Hippie Town USA

The 1960s could best be described as the time of the counter-culture movement, aka, the time the Western World decided to re-evaluate itself...again.

It was during this time that the oh so American subculture movement known as the "Hippie Movement" was born.

The Hippie Movement represented everything opposite to what was once considered the ideal American lifestyle.

Free love, long hair, drug experimentation, organic living, world peace and the idea of spirituality over materialism. Combine that with an inherent desire to go beyond "conformity", you get hippies.

As to why the hippies wanted these things?

The exact reason is unclear, but it's generally agreed that the movement was fueled by a combination of Cold War insanity, post-Korean War blues, the Civil Rights movement, the Vietnam War, the emergence of television, psychedelic rock, books on feminism, environmentalism, sexual revolution, the assassination of multiple high-minded figures and the literal invention of the most psychoactive drugs in existence as funded by government agencies attempting mind control experiments.

Anybody living through this insanity would definitely want to see if there was more to life than the nuclear family and listening to the government.

While the movement as a whole was nationwide and partially international, the biggest hub for the hippies was the city of San Francisco, in the neighborhood of Haight-Ashbury.

Thanks to a combination of cheap rooms and vacant properties, hippies were free to move in, set up shop and do their thing. It was the place to go for quaint cafes, spiritual good shops, artist studios and drug shops decorated the street, all essential for the hippie life style. It also helped that it was quite literally a brisk walk away from Golden Gate park.

Home to bands like the Grateful Dead, Big Brother and the Holding Company with Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane and the Steve Miller Band, Haight-Ashbury was at the forefront of the counter culture music scene.

Thousands of people flocked to the neighborhood from all over the country in seek of enlightenment, freedom, happiness or just the potent drugs money could buy. Granted, some were media heads trying to get a good headline.

But all good things must come to end at some point.

In 1967, the biggest hippie event called "The Summer of Love" happened. It was a non-stop festival where the bands skyrocketed to fame, people shared all manner of love, anti-war marches happened almost weekly and psychdelics flowed like water. Unfortunately, it came with an increase of crime, media scrutiny and judgement from the rest of America. This entire thing, like the name implies, lasted until the end of summer.

Once summer came and went, many hippies left the city to go "back to the land", setting up all sorts of communes up and down the USA. Their organizations varied from religion, to politics to even sexual orientation. Some of the attendees were just students and headed back to college once the summer ended. Either way, Haight-Ashbury was slowly being abandoned.

On October 6, 1967, the remaining residents hosted a mock funeral, a happening titled "Death of the Hippie". Granted, this wasn't truly the end of the hippie movement. The leaders of the event stated that they organized it for the sheer purpose of telling the world: "Bring the revolution to your homes! It has already happened here"!

Many things has happened since the "Summer of Love", Haight-Ashbury has changed in terms of culture, architecture, politics and people, but even to this day, when people think of the hippie movement and the impact it made, they will always think of this neighborhood.

Peace

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"I can't tell if this informative or full of shit", RJ said as he finished reading a tourist brochure on Haight-Ashbury.

"I thought it was, how to say, groovy?", Tatterhood said as she placed her own brochure in her handbag.

"Next stop, Haight-Ashbury"!

"Oh it appears we're here!", Tatterhood said in a chipper tone as she grabbed RJ's arm and got off her seat and headed towards the bus doors.

After RJ and Tatterhood had left the apartment that morning, RJ figured that the fastest way to get there would be to make use of a ride-share app and get a driver. However, Tatterhood had apparently done some research while he was sleeping and concluded that the bus was the best way to get Haight-Ashbury, due to it being the most "authentic".

"We can get a driver any old time, the bus is much more fun"!

Thus, RJ was strong-armed into taking the bus for Tatterhood's amusement.

As the duo exited the bus, they were immediately awestruck by just how damn colorful the neighborhood was.

"Vakker...", Tatterhood said as she let out an impressed whistle.

"Huh...I just realized I have never actually visited this place before", RJ commented as he took in the sights.

Haight-Ashbury was an absolute hodge-podge of book stores, restaurants, dive bars, vintage clothing boutiques and record shops. A majority of the buildings had a Victorian style architecture, paired with bright colors reminiscent of the famed hippie era. Decorating the sides of many buildings, a variety of murals in a myriad of styles dazzled the viewers. There was also giant pair of plaster legs hanging out of a window, but RJ wasn't sure why.

"So you think Senior Hippie will recall anything now that were here", Tatterhood asked after a moment.

"I'm...not entirely sure? I guess I should just summon him to find out", RJ replied as he began to fiddle with his smartphone.

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Inside Donnie's Diviniations

"Again? Why are the cards giving me this exact same prediction"?

Donnie was a bit confused as he stared at the astral tarot layout. Ever since last night when he first made the divination of his near future, four cards would always show up in the exact same positions, with the rightmost one just rapidly spinning.

These three cards were, from left to right, the Fool, the Hermit and the Wheel of Fortune. The very last one at the bottom, was Death.

As he pondered over the meaning of his tarot divination, a sudden chill crawled up his spine.

"What the hell was that?", Donnie asked himself as he paused his pondering and made his way to the front door. Once he got there, he saw, standing in front of his shop was a young couple...and a skeleton.

"Oh hell no", he muttered as he made his way to his deck and phone.

"Kathy! Get your ass up! I think that necromantic asshole is back"!