smoke shop days east lansing 1963

8/12/2019 Smoke Shop Days East Lansing 1963

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Excerp t from the Smoke Shop Days

Webermc n wa s never c; u i te happy wh ile ther e was s t ill a p rt l ef t

f or h i m t o pl a y. The onl y r eal pl eas ure he got out of lif e was pl aying

t he p rt where he was c oi gn isent of o t hers fe a rs and shortco mings and

used t heru to his advantage . That 11a s Hhy he 1 as secre t ly f ear ed s o by

those who lme1· h i m we ll .SoLf

ifuen one found onese l f as weak a s Weberm an found h i ms e l f , the t J

a l te rna t ive open t o him was t o di seni g e his fears of the s light est

_ . - - - - , - ~ ~ - - ' f 4 f 1 f i t ; f i 1 1 i \ i l \ D D - 11\F- f ipres t i g a c c o r d _ p ~ _to them P J . . ~ i o n s l y in ~ r d er t o gain ' \ sc endcy over

h i mse l f and those round h im . He attempted t o teach h i mself t o v i ew h i s

a s t hey Here , to lo ok t them from 811 ang l es a nd t hrough all availub l e

l enses i n order t o de ta ch h i msel f , t o liber te hi mse l f from hi s fe ars

and thus render t hem innoocuous . Bu t h e 1 ~ a s una bl e .

How one Sl ips s ilent l y f r om vi r t u e in t o th e dep t hs of depavl t y . On1 .> st.it>ruvt.-

hard l y realizesftunti l i t i s t o l a te . Fear gu id es one s t ea t h ly in t o t he

wai t i ng a byss of moI?a l l axi t y a s su..rl y as t he omnipresent br eez e guided

the fe a th er l ik e smolce from t he t i p of th e join t which 11eberi:i_nn he l d be t

ween h i s boney f ingers , ac • ross th e room and ou t of the wi ndow, t o e ~ rally ci rcu l a t e a m o n ~ t h e unlfo190 1-1inc peop l e 11ho pas s ed be lo ii .

We berman rose from the ma t ress :Jnd spr i ng which s erved h i m a s a

bed , a couch and an a l t er , and swi tch ed off the exposed light , wi t hout

s aying a word . Cr i me s huns t he ligh t ; i t f ear s any t h i ng wh ic h mi gh t ex -

pos e i t and br i ne i t ouvert l y bef ore ot h er s . I t i s s afe only when i t wrH

i tse l f in t he shAdows of mystery and the shourd of s e c r ~ c y He t urned t

t he s ilent f i gure n ex t t o h i m and immedi a t l y sp oke .

Eve1-:y t hing contra ry t o morali ty a nd relig ion ha s a l ways g i ven mel ll -t i . N - f e . n . ~ e .

the t pl easure , and I hav e a lways been a pposed to any t h ing -wh i ch

doesno t offend ei ther vi r tu e or ones sens i bi l i t i es . All t h e s i ns wh i ch

hav e c ommi tt ed lhn Gh e pas t ha v e caused me no r e m bu t I do conf ess t



you tha t I won 1t b e re nder ing you a serv ic e i f I a l lo w you t o

par t ake of th i s vile drug .

Bu t the ca d knew t ha t h i s henious ivarning 1-rnul d only encoura

t he perverse a n d pa t h olo gi ca l tend enc i es whi ch he h a d previous l y

detected i n Ann , a n d h e smi l e on h i s lip's i ndica te d comp le te con

fmden ce i n fuis d i sc overy . Ann , a t h ouh ly uns cr upulous g i r l comb i

all the qu a l iti es t ha t exc i te v i ce and of fend mod es ty . As Web erma

g l anced a t t he f irm f i gure rec lin ing a shor t di s tance f r om where

s a t , th e though t s t ha t wen t throu c;h hfus mind , a l r eady con tam i na te

drug s , i-Tere s o d ebas ing , s o v il e , I b l ush t o reve l them . The ho f t h e perver t ed mi nd and t he c a lumy i t i s c a pab l e of perpe t r a t i n

can s omet i mes be convayed onl y t o t he c o ld s ou l. To t he f i end I d

c r i be , there was no t h ing more i mp o tan t th on t roub l ine; o t h ers . He

con ten t on l y Hhen there wa s tmpl e mi s ery surrounding h i m.

As he smelt ed the th in narco t i c a i gr e t t e and inha l ed t he mi s t

sm oke deep i nto h i s l ung cc.vi t i es , he err a t i c ally brolce i n t o shor~

pee l s of l augh te r . I ns tan taneous ly l\reve l ed t h e deprav i ty of h i s s

The l a u gh t er f i l l ed the a ir. o f th e ro om, wafteed by t he s li ;h t br

eminat i ng from t h e cra ck in the wi ndow, 'nd i n t erming l ed . i t h t he

sm ol\:e of dr u g . I t ca used one who chanced to i nha l e t h i s gaseo

suspens ion n aus ea i n it s most c:[ t reme sens e , nausea of t he s ou l .

was a n ause a i n whi ch one Has fore c d t o bring t o th e f a c e thr

a s ort of reverse pe r i s t e.l s i s of t h e i nnermos t s oul , t he :fear of

manlci n d .

Th e venom of a lo s t s ou l d i f fu sed t hough ou t t he lo ne l y t eneme

s omewhere i n t he r:;,re.y n i gh t of th e Mid lle 1Tes t o f Ameri ca , a nd s l

f ound i t s way t o a no t her , who momen t ari l y shared a comn en des t i ny

with Web er man . And b ot h mov ed fu r the r and fu r the r t oward Lhe very

end of the n i ;·;h t • • Le t us s hudder



Leaning over the bed , Hebe.eman reached f _or a small paper envelope which was hidd

by the darlmess . He fe l t around with his f in ger s unt i l he chanced upon t, l ying nea

n empty bottl e of Colt 45 . He eX8mined tho contents with his thumb and fogefinger a

and tol d nn tha t he had got t en "an excedingly bad count • Thaihe emptied the conte

eonto a sheet of paper which he used expressly f or th i s purpose . I t was impos sible to

d i se rn the color of the drug in the dark , but he noticed i t was clean , that i s t co

ta ined no twigs or seeds . n expression of contentment passed ov er the face of our h

as he examined the r'rug more meti cu lously in the drear l igh t of doom . He then produc

a packa13e of cigare tt e papprs , two of which he ext.racted f r om the package . He wet th

gum on one of th em, with the t i p of h1Jis totmge , and attatched t to the other on the

s ide of the gumless A small r idge was thu s brough t into existence in to which h

pl aced pinches of the drug . After a sui ' f icent ammoun t :irof t he drug had been t ransfer

in th i s fashion , he r oiln.ed the th in paper into a f i rm cyl inder , and wet the ent i re c

a.rett e by injectin g t in to his mouth. Ttirnimr toward Ann he sai d :

"Here , taJce i t , t he f i r s t one i s tlways f r ee • 11

Innocent peopl e , those who never suspec t the evi l n others of which they them

are mcapabl e of , are readily taken n by the f i r s t scoundral who happens to seize u

them . For someone l ike "Weberman , there wa s much ease and l l ttl e glory in dec icving t

He d id t only to demean himself , and y doing t did no t even prove his to len t to v

but .instead added greater meanm e to vir tue .

He handed her the jay, s t a r tm e; Ann on the road which l eads to nothing a t a l l .

l ooked a t the jo in t , t hen pl aced t be tween her l i ps . After s eachmg h i s pokets and

ing no matches , Weberman a.rose and went over to the chest of drawer s , grasping in th

do.rk f or a pack of matches .

1'Don 1tiil'lll me i 1:rJl&l l. out of matches •••• the gate to a kinsdom of the mirlq., and t h

key , roerly a mat ch. 11

I t hink I have some n my pocket -book Ann said , sealing her do om.

m1ile Ann was rummaging through her pocke t book , tioberman turned on the record



er put inc 01a a. Disc by Col t rane . The sound uf jazz c irculated t hr oufj1out t l1re

r oom, whi ch uus compl e tl y darlc .

11 I t hink I sha l l l i eht a candl e foo p 'e s idcnt Kennedy

An<l He ber rnan l it the t h ick red condle with one o f the ma tches j ust hrndecl to him

by hi s accor.1pl i sroc n s lk.'l] le, Ann .

11He t it f i r s t , so i t doe sn 1t burn t o qui cl(Ly11

and 1-Teberno.n sa t c.101m next t o \m After a pr eg11ant pause /Inn lite the j o in t .

She cau s iousl y brough t the e;r as s t oward her l ip s wh ich were poised to inhoJ. e .

Then she inhaJ.od.

11Ho Ann , you mu s t draw a i r in alnoc with the smoke , i t i sx abso lu t l y i mper i

t hat t he smok e d 'rom the drug i s thr oughl y mi.,'{ed wi t h the ai r which o

us"

Taking the joy f r on A. .ln 1 s hand he pu t it t o h i s l ip s , i nha led , then took in a lu

fu l l of a i r . He kept t o . l the se short bre a thes ~ a s l ong o. s he coul d , and

f inal ly h e exha led . No smoke l eft h im .

Then he handed t he j oint a c l ~ to Ann . She ber;ro1 t o smoke it a s he per s crib

One never f i nds ones 01.m way m to t he dar lme s s , f or , t he i r i s always some-

one who i s will ing t o aqaint you wi t h hi s par t it..'Ul.ar for m of escape in or rler t ha

he may be mor e Gecure kn owi11g tha t he i s not clone . Dut hi s happm e ss , l il:e n l

happ ine s s bui l t on others mi sf 'or tune:s, wil l n enr l y aluays turn to a cur se be f or eex t il1£,u i s

th e lifet ime of t he s condra l end s . Those who e4:I; free l y a id other s l ldi vin i t y

the spark of d;i,yi...i;Q which e;od plo.ccs i n ~ ~ - ~ - e - 6 9 1 : 8 : - s . . , . t he i r ::Jonl c.s he pla.ccs

a l l men s soul s , shnll burn the i r lives out e ternal ly i n sl:epi s i sra ruld cl i s i ll u s io

ment .

Pot i s a r el i e f f rom o r edundant rit ua l i s t ic wa y of l i fe, f or wi t l l"mt the

cannab i s pl an t there i s only ter r or . I can re j o ice only when I am st oned

no t beca11se of the dr ug but t her e i s sor1e thinG mi s s ing n ny per sonolit.y



vban I am s t rdeht which forbides me to be happy. Marijuana burning a lmdy

Sn the sldnJv' cdgllt"Gtte and inba:l.od deeply' through 'the j r rat tod tb rod into

1 4> > f H 0

the ro t ten lungs af'f'orda the teabead J; Q "°""much pare pleasnre, but- = •Mlwr a1l.oves-<- i -

h m tA> see the bouvert pleasure 1n t.til•* th1ng11, snob u mnsic.Jrt or sex. Ann, you

know tho best cmre :f'or lonlmeae i s the bush. You oan enjoy your own cauciousness'?"'..,_ '-r...._ .and nothing else. I t trees me o f ' ~ soo:lta1 restraints .Ind S.gr-oove. Liaton to the

t idal wave o f tho Trane, a swirl ing surf' of sensation el l aroun4 ym;;untn , t;r the. · 5£tz£5 t 0 ur

sndr l ing increase& to i t s anitb. and t h e ~ pi-esantimnt o f Nirvana, \ a gigan t ic farce

t u l l f l.av araeldne dawn upon . .a,you, l Q l l l i - ~ u z are thrust onto tho super&0f't snnd 1

where you lq everso s t i l l tr&nq'UilJ.y listen.inc.: to the gont.1.e irlnd an.cl you can t1:Wlk

of' nothlng but beaufU and you fool only ecstaeu.t 4 l ~ p ~

.Jjalr:. one .ai becomcs COI 1}l1.elty ab3Urd. You.._ be.bbl.a ncohcrent11' or speak v.lth

mpeocable eloq11anoe and enunciation end say nothing or something bcmtifUl. Ann, ym

ebal1 ooon knov the sac:r.-oo powro of' Cumabis S.rM.va. ~ ean•t svaryone •. bad t

llebarmon bEilievod nothing of' what he had j us t aa1d. He/aaid/}rmarly because

o f hie evi l chm-acter and his desire to c6nv.inco A. m that 11Bl'l:1'W• kai& e ~ e e a. .£ through merijmma ono ·could attain tmlimited pleasure. He hod oocn to L'lD.ey

akvard things m his time to be content vi th a mere drug snpplmc an ansuer.• to bhe

suf'f 'erings of' his 11.f'e.

Evory-tme Ami vmild take a drug on the jo int , the wuld smile to ~ c t c tha

she vo.s d1gg1.Dg i t . t ue.s t.be f . i rs t tme sho had ew:r ::JmOkod ~ and w.s puzy.J.cd

because of the ebeensce o f arq direct phisolog:ical efi'ect.

A3y' tMs t1mo1 our hero, h d ~ to drug hlmat41' into a state of almost

total. ohlivicm• 'Wherein ho was oapeble of oomprending nothing, save a sl ight tjngl.1.ng

between h1s leg&. Ilo then became conscious o f an erection which he had all night, .in

fact al l e.:ttorrmon, and o f which he \1llS beco:mtng oore oonscious of socon6 by eocon.d.

The dmJg bad burned down to a butt• callod by those vho perlake in the smoking



'

the nru:rcoti c hemp resin of the female cannabis sat iva bud , a 11roache .

n t h i s advanced s ta te of narcot ic intoxicat ion, something ext:tfa had been added

to Weberman 1s viperous appearence . Under the f oul inf luence of marijuana, one could

dete c t a subt le ref lection in the eyea of om· herp; poss ibly a g1irrnner of r ernourse .

Upon pil iminary exam:i.nation, immediatly, ~ u u be pvercome by the e p ~ v i t yof Heberman 1s externnl appearance and one w o u l be revolted by it . Then, perhaps

af ter he had spoken, the feel ing of r evulsion HJuld :evolve in to ane of p i t y And it

i s the same '· i th the o the r apostl es of drugs and vice . T-here isn 1t one of them, who,

i f he for one ins tant could be s:i.ncere and could t e l l t h e t ruth, wouildn ' t admit tha t

he ahs bl inded himsel to the t ruth ancl wishes to bl ind eve;vyone el se aro'l.md him.

Unconsciously he knows tha t he i s rnistaJrnn, o.nd wants e v e ~ o n e else to be mista}::en

along with h:iJ n. Yet i f one pi erce s the externfil outer shel l , and one peers in to the

depths m B his soule , one would f ing only sorrow ahd remonsc •• •••

Thus was the pligh t that A1nn Boph Weberman found himself . His enti r e l i f e was

was based on the phis ical s ta te of his mind. He was af ra id to look to himself .for · an

answer, afra id of what he mi[{ht find . lt was be t t er for him to o on kidding himselfhis

along ~ m ~ ~ e to cont:iJ.me to l e t others help him :iJ.1 tM_.e sel clecption.

Hea:rnrhile, us the drug began to taJce ef fec t on Ann,1eberr1B n be p an to t ap h is

f in ger s nervousl y alnog with the music .

Whats the matter'? 1 asked Ann axiously

1'Nothing, except I am wasted end Weberman l e t out a l augh which slowly 4Qe

d is-mterga.ted into the n igh t radia t ing siclamss and disease . A scizm lie cl for med ,

s eperatru:ig e b e r m n world of insidiousness and venom, from the world of rea l i ty .

This pot gives you hal lucinat ions, i t s r eal ly bomb sh i t

Compl e t ly l ost in the wind:iJ 1g passage-way of h is ovm mind , \'leberman jo un ied to

the l imits0

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smoke shop days east lansing 1963

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