How hard could it be, wouldn't it be like all the vacations with mom and dad in the back of the Ford Fairlane station wagon, imprisioned for 3,000 miles with a big brother on a pilgrimage to Birthplace, NJ from New Life, Colorado. Four pals, sophomores this year, Thanksgiving break. Check the map. Nogales, Mexico, the closest place in the universe to do EVERYTHING you could think of. Check the supplies. One (1) old Chevy, no money. Easy. Midnight lurking brings two 5-gallon gas cans, plastic hose = two full 5 gallon gas cans. A few Chef Boy-r-dee ravoli from the part-time job grocery store. Wednesday morning good-by. Durango, siphon hose, full tank. Four Corners, Tuba City, straight south, look out adulthood here we come. Cross the border, easy. Drink. Drink more. Eat. Drink more. Call a taxi, time to find the GIRLS! First, Psst, where can we find a joint? Speeding through dark street, where are we, down alley, WHERE ARE WE?? Probably going to die. Parked, wait. Sure we are going to die. Two joints, $5. To the bar, friendly girls. "Buy me a drink?" Sure. Big time guy. Time to put up or shut up. Shut up. Lets walk, it must be this way. There are rooms available to sleep in, but it's cold at night in the high desert and I guess it was extra for a blanket. Suns up, find the put up guys. They slept in the car. Pool money ($16.00), spend it all on booze, hidden in the back seat springs. Two will walk back across the border, 2 will take the car. Back home in USA. Here comes the car. Customs inspector, we'll probably fool him. Search. Look. Pull out back seat, all clear. Push that seat back in. Clunk, two bottles hitting each other. Busted. Confiscate the booze. Pay the fine, $25. (Can't pay the fine.) Confiscate the car. Saturday morning, 10:00 Nogales, AZ. Seriously considering hopping train. IDEA!! Call room mate left behind to wire money. Make the call, collect. Western Union it turns out closes at noon til Monday. Wait. Watch clock. Sweat. 11:55, $50. Bail out car. Time to go home. Somewhere, AZ. "What happened to the 2 joints?" In plain view in a candy bag on the dashboard all this time. Torch 'em up, crack open the Chef Boy-r-dee. Classes start on Monday.