Hangin' at Handlebars with the Homies

Ray and I were in the car this morning -I was driving him to work. He always laughs about me telling him stories from my childhood. But when I start telling them he says,"Wait- this can't be real. It doesn't even sound real the things you did when you were young. It just get's freakier and more bizarre."

 It was September of '75 - I had just turned 14 the month before.  A freshman in high school, just beginning everything. Starting school at Mission High in San Gabriel,Kenny Loggins alma mater. Lucky him it was co-ed back in the day, no wonder he had so much to sing about. The crew I went to Handlebars with was definitely an interesting one. (This was a bar in Pasadena that no longer exists, but was across the street from The Icehouse.)

First, how did I get out on a school night?  It was the first weeks of school. My idol- Ellie, my sisters best friend was about twenty one. Then a fellow named Jim were my companions. Both were from the church I went to, St Lukes.
Now I have no idea why Jim went with us  on this expedition, honestly. He was super religious, Ellie was a super party girl. ( She was receptionist at the church, along with my oldest sister. ) So, onward the christian soldiers we were - made our way to Handlebars. This is much funnier than you can ever imagine. I was fourteen, had to use Ellie's fake ID. She is using her real ID. But her fake ID is her .... so we are both using her ID to get in.

My hair is very short, blondish brown. Hers - long, platinum blonde.  I am short, not super skinny- she is tall and very skinny. She has blue eyes, mine hazel. I am fourteen, she is twenty one. The guy still lets me in. Just no drinking stamp on mine. Yep, he sure didn't suspect a thing.Perhaps he  was sweet on Ellie. Who wasn't? If I had been a dude,  I would have been... I just didn't swing that way.  But, I wanted to be exactly like her. Walk like her, talk like her, you name it.

I was so overwhelmed in the bar. This wasn't nine thirty mass, and there weren't any nuns and priests hanging out, I was in heaven. I started cruising my fourteen year old self around.Jim and Ellie had to reel me in. I wanted to dance, have a good time. The shackles were off for a few hours. No such luck for me.... but Ellie had herself some bubbly as I hung with Jim.More and more bubbly. Who said Catholic girls don't know how to have a good time?

Jim and I went out  to his truck to wait in the alleyway for  Ellie. Yeah, I don't have an answer for why we were waiting in the alleyway... I think that's just what you did. Ellie is having a good time with some young stud, I am sitting in the truck with this super religious dude whose  bro' is a priest.

All of a sudden, snap goes his rear view mirror on the drivers side. I mean all the way off." Jesus Christ, they're makin' love."   Okay, so I have barely kissed a boy, but I am pretty sure they are just making out. I am laughing to myself because this fellow has just broken his mirror too get a gander of the action. Plus.... I have to listen to him. He is at least ten years older than me. Yuck. Oh please Ellie....finish your biz, I don't want to sit with- well now he is no longer  Jim anymore. I have named him "Make Love."  The deed is done, just like every other time in life when I name some poor soul. There is just no going back- ever.

To this day, whenever I see him, randomly at Home Depot, I'll say to Ray.... "Oh duck there's MakeLove."  I hate that once I get a name stuck in my head, that's it. It just won't go away for anything.

Wonder if he ever got his rear view mirror fixed?