The Trip

 

It's 10AM in Key West, Henry walks a few blocks to Frank's Place for a breakfast. He orders fried Parrot Fish, eggs, and grits with coffee.

Frank, who's a Korean War veteran, asks, 

where you been Henry? 

Hiding in my study.

You got the Cave Syndrome, boy? 

Yeah, I’m afraid of something, I don’t know what.

You’re not the only nut out there. I work at the VFW Post on weekends. a lot of vets got that PSTD. Were you in the service Henry?

No, thankfully, I’m no killer, I have flat feet, I was 4F. 

Frank laughs.

A black woman sits next to Henry like she knows him. She has white dreadlocks and a young face.

I’m Henry, how bout a drink? 

Sure, my name's Jade, I'll have a rum and Coke. 

What ya doin in Key West? 

On holiday, I’m a programmer for Tech Group in Miami.

As she sucks down her drink, Henry orders a pitcher of the same. 

Did you come alone? 

Yeah, I’m single, if that's what you mean.

You get high, Jade? 

Yeah, you holdin? 

Sure, weed, and mescaline. Whataya say we finish our drinks and go to my place, it’s close.

Can I trust you, Henry? 

Ask Frank, the bartender, so she asks, 

Frank is Henry on the up and up? Frank says, 

Henry? The best ever, a real plum. 

At the bungalow, they undress and get into the patio hot tub to relax, and he suggests,

there’s a cove on Saddle Bunch Key, it's well-shaded by pine trees and palms, we can drive there.

Sure, that'd be great.

They ice down his Coleman cooler, filling it with spam sandwiches, pickles, Miller Light, mescaline, and roll a few joints. 

Outside, they open the panel door of Henry's 70 VW Bus, placing the cooler inside.

With Jade by his side, he shifts into reverse, backs out of the driveway, takes Flagger Avenue to the Overseas Highway, drives north, and says,

we're going to the Sacred Mound.

He exits Highway 1 at Saddle Bunch Key, and drives until the road ends, parking in a cracked stone parking lot for 5 bucks.

The parking guy, a surfer with blond hair says, 

Are you guys going to the Sacred Mound? There’re some heavy vibes there, most folks go to Nude Beach. 

Yeah, where is it? The surfer points and says

take the sand path through the trees.

The Sacred Mound is surrounded by a green sand cove, they place a straw mat in the sand with the cooler on top. 

The couple is blown away as they eyeball the Sacred Mound, which is a story high, composed of crustacean shells that are decomposed and bleached from being in the sun for thousands of years. 

He grabs a couple of Miller Lights, which go down real easy,

then bringing to light a baggy of mescaline buds. 

They chew the bitter buds, washing down a handful each with beer.

As they come on the universe around them begins to wave up and down and colors become clear-cut.

Before their eyes, the Sacred Mound inflates to the size of a dirigible airship, persistently expanding, eventually engulfing Henry and Jade, undulating their bodies. They feel enraptured, born again.

In what seems like an eternity the paranormal dirigible ruptures and things around them appear to be covered with chalk dust.

Henry and Jade are visualizing matter in its purely energetic state. 

Testing the alternate environment they walk inside and through chalk-covered trees. Then wading into the white sea fifty meters out. As the waves break they move ashore as though they are walking through cotton fluff, effortlessly.

The mescaline has chemically altered their consciousness to a higher level of mindfulness.

Coming down Henry and Jade walk the tree-lined trail to the parking lot.

Back at the bungalow, Henry parks the VW Bus in the driveway. 

In the sauna again, they drink rum and Coke as the sun sets in the bay, talking about things, laughing at nothing, just trippin.