she hadn't been able to say "No" when her parents had said they wanted to drive up to Suisun to visit her Grandmother. They were so accepting of her and her friends, and so easy going about it when she brought people home so they wouldn't have to spend the night on the street that when they actually asked her for something she rarely told them no. Besides, Grandma was old and there would be other concerts.

And she had tonight.

Turning the corner she slipped into Mack's Pub and let the music playing wash away all thoughts of her flesh-and-blood family to be embraced but this, her other family. Grinning and waving to friends she let her eyes roam the pub, searching for Lexi, and let them linger for just a moment on a cute guy near the bar. He was already with a girl though so while her gaze lingered she didn't head his way, she was no poacher. Spotting her friend Chris sitting nearby she grinned and headed his way to drop into his lap and give him a tight hug.

"Concert, details, now," she demanded with a playful grin curving her lips.

She nodded as he brought his set his guitar in, wanting it to be safe. She wouldnt want her drums to get busted...which is why they stayed in a garage, that not many people went into. Once he grabbed her hand and said what he did she smiled very widely at him and followed him to the bar. She shrugged at his comment of it being messy since she was used to it and it didnt bother her. Plus if it was neat, she'd be messing it up later anyways. She then shook her head, trying to keep her mind out of the gutter atleast a little bit.

He ordered beers for them and she thanked him. She sipped it and smiled again.
"Yeah...it'll be fun to play with someone else. And as for guitar, i'm sure there is stuff there...The lady that owns the house, I think her husband had a guitar she'd let ya borrow if you want. I can ask her...or you can just get one."
She chuckled and drank more of her beer while she sang a long with the band and then blushed for hearing her own bad singing. She wasnt terrible...but she was by no means a good singer.

"Umm..and I guess you might need an address to get there, since it's hard to bring my drums to you. She laughed slightly again and drank a bit more.
"Or I could meet you somewhere, and I'll just walk with you...whatever works."
She finished her drink and looked at Jimmy.
"so....Are you from here...or did you venture here from somewhere else?"
She wanted to make conversation besides just music...even thought that was all she really lked talking about.

Lexi woke up on the floor of her friend's apartment, where she and eight others had called home at 4:30 in the morning when the night's events slowly simmered as everyone began leaving for where ever they called home. The apartment was above a diner, and her friend got free rent by washing dishes and helping downstairs when they needed more hands. When money was short, they could always count on the owner to pack up the night's leftovers for them. where they could grab a free meal every now and then.

It was late when she woke up, around 1:00p.m. She stretched a bit, and got up, folding her blanket and putting it in the closet. She grabbed her jeans and decided to take advantage of the opportunity for a hot shower. As she walked to the bathroom, carefully stepping over sleeping bodies, she remembered that she was supposed to meet her good friend Raven at Mack's in a few hours.

She showered and got dressed, brushing her fingers through her hair, letting it air dry. She grabbed her leather backpack from her corner, finding her aviators and sliding them on top of her head, pulling her hair back with them. Her friend was waking up as she was heading to the door. She smiled and gave her a peace sign as she walked out the door and down the stairs, grabbing some food at the diner.

She was a few minutes late getting to Mack's, and looked around smiling at people she knew, or at least had seen around. She saw Raven sitting on Chris' lap and stopped at the bar grabbing three beers on her way towards them. She walked over to them, handing them each a beer.

"Sorry I'm late" She said to Raven as she took a drink of her beer "it was a late night".

"Sorry I'm late" She said to Raven as she took a drink of her beer "it was a late night".

A grin curved Raven's face as Lexi settled into a seat with her and Chris. Picking up the beer her friend had brought she took a drink and leaned back against Chris with a grin for both of them.

"No worries on the time. What were you up to last night? Chris was just telling me about the concert today, sounds like it was a total blast. Too bad I missed it."

Looking around she noted the cute guy again and let her eyes roam appreciatively over him before they slid away. She wouldn't poach but that didn't mean she couldn't look. Shaking her head gently she grinned at Lexi again.

"So do you think you'll be crashing at my place tonight hun? Mom is leaving a couple extra plates out if you want a real home-cooked meal," she offered knowing that, like many, Lexi often simply crashed wherever was available.

"Umm..and I guess you might need an address to get there, since it's hard to bring my drums to you. She laughed slightly again and drank a bit more.
"Or I could meet you somewhere, and I'll just walk with you...whatever works."
She finished her drink and looked at Jimmy.
"so....Are you from here...or did you venture here from somewhere else?"
She wanted to make conversation besides just music...even thought that was all she really lked talking about.

"I guess I will need your address." Jimmy pulled a pencil from his pocket and slid it across the bar to her with a napkin. "And I got here, uh, I guess about a year ago, hitch-hiked with my guitar all the way from Georgia." He took a long drink from his beer as she scribbled her address on the napkin. "That was quite a trip. Got stuck in New Orleans for about a month. Almost got arrested twice in Texas, just for being a 'long-hair', but managed to get away. Got to see the Grand Canyon, and let me tell you, that was something else. I sure did fall in love with this city as soon as I saw, though," he said. He lit up a cigarette, took another swig of his beer. He watched the band playing, exploring the music now, starting to get after it, and Jimmy liked what he heard. Across the way, for just a moment, he locked eyes with a very pretty young woman, sitting with another pretty girl and in the lap of a guy he recalled seeing at the concert. He turned his attention back to Opal as she handed him the napkin with her address. He nodded; he knew the area well now and wouldn't have a problem finding it. He tapped away cigarette ash into the ashtray on the bar. "Opal, are you from around here, or are you a transplant like so many others?" he asked her.

Meanwhile, Chris was telling Lexi and Raven about how awesome the Country Joe and the Fish show was. "They were really groovy, having a great time. You know, this is one of the only places in the country where people are really upset about this fucking war. It just ain't right. Most of the public buys the propaganda, hook line and sinker. Maybe this march tomorrow will really open up some eyes, wake some people up, help them see through the government's bullshit." Chris took a long drink of his beer. "You guys are coming to march with us tomorrow, right?"

Lexi smiled as she drank her beer, sitting with two of her closest friends. "Nothing major, just hanging around in the park, made a couple dollars singing with a few guys playing guitar. I totally forgot about the concert today, I cant believe I missed it."

She listened to Chris as he talked about the concert, asking if both they were going to the march tomorrow.

"I wouldn't miss it" she told him, turning to Raven. "And that would be amazing if I could crash at your place tonight, I was on the floor at Jodi's again last night and you mom's dinner would be awesome." she said, answering her question.

She grinned as she watched Raven lock eyes with a guy sitting at the other end of the bar.

Opal nodded and listened to his story and found it pretty ineresting. Georgia was pretty far away and it must have been one heck of a road trip. She thought to herself. As he asked about her she paused before starting. She saw him look over at another very attractive girl, happily seated on a guy's lap. She looked over and then her eyes went wide...it was Chris! She knew him from when she lived in Chicago. There werent many people like them from that area and they were rather good friends. he had encouraged her to leave Chicago like he had. She would have gone with him but stayed in town a few months more and then left.

She then quickly explained to Jimmy that small tale and waved over at Chris.
"Yeah...I never thought i'd see him since there were so many people here, but it's just crazy! 2 Chicago hippies in the same bar!"
She chuckled and then looked back at Jimmy.
"Lets go say hi! I'll introduce you, unless you already know him..." She grabbed her beer and ushered Jimmy to follow her as she made her way over to her friend. When Chris realized it was her they hugged quickly sharing "hello's" and "i missed you's".
"This is crazy! How have you been...I see you're having a good time at the moment...I'm guessing these are friends of yours..."

She looked at the two pretty women he sat with and she smiled.
"Hi...I'm Opal! And this is my new friend Jimmy."
She looked at Jimmy and then back at them.

"And that would be amazing if I could crash at your place tonight, I was on the floor at Jodi's again last night and you mom's dinner would be awesome."

Raven grinned at her friends answer and was about to tell her (yet again) that she didn't an invitation to come crash when a young woman approached them...and had the guy she'd been staring at earlier in tow! A slight blush colored Raven's cheeks and she slid easily from Chris' lap so he could greet this old friend.

Turning slightly she grabbed a chair of her own and dropped into it as the girl, Opal, introduced herself and the young man, Jimmy. With a smile on her lips she waved at their table and the few empty chairs nearby, "Why don't you two join us. Chris's was just telling us about the concert today and the rally tomorrow. Will you two be there? Oh! and I'm Raven and this is Lexi," she added, the introductions coming as an afterthought which made her smile a bit sheepishly.

What a happy little reunion! Jimmy thought, watching Opal hug her friend, after the pretty brunette got off his lap. Introductions were made all around, and the five of them, Jimmy, Opal, Raven, Lexi and Chris, were soon seated around the little table, which was almost overflowing with all the beers and a couple of ashtrays.

It did not take long for the conversation to turn to music. As soon as Jimmy asked Chris what had brought him out heto California, that's when it happened. Chris told him that he was working as a session musician at one of the several recording studios that had sprung up in San Francisco. Jimmy's face lit up like a birthday cake.

"Opal and I were just talking about getting together for a jam with her on the drums and me playing guitar," Jimmy said. "Getting some keyboards in there would be great. What's that song... it came out a few months ago, I think... I'm A Man, by the Spencer Davis Group... the Hammond that Stevie Winwood is playing sounds fucking amazing."

"Yeah it does," Chris replied. "I love that song. I'd love to jam with you guys. Opal's always had great rhythm."

"Awesome. God, you know, it would be really great if we could find a bass player," Jimmy said. "I don't know any, though."

Opal was so excited to be seeing Chris again and to be meeting new people. She smiled and waved at Raven and Lexi, two rather cute girls, and then sat down with them after the seats were offered. Jimmy and Chris chatted for a moment and Opal was happy to hear that he was doing pretty well and having fun doing what he did best with music.
"Chris...you deffinately need to come and rock with us! It's been awhile since i've heard you play but I bet you're still amazing!"
She sat there and sipped her beer remembering the fun that they used to have, and how 'close' their friendship was.

"And my rhythem is even better now that i've gotten professional training."
She chuckled remembering that when she was in Chicago, she didnt know much and didnt sound that great, but now she was amazing. Atleast she thought so. When they said sometihng about a bass player she nodded her head and tryed to think of someone she knew that played but was drawing a blank. Most people she knew either played guitar, or bongo drums. She continued to drink her beer and then lit a cigarette smiling at her friend, and the new ones she had just met. She wrote down her address on another napkin for chris and handed it to him so he could show up the next day.

"So Raven...Lexi...tell me more about you guys!"

"Awesome. God, you know, it would be really great if we could find a bass player," Jimmy said. "I don't know any, though."

Raven almost piped up that she played the bass but decided to keep quiet...for now. Much as she liked to jam she usually just played on her own, using her music as a means of relaxing and letting the worries of the world drift away for awhile. When she did play with others it was usually just something impromptu and just for an afternoon, it sort of sounded like these guys were looking to start something a little more serious than that.

"So Raven...Lexi...tell me more about you guys!"

Opal gave her a reason to slide away from the music discussion and she could have kissed her for it...if she had swung that way.

"Not much to tell really. I was born here in San Francisco. Still live with the folks but they're cool. They don't mind when friends come home to crash and actually my mom always cooks extra food since she knows that a lot of folks don't get much to eat on a regular basis. I like to hit as many of the concerts and rally's as I can, even heading down to LA for a few when enough folk can get the gas money together and someone has a van to pile in."

Lexi nudged Raven a little when she didn't speak up about play bass. She heard her play before and knew she was great, but decided to keep quiet about it, she didn't want to bring it up if Raven didn't want to talk about it.

She noticed Opal looking at her, waiting to hear her story. "I'm from Milwaukee, I got outta there as soon as I turned 18, hitchhiked my way to Missouri where I met up with some friends who had a van and we came out here. I've been here for about a year, doing what everyone out here does; rallies, concerts, parties. I met Raven at a party and I've spent more nights at her house than I can even remember." she said, taking a drink of her beer, humming softly to the song the band was playing.