JFC Poltergeist.

I saw it on a VCR in 1983, the year after it came out. I had spent the morning in a grammar exam for a Latin intensive program and then on to the funeral of a fellow speed freak.

Then I partied with some friends after the funeral until about midnight. Weed and beer. No hallucinogens.

So I told a shortcut through this sort of underpass that went under the church and saved me a block.

First thing I see is a passed out dude in a polka dot costume, just like the monster in the movie.

As if that wasn’t enough, he’s next to a shopping cart full of body parts. I’m sure it was just some . mannequin parts he got from some clothing store on Telegraph Avenue.

But some kind of warning bell went off in my head: just keep walking. The memory is still vivid many years later.

The “just keep walking” thing has kept me out of a lot of shit in life.

And yeah, I haven’t had speed in several decades .

I was obsessed with dinosaurs as a kid and convinced my parents to let me see it in the theater when I was 6. I was so fucking terrified at the opening scene I pretended I needed to pee so I could step out for a minute.

I did come back and loved the movie though, so I guess it wasn’t that bad.