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Go, Go, Go Club

Cabbages and Kings

By Richard E. Ashcraft

"Did you bring your set?"

"Sorry, man, I left my drums at home. I travel light, but I'm all set to go, if you know what I mean."

"Er ... yes, well, the meeting's inside."

"You call this a meeting! I don't get it. I mean I just don't see it. Where are the bongos, the booze, the beats?"

"Who?"

"You know, all the cats who go, go, go."

"Oh. Well, most of them are already playing, but I'll see if I can get you in a game. Are you sure ... I mean, you do go, don't you?"

"Daddy, I go the most. There is no one who goes as much as I do, and you can stake your 'Hot Lips' Baker records on that."

"Here, when this game is finished, you can challenge the winner."

"Hey, what is it with you two, huddled over the board; you having a staring contest? Let's Indian wrestle."

"Pardon me, but would you mind not snapping your fingers?"

"Sorry, Mack, but I move all the time. I've got the Word, and it tugs at me. Saaaay, I knew I forgot something."

"Your set?"

"No, man, my guitar, my geeetar. It swings out; it really goes. Just what we need for this party, before we all die of the gas in here."

"Please, I'm trying to concentrate."

"Yeah, man, I know; the Buddha kick. I remember I was on it for two weeks when I saw the wild Frisco nights from my Chinatown pad. Man, that was some living; creeping through the back alleys at night, yogi parties, the red lights of the east end, the drowning sounds of Powell Street in the afternoon, and in the early evening as the sun set on the bay the soft odors of won-ton soup drifting up through the air vents. Crazy! But take my advice, and give up the Oriental bit, and go domestic. Contemplation, inward communion, and all that jazz is all right, but all I got was anemic from eating too much rice."

"May I ask who let you in here?"

"That cat over there in the polka dot vest. But just between you and me, I think he's a little square; he's not with It. Let's get the party rolling. Let's go."

"Good idea."

"Now, wait a minute. Careful there, Mack, you're stepping on my sneakers ... I hear ya' man, don't snap your elbows on my ear ... I mean, like don't push ... the jacket, the jacket, man, you're wrinkling the bird; that's an engraved eagle ... okay, okay, I'm going ... the hula hoop is choking me ... acchhh ...."

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