Free Skateboard Lessons.

The text I shot to my buddy read, “If I go missing, look for me in the bathrooms on the beach. No regrets. I love my family.” It was my first night in Venice and I was looking for a little pot. Asking the street people, I met Ramen (like the noodles). After I convinced him I wasn’t a cop, he led me to an unlocked porta-john by the water and told me to wait. Standing there alone, I wondered if I was about to die, how painful it would be, and if my family would find my body. When he returned, Ramen asked me if I was offended by drug use. Obviously not, I was there to buy pot. But instead of pulling out a wad of the tasty green, he handed me a meth pipe.

Yeah, it was a little weird.

Huddled in a 3’x3’ cement stall with a homeless man pulling thick white drags from a meth pipe, I felt completely at ease. My gut would tell me if I needed to be worried. But despite the obviously dangerous situation I found myself in, I felt ok. After Ramen had his fix, we set out to find mine. Everyone knew this guy, and he knew everyone. But no one had what we were looking for. We tried an unmarked door in an alley. Nothing. We asked a rasta man in a black suit. Nothing. We finally found a shopping cart pusher who told us to wait in a darkened doorway. Whatever he brought Ramen wasn’t what we were looking for. They argued. We left. Quickly.

Finally, we ended up in the apartment of a couple of surfer hippies who never outgrew the 60’s. They wouldn’t sell us anything, but they did pass me a beautiful bong. Success.

Back on the beach, I realized we had walked at least a mile. I was high, and a little lost. My gut finally shot me a warning when Ramen ticked over into crazy land. He had spent most of the night singing to me (he became a singer/song-writer in jail) but now wanted to show off his kung-fu moves. He was trying to break signs and light poles with his kicks, but as he became more and more paranoid, he kept pausing to see if anyone was sneaking up on him. As I tried to say good night and make a quick exit, he gave me the crazy eyes and frantically started going through his pockets. He made me do the same. Whatever he lost, he thought I had stolen it.

With my heart pounding my ears, I headed back to the hotel - with Ramen in tow. He told me he’d find me the next day and give me what we were looking for.

...and free skateboard lessons.