In late summer my mom made a new friend at the hotel, and she had a teenage son my age. One weekend we were invited to their house so I could meet her son. I think my mom was trying to secretly help me make new friends.
It was early in the fall and still hot outside the weekend we were invited to their house for the introduction.
I was now driving so my mom let me drive the car to her new friend’s house which was on the other side of Las Vegas. The drive helped me learn some new roads and new ways to get around.
I was still mad at my mom for getting rid of the Ford Mustang and swapping it for a Japanese Toyota. I loved that Mustang. It was supposed to be my car.
I think the Toyota car model was a Carolla, and it was a stick shift. It was also very boxy and ugly.
When we arrived at my mom’s new friend’s house, I was quickly introduced to her son. He had some other friends hanging out with him and I was introduced to them too. We disappeared into his room and my mom hung out with her new friend. They were having drinks.
The boys I was hanging out with asked if I wanted to go to McDonalds to get a drink. I said, ‘Sure.”
My mom’s new friend’s son was also driving. We walked into the living room and announced to our moms that we were going to McDonalds. They interestingly replied at the same time with the same directive, “Drive safely.”
As we were driving to McDonalds one of the boys pulled out a hand rolled nature stick and fired it up. The stick was passed around the car, and we all took turns enjoying a deeply held puff until we could hold it no longer.
One of the boys released his take and quickly said, “What a rush.”
I knew exactly what he meant. I had felt that way on several occasions when I was hanging out with the two brothers and our group of friends in the trailer park.
So, we got to McDonalds and I climbed out of the car with a bit of dizziness and a definite buzz. We were all now happy and I was starting to get a little hungry.
We all went inside and one of the boys said that he would go get some burgers and Cokes. I said, “Cool!”
When he returned to the table with the tray of goodies I reached for a Coke and my arm was pulled back. My mom’s new friend’s son said let me pick it out for you. He looked at the boy who bought the burgers and Coke’s.
He then handed me one of the Coke’s and a burger. I was happy to be served. I thought this was a nice gesture, a gesture of friendship.
I quickly consumed the burger and drank my Coke. I was very hungry. I remember all the boys watching me intently as I drank my Coke.
Shortly after consuming my burger and drinking my Coke I began to feel a little out of sorts. My head began spinning and the world around me began to look very different.
I remember looking out the big glass window and Las Vegas was now an ocean with big waves approaching McDonalds. And the waves were getting higher, and higher, as they got closer to the window. I began to freak out.
I began to point out loudly to the other boys saying, “We need to run away from the waves.”
Other people in McDonalds were looking at me strangely.
I remember two of the boys grabbing me and quickly taking me outside to the car. I think I was in full panic mode at this point. I had never felt this way before. I think I remember the two boys holding onto me tightly so I would not run into the road when we were outside in the parking lot.
I was put into the car with one boy sitting on each side of me. They drove around for a while so I could calm down. They all agreed that they did not want to take me back to the house the way I was acting. I think they knew that they would get asked about what happened to me.
When we did get back to their house I guess several hours later, I was beginning to come down. Their explanation to my mom was that I got sick when we were at McDonalds.
My mom believed them and put me into the car. She drove me home. And she drove even though she had been drinking because I was in no condition to drive.
And at one point of our drive home I think I began to see the ocean again with the waves.
I then passed out.
The next thing I remember was getting home and my mom walking me inside.
She asked me if I wanted anything. I said, “No,” and I just walked to my room and went to bed.
The next morning, I woke up wondering what the hell had happened to me. And then I remembered being freaked out by the ocean and the waves crashing at McDonald’s.
I wasn’t sick. But my body felt exhausted.
As I began recalling the previous day, I knew that I had to have been drugged. But what was the drug they gave me, I wondered. I will never know this.
I believe that one of the boys had put something into my Coke. And it was their plan to do this before I arrived with my mom at her new friend’s house.
I thought that my mom’s new friend’s son would become a new friend. But I never wanted to go back to his house. Not after my realization.
I told my mom what had happened. She was angry. Very angry. Her face was red.
I thought to myself that she might go deck this boy’s mom now that she was an experienced bar room fighter.
I don’t know what happened to her new friend after that day, but she never spoke of her or her son again after my confession. This was probably for the best, especially in Las Vegas at this time.
And it was…
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