Jim picked me up in his rusty blue Duster at a little past three, then picked up Rick, then Rick's girl Jenny. We were between junior and senior year at Neptune High School in Neptune City, New Jersey. It was Wednesday, August 4th, 1976.
Jim wore no shirt as usual, gold chains bouncing on his collarbone as he braked. At a light, he reached into the pocket of his jeans and withdrew a crumpled plastic baggie. He tossed it at me and it floated as it flew.
"Take one and pass it on."
The engine idled rough. Jim had to step on it a couple times. You could feel the vibrations all around you.
"Hell, take two. I'll take two."
I unfolded the package and opened it to find a little square of black paper perforated into nine subsquares, each bearing the image of a gold pyramid with an eye inside. The light turned green.
"Awesome," I declared.
"It's the Eye of Horus, man," said Jim.
"The eye of whores?"
"Horus. Horus."
"The fuck is that?"
"I don't know man. It's the Egyptian God of LSD."
Without hesitation I tore off a corner square and placed it on my tongue. For a moment it tasted a little metallic. Then it tasted like paper. I wondered how anything so small could possibly have any effect on anything or anyone.
I turned around and stuck my tongue out for Rick and Jenny, showing off the dissolving hit for good measure. Rick gazed back sternly and made grabby motions with his outstretched hand.
"Gimme," he said.
"Eye of the Horus," I stated, and tossed him the baggie.
As I stared out at the sun-soaked trees and grass along the Garden State Parkway I swallowed hard. There. Now it has begun.