SEDITION — RICK OWENS: I WANNA BE YOUR DOG — ISSUE 3 WINTER 2018 — BY CESAR PADILLA

MARCH 30 2018

CP
SO THIS ISSUE OF SEDITION IS ABOUT KIDS, SO FIRST I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU WERE LIKE AS A KID. WHERE DID YOU SPEND YOUR TEENAGE YEARS?

RO
WELL AT THAT AGE I WAS IN PORTERVILLE — WHICH IS JUST OUTSIDE OF BAKERSFIELD IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA — AND I DIDN’T REALLY KNOW WHAT I WAS DOING. I WAS WORKING AT TACO BELL; I WAS JUST THIS POT-SMOKING, TACO BELL GUY. MY AESTHETIC WAS VERY MUCH LIKE SHORT LEVI’S CUTOFFS, FLIP FLOPS, A TANK TOP AND SHAGGY HAIR, LISTENING TO MOTORHEAD AND DRINKING BEER. OKAY WELL … I’M BEING A LITTLE DISINGENUOUS. MY DAD HAD A PRETTY GREAT LIBRARY OF CLASSICAL LITERATURE AND MUSIC IN MY HOUSE SO THERE WAS A LOT OF SHARING AND INTELLECTUAL DISCOURSE — NOT FROM ME, BUT FROM MY FATHER. SO IN A WAY I WAS PLAYING WITH THIS IDENTITY THAT I WANTED TO BE A PORTERVILLE REDNECK — I WANTED TO BE SLUTTY AND WHITE TRASH — BUT I WASN’T. I WAS KIND OF PLAYING THAT ROLE. I WAS DRESSING UP, FAKING IT.

CP
WERE YOU A ROCKER AT 17?

RO
I MEAN YEAH, INITIALLY I WANTED TO BE THE LED ZEPPELIN, KISS, MOTORHEAD GUY, BUT THEN I STARTED GETTING INTO GRACE JONES AND BOWIE AS I GOT OLDER.

CP
HOW OLD WERE YOU WHEN YOU HIT THE STREETS OF LOS ANGELES?

RO
I WENT THERE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL TO STUDY ART AT OTIS. IN THE BEGINNING I DIDN’T REALLY EXPLORE L.A. I WAS VERY MUCH ABOUT THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT AND SCHOOL PARTIES. OTIS AT THAT TIME WAS IN MACARTHUR PARK, SO IT WAS SUPER SKETCHY. BUT, THAT’S ALSO WHAT MADE IT GLAMOROUS AND EXOTIC; IT WAS DANGEROUS. THEN I STARTED OPENING UP, MEETING MORE PEOPLE AND GOING OUT. THERE WERE THESE PUNK-ROCK LEATHER CLUBS CALLED THEORETICALS THAT WERE VERY BIG WITH THE GAY COMMUNITY. WE WOULD GO SEE BANDS LIKE THE SCREAMERS AND FEAR AND BLACK FLAG. AND THERE WAS A PLACE CALLED AL’S BAR THAT A LOT OF BANDS PLAYED AT.

CP
I LOVED AL’S BAR.

RO
I STARTED TURNING MORE GAY AND GOING TO THE LEATHER BARS MORE. I WASN’T REALLY INTO S&M AND LEATHER THAT MUCH — WELL NOT AT ALL ACTUALLY — BUT IT WAS KIND OF THE MOST GLAMOROUS SCENE THAT I KNEW OF AND THERE WAS THE PAGEANTRY OF THE COSTUMES AND OF ALL OF THE RITUAL INVOLVED. IT SEEMED VERY SOPHISTICATED TO ME AND ALSO CREEPY AND TRAGIC AT THE SAME TIME. SO THAT WAS MY THING FOR A LONG TIME, THAT AND SEX CLUBS. THE SEX-CLUB LIFE WAS GREAT BECAUSE IT WAS JUST THE DIRTIEST, DARKEST LIFE THAT YOU COULD HAVE AND THAT WAS EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED AT THE TIME. IT WAS THE MOST PIGGY, OINKY LIFE POSSIBLE.

CP
I THINK I WAS PROBABLY IN A LOT OF THE PLACES YOU WERE IN. I WAS BORN IN COMPTON AND RAISED IN LYNWOOD. I’M VERY WELL VERSED IN EVERYTHING YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT.

RO
WE PROBABLY RAN INTO EACH OTHER AT RON ATHEY’S, CLUB FUCK. DO YOU REMEMBER THERE WAS DIRT BOSS AND POWER TOOLS?

CP
OH YAH. THAT WAS FUN.

RO
I NEVER FELT THAT I REALLY FIT IN THOUGH. I KNEW A LOT OF FUN PEOPLE AND EVERYTHING BUT I WASN’T EVER REALLY THE GUY THAT EVERYBODY KNEW AT THE DOOR. I DIDN’T HAVE MUCH POWER THEN. I WASN’T ONE OF THE COOL KIDS. I WAS SOMEBODY WAITING IN LINE.

CP
YOU MENTIONED DANGER BEFORE. WHAT EXACTLY FELT DANGEROUS THEN?

RO
SIMPLY BEING ON THE FRINGES OF SOCIETY, IT WAS A MARGINALIZED WORLD BASED ON THE CHEAPEST SENSATIONS POSSIBLE. AND OBVIOUSLY THERE WERE AIDS AND DRUG ADDICTION AND ALL OF THOSE DANGERS. I STILL THINK ABOUT THIS BECAUSE AS MUCH AS I’VE ENJOYED A DEATH-WISH LIFESTYLE, I’VE ALWAYS DONE WHATEVER IT TOOK TO SURVIVE AND I’VE ALWAYS CLAWED MY WAY OUT … AND THEN I WAS A TOTAL ALCOHOLIC AND AT SOME POINT I DECIDED NOT TO DO THAT ANYMORE. THAT WAS A VOTE FOR SURVIVAL. BUT THEN I STILL SMOKE CIGARETTES, A LOT OF THEM. AND ON THE OTHER SIDE I’M A LOGICAL PERSON AND I WORK OUT LIKE A FIEND. BUT WORKING OUT ISN’T SO MUCH ABOUT HEALTH; I JUST WANT TO LOOK GOOD. I’M PRETTY SUPERFICIAL. BUT I KEEP SMOKING AND I LOVE SMOKING AND I KNOW THAT THERE’S A DEATH WISH THERE SOMEWHERE. I’M CHALLENGING MY HEALTH AND PLAYING WITH THIS THREAT. I DON’T KNOW IF IT IS ABOUT STAYING IN TOUCH WITH MY MORTALITY, JUST TO FIND COMFORT IN KNOWING THAT IT’S INEVITABLE. IT’S NOT GOING TO BE A SHOCKING STRANGER WHEN IT ARRIVES.

CP
I FEEL LIKE WE REALLY LIVED IN AN ERA WITH DANGER. AS A 51-YEAR-OLD MAN, I DON’T FEEL THE DANGERS THAT I FELT AS A KID AND I DON’T KNOW IF THEY EXIST ANYMORE.

RO
WELL WHEN WE GET OLDER OUR FRIENDS START GETTING OLDER AND SICK AND DYING, SO WE START SEEING HOW FRAGILE LIFE CAN BE. I REMEMBER LOVING DANGER AND I DON’T REMEMBER FEELING FEAR. I REMEMBER FEELING IMMORTAL AND I REMEMBER FEELING THAT I WANTED TO BE AS DANGEROUS AS POSSIBLE. NOW I LOVE THE IDEA OF DANGER AND THE IDEA OF TAKING RISKS. BUT I DON’T DRINK ANY MORE AT ALL BECAUSE IT’S TOO MUCH TROUBLE. THE HANGOVERS ENDED UP BEING JUST SO NOT WORTH IT. AND I’M AN UGLY DRUNK; IT BRINGS OUT A SIDE OF ME THAT I PROBABLY SUPPRESS. BUT I LOVE HAVING PEOPLE AROUND ME WHO ARE DRINKING AND DOING DRUGS — AS LONG AS THEY’RE FUN. I KEEP LIQUOR AROUND THE HOUSE AND IF PEOPLE WANT TO DO DRUGS I’M ALL FOR IT; I THINK DRUGS ARE GREAT. BUT I’M JUST NOT GOOD AT THEM.

CP
DO YOU STILL SMOKE WEED?

RO
NO, BUT I DID WHEN I WAS TRYING TO STOP DRINKING, JUST SO I COULD TRY AND GET TO SLEEP. BUT I NEVER REALLY ENJOYED IT THAT MUCH. I LIKE PSYCHEDELICS AND I LIKE SPEED MORE. I ACTUALLY HAVE SOME MUSHROOMS IN MY HOUSE FOR LIKE A FUN NIGHT OR SOMETHING, BUT I JUST NEVER GET AROUND TO IT. IT’S SOMETHING I KEEP FOR GUESTS. BUT I COMPLETELY INTEND TO INDULGE MYSELF IN MY 80’S. I’M GONNA GO ALL OUT.

CP
DID YOU THINK THAT YOU WOULD LIVE THIS LONG WHEN YOU WERE YOUNGER?

RO
I NEVER REALLY THOUGHT AHEAD. I NEVER REALLY THOUGHT OF THE FUTURE LIKE THAT. MY BIGGEST AMBITION WAS PROBABLY TO HAVE A COOL LOFT IN DOWNTOWN L.A. OR SOMETHING. THINKING OF MOVING TO EUROPE WAS LIKE THINKING OF MOVING TO THE MOON.

CP
HOLLYWOOD WAS A VERY SPECIAL TIME BACK WHEN YOU WERE THERE. IT WAS SO GRITTY AND CHEAP AND EVERYBODY WAS THERE. I HAVE DISTINCT MEMORIES OF PEOPLE LIKE SEAN DELEAR. THE FEARLESSNESS OF PEOPLE LIKE HIM REALLY IMPACTED ME. HE REPRESENTED SO MUCH OF WHAT IT MEANT TO BE FEARLESS AND WALK THE WALK AND BE TRUE TO YOURSELF. IN 1979, WHEN HE WAS 15 YEARS OLD, HE WAS THE ONLY BLACK KID IN SIMI VALLEY. HE’D HANG AROUND IN BOWLING ALLE GLORY HOLES AND FLEA MARKET PARKING LOTS SUCKING DICKS. DO YOU SEE THAT FEARLESSNESS TODAY IN PEOPLE?

RO
I JUST SAW VAGINAL DAVIS LAST WEEK AT BERGHAIN IN BERLIN. SHE WAS OPENING FOR CHRISTEENE WHO HAS ALL OF THAT RAW GLAMOUR AND DEPRAVITY AND FEARLESSNESS AND RECKLESSNESS THAT I ALWAYS WANTED. SO I DO SEE THAT HAPPENING NOW.

CP
ARE YOU LATINO?

RO
MY MOTHER’S MEXICAN. SHE LEFT HER FAMILY IN PUEBLA TO COME LIVE IN THE STATES WITH MY FATHER, WHO WAS ANGLO FROM PHILADELPHIA, AND THEY MOVED TO PORTERVILLE. BUT OUR COMMUNITY WASN’T VERY LATINO. PORTERVILLE IS PRETTY SMALL AND ANYBODY LATINO WAS PRETTY INTEGRATED INTO THE REGULAR CULTURE. WHAT’S FUNNY IS THAT MY FATHER HAD A KIND OF RACIST STREAK, WHICH I NEVER REALLY UNDERSTOOD, BECAUSE HE DELIBERATELY WENT TO MEXICO TO FIND A WIFE WHO HAD OLD-FASHIONED VALUES. HE THOUGHT AMERICAN WOMEN WERE TOO INDEPENDENT. HE WANTED TO FIND A WIFE WHO WOULD ALLOW HIM TO BE THE MAN. SO HE HAD REALLY TROUBLING RACIAL ATTITUDES, BUT THEN IT WAS OKAY FOR HIM TO HAVE A CHILD WITH AN ‘INFERIOR’ MEXICAN.

CP
DID YOU SPEAK SPANISH AT HOME AT ALL WITH YOUR MOTHER?

RO
WHEN SHE MOVED TO THE STATES SHE DIDN’T SPEAK ENGLISH, SO SPANISH WAS THE FIRST LANGUAGE I LEARNED. WHEN I STARTED GOING TO SCHOOL SHE WOULD TAKE ME AND SIT IN THE BACK AND SHE QUIETLY LEARNED ENGLISH. AND NOT ONLY THAT, SHE BECAME INDISPENSABLE TO THE TEACHERS SO THEY HIRED HER AS A TEACHER’S AID. SHE ENDED UP RETIRING FROM THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WITH COMPLETE BENEFITS. SHE IS REALLY AMAZING. SHE’S A VERY QUIET, VERY SWEET, LOVING WOMEN. BUT THERE IS THIS KIND OF INVISIBLE STEELINESS IN HER, WHERE SHE KNOWS HOW TO GET WHERE SHE NEEDS TO BE. SHE WAS THE ONLY ONE FROM HER ENTIRE FAMILY WHO LEFT PUEBLA. AND WHEN I WAS YOUNG AND IT WAS LOOKING LIKE I WAS GONNA TURN INTO SOME WHITE-TRASH MEXICAN, SHE DROVE ME TO LOS ANGELES AND ENROLLED ME IN ART SCHOOL — EVEN THOUGH I WAS HER ONLY SON. SHE FORCED ME OUT OF THE NEST, WHICH MUST HAVE BEEN REALLY HARD FOR HER. SHE KNEW THAT I HAD TO PURSUE SOME HIGHER DESTINY. AND SHE KNEW I WAS GAY — WE NEVER TALKED ABOUT IT, BUT I’M SURE THAT SHE SAW THAT THAT WAS HAPPENING AND THAT PORTERVILLE WAS GONNA EAT ME ALIVE.

CP
WERE YOU A BAD BOY?

RO
WELL, YEAH! LIKE HER WAKING ME UP ON THE FRONT LAWN NAKED, IN MY OWN VOMIT… YOU KNOW I JUST CAN’T BELIEVE THAT I NEVER KILLED ANYONE, LIKE DRUNK DRIVING IN SOME HORRIBLE ACCIDENT. IT’S UNBELIEVABLE TO ME THAT I GOT THROUGH ALL OF THAT AND DIDN’T HURT ANYONE. IT’S A MIRACLE.

CP
DID YOU HAVE ANY DALLIANCES WITH OLDER FIGURES WHEN YOU WERE YOUNGER?

RO
[LAUGHS] ACTUALLY WHEN I WAS 17 AND GOING OUT WITH A 35-YEAR-OLD GUY; HE CAME TO PICK ME UP TO GO AWAY FOR THE WEEKEND AND MY PARENTS WERE SO INNOCENT. I REMEMBER MY DAD WAS WASHING HIS CAR WHILE I WAS GETTING INTO THIS OLDER MAN’S VEHICLE. AND MY DAD PULLED ME ASIDE AND SAID ‘YOU KNOW RICHARD, SOMETIMES WHEN YOU’RE A YOUNG GUY LIKE YOURSELF, YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT OLDER GUYS — JUST KEEP AN EYE OUT.’ HE HAD NO IDEA; IT DIDN’T EVEN OCCUR TO HIM THAT WE WERE FUCKING.

CP
BUT YOUR MOM KNEW?

RO
WELL, I’VE NEVER ASKED HER, BUT I’M SURE SHE DID. EVEN BEFORE WE TALKED ABOUT IT, LOOKING BACK ON IT NOW, I’M SURE SHE KNEW BECAUSE SHE’S AN INSTINCTIVE PERSON.

CP
SO WHERE DID YOU GO FOR THE WEEKEND?

RO
WITH WHAT’S HIS NAME? OH! HIS NAME WAS JIM! WE WENT TO HIS PLACE ABOUT 45 MINUTES AWAY. HE LIVED WITH ROOMMATES WHO WERE ALWAYS NAKED AND HAVING SEX. IT WAS LIKE THIS ORGY HOUSE IN VISALIA, WHICH IS JUST LIKE SUCH AN AVERAGE SORT OF CITY. BUT THAT’S WHERE ALL THE DEPRAVITY WAS IN THOSE DAYS … EXCEPT FOR HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD; THAT WAS ABOUT AS DEPRAVED AS IT EVER GOT FOR ME REALLY — DOING CRYSTAL METH WITH FRIENDS IN MY APARTMENT. I HAD THIS WONDERFUL APARTMENT ON WILCOX AND LOS PALMAS AND THAT WAS LIKE CRACK CORNER. IT WAS INTENSE. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL APARTMENT IN THIS OLD HOLLYWOOD BUILDING. IT WAS JUST LOVELY AND THAT WAS PROBABLY AS DEPRAVED AS MY LIFE EVER WAS.

CP
WHERE DID YOU LOSE YOUR VIRGINITY?

RO
WHICH ONE?

CP
YOU TELL ME.

RO
THERE WAS A GUY I REALLY LIKED, BUT HE WASN’T INTO ME. SO I WENT WITH HIS BEST FRIEND AND THAT WAS MY FIRST TIME. I WAS MAYBE 16 OR 17. I MEAN, IT WASN’T THAT EARLY. I WAS KIND OF A LATE BLOOMER.

CP
WERE YOU SCARED?

RO
OH GOD NO!

CP
DID YOU PLAY SPORTS IN HIGH SCHOOL?

RO
NO, I WAS NOT A JOCK AT ALL. I WAS PROBABLY MORE EFFEMINATE THAN I AM NOW. I WAS A LOT MORE VAIN AND MY CLOTHES WERE MORE VAIN. MY BODY WAS VERY SOFT, WITH SMALL SHOULDERS. I HAD FULL MAKEUP ON ALL THE TIME, EVEN WHEN I WENT TO BED, EYELINER ALL THE TIME. IT WAS CHANEL FOUNDATION WITH POWDER AND EYE MASCARA AND THE WHOLE THING. BUT NO LIPSTICK. IT WAS GLAM, BUT I WAS NEVER REALLY INTERESTED IN BEING A WOMAN; I WAS INTERESTED IN BEING DAVID BOWIE OR KLAUS NOMI. I DIDN’T EVER WANT TO BE A GIRL, EVER. I’VE NEVER EVER DRESSED IN DRAG; ISN’T THAT FUNNY?

CP
I ONLY DID ONCE. BUT YEAH, I REMEMBER ALWAYS HAVING EYELINER ON IN THE ‘80S. DID YOU TEASE YOUR HAIR AND HAVE THE BIG BLOWOUT?

RO
NO ACTUALLY I WAS GOING FOR A MORE SLEEK LOOK, THE YOUNG AMERICAN ALBUM-COVER LOOK. I HAD MY HAIR SHAVED ON THE SIDES IN A KIND OF FAUX-HAWK, BUT IT WAS ALL GELLED BACK. AND I HAD THE NOSE RING WITH THE ROSEMARY BEADS FROM MY NOSE TO MY EAR — A VERY CHRISTIAN DEATH LOOK. YOU KNOW WHAT? THE FIRST TIME I MET RON ATHEY, I WAS IN LOVVVVVVVEEE WITH HIM. I HAD THIS JOB WHERE I SCOUTED EXTRAS FOR SOME STUPID MOVIE FOR SOME GOTH CLUB SCENE AND I GOT RON TO BE AN EXTRA. HE WAS WORKING AT THAT PUNK CLUB, POSER. WE WERE REALLY YOUNG AND HE HAD WAY FEWER TATTOOS. HE WAS VERY THIN AND WHITE AND HE HAD THESE REALLY TALL SPIKES ON THE TOP OF HIS HEAD. AND ANYWAYS HE WAS MY STYLE ICON FROM THEN ON BECAUSE HE WAS JUST THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CREATURE I HAD EVER SEEN. AND ACTUALLY WE HOOKED UP AT A PARTY NOT LONG AFTER THAT. I WAS GOING OUT WITH THE LEAD SINGER OF RED WEDDING, MICHAEL. AND WE WENT TO SOME PARTY ON THE RAILROAD TRACKS IN L.A. AND RON WAS THERE. AND WE SNUCK OUT AND HAD SEX ON THE RAILROAD TRACKS, AND THEN I WENT HOME WITH MICHAEL AND MICHAEL’S THEN LOVER, SPIDER.

CP
TRASH!

RO
YEAH, TOTALLY. YOU’RE TAKING ME DOWN MEMORY LANE.

CP
NOW LET’S GET TO THE PRESENT HERE A LITTLE? WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT THE KIDS NOW?

RO
I LIVE IN PARIS AND I’M NOT REALLY PAYING ATTENTION TO THE KIDS BECAUSE THEY’RE NOT SURPRISING ME. THEY’RE NOT SHOCKING ME. THEY’RE NOT GOING FAR ENOUGH. BUT I JUST PROBABLY DON’T KNOW WHAT’S REALLY OUT THERE, BECAUSE I HAVEN’T REALLY BEEN RESEARCHING. AND IN PARIS, THE YOUTH CULTURE IS SO CONSERVATIVE. THERE’S NOT REALLY A YOUTH SCENE THAT I’VE COME ACROSS THAT LOOKS EXCITING. I’LL GO OUT DANCING EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE TO THIS TECHNO THING, BUT THAT’S REALLY IT. I’M FRIENDS WITH LEATHER RITA FROM THE HOUSE OF LINGERIE AND THEY HAVE VOGUING BALLS THAT I GO TO. I REALLY ENJOY THOSE BECAUSE VOGUING HAS BECOME SO RAW AND SO HARDCORE. IT’S LIKE THE MOSH PITS OF THE OLD DAYS; THERE ARE PEOPLE WILDLY THROWING THEMSELVES DOWN ON THE FLOOR IN HIGH HEELS. I DON’T KNOW HOW THEY DO IT WITHOUT BREAKING THEIR BACKS. AND IT’S JUST AS THRILLING AS BEING IN A MOSH PIT AT A FEAR CONCERT TO ME NOW

CP
BEING FROM CALIFORNIA, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT IT NOW?

RO
I HAVE NO IDEA, HAVEN’T BEEN BACK IN 20-SOMETHING YEARS.

CP
SO YOU REALLY WALKED AWAY FROM THE PAST?

RO
NOT DELIBERATELY, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN OPPORTUNITIES TO GO BACK TO L.A. AND I’VE AVOIDED THEM. I’VE BEEN AWAY FOR SO LONG THAT IT WOULD JUST SEEM SO MELODRAMATIC TO RETURN. I WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO DO IT QUIETLY AND GENTLY. OR MAYBE NOBODY WOULD EVEN CARE OR KNOW IF I WAS BACK. MAYBE I’M OVERTHINKING IT. MAYBE I SHOULD GET OVER MYSELF … THE OTHER THING IS THAT I REMEMBER BEING VERY MESSY IN L.A. AND I DON’T REALLY FEEL LIKE REMEMBERING THAT. IN L.A. I WAS DYING FROM ALCOHOLISM; I WAS FRUSTRATED. I WAS NOT MAKING ANY PROGRESS AND I WAS BITTER. THAT’S WHAT I DON’T WANT TO LOOK AT AGAIN. AND I FEEL LIKE I WOULD BE REMINDED OF THAT, SO I’M NOT IN A BIG HURRY … AND EVERYBODY WHOM I CARE ABOUT ENDS UP IN EUROPE ANYWAY.

CP
WHERE IS MOM?

RO
MOM’S STILL IN PORTERVILLE, BUT COMES TO EVERY WOMEN’S RUNWAY SHOW AND WE HAVE A GOOD TIME. AT SOME POINT I MIGHT HAVE TO GO TO PORTERVILLE WHEN SHE’S TOO TIRED TO COME TO EUROPE. I HAVE TAKEN THAT INTO ACCOUNT. BUT I’M IN NO HURRY.

CP
GIVE ME A GOOD DEFINING REBELLIOUS MOMENT OF YOUR YOUTH THAT CHANGED YOU.

RO
I REMEMBER I WENT WITH TOM FINN TO THE ODYSSEY IN L.A. — TOM WAS THE GUY THAT I WAS IN LOVE WITH THAT WASN’T INTO ME SO I ENDED UP SLEEPING WITH HIS FRIEND. WE WERE ON BLACK BEAUTY AND DRINKING AND THE ODYSSEY WAS LIKE STUDIO 54 FOR ME. I HAD NEVER REALLY BEEN SOMEPLACE SO BIG LIKE THAT AND SO GAY AND BEAUTIFUL AND RICH AND SOPHISTICATED AND URBAN. I HAD NEVER BEEN ANYWHERE THAT URBAN. IT WAS THIS WHOLE WORLD THAT I HAD KIND OF KNOWN EXISTED BUT HAD NEVER REALLY TASTED. SO THAT WAS KIND OF DRAMATIC AND THEN YOU’RE HIGH AND IT’S ALL MORE EXCITING.

CP
DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT YOU WERE WEARING?

RO
I WAS WEARING TRASH-BAG PANTS AND SOME KIND OF TANK TOP. AFTERWARDS WE WERE GONNA DRIVE BACK TO PORTERVILLE BUT WE MET SOME GUY AT A BATHROOM GAS STATION AND WENT HOME WITH HIM. HE WAS YOUNG, OUR AGE, AND SEEMED TO BE LIVING WITH AN OLDER GUY WHO HAD A TRICK AND THEY WERE PASSED OUT NAKED IN THE LIVING ROOM. SO WE ALL WENT TO THIS GUY’S BEDROOM, BUT HE DIDN’T HAVE A BED; THIS WHOLE APARTMENT WAS EMPTY AND WE WERE GONNA SLEEP ON THE FLOOR. THEN TOM AND THIS GUY STARTED FOOLING AROUND SO I GOT UP AND I WENT TO THE COUCH IN THE LIVING ROOM. AND THEN THEY FINISHED AND THE GUY CAME OUT AND PUT ON HIS UNDERWEAR AND GOES, REFERRING TO TOM, ‘OH SORRY MAN. ARE YOU GUYS TOGETHER OR SOMETHING?’ AND I SAID, ‘OH NO, IT’S LIKE NO PROBLEM.’ AND THEN HE STARTED SHOWING ME PICTURES OF HIS BABY THAT HE HAD JUST HAD. THAT WAS ONE OF THE MOST MISERABLE TIMES IN MY LIFE … LISTENING TO THIS GUY, THAT I WAS REALLY INTO, FUCKING THIS OTHER GUY IN THE BEDROOM NEXT DOOR. AND I REMEMBER THERE WAS A CAT WATCHING, AND I WAS WATCHING THE CAT, WATCHING THEM FUCKING THROUGH THE DOOR. ISN’T THAT TRAGIC?

CP
AND YOU WERE WHAT 17?

RO
YEAH AND I HAD THIS GREAT CAR, A 1960S CONVERTIBLE RAMBLER WITH RED VINYL INTERIOR AND A BLACK CLOTH TOP. IT WAS A GREAT CAR TO RUN AROUND IN THOSE DAYS.

CP WHAT KIND OF UNDERWEAR DID THE GUY HAVE ON?

RO
I THINK THEY WERE JUST TIGHTY WHITIES.

CP