Magic

When I was a student at the school of theology in the mid-1970s, I lived in a big house with seven other students. Penny, who lived in the basement apartment, made some magic brownies. I had never had magic brownies before so I was a little fuzzy as to their magic qualities. Most of my contemporaries had lots of experience with marijuana and hashish, and related herbs. But I was something of an herbal novice. We all ate one brownie and headed to the movies to see the new film called “Star Wars”. As we sat in the theater before the movie began I leaned over to Penny and whispered "I think I need another brownie, I'm not feeling any effect yet". Penny looked at me carefully and then reached into her oversized macramé purse from which she procured another brownie. After eating my second brownie I began to feel a little tingling in my feet. As I remember it, “Star Wars” was a fabulous film. When it was over my friends ushered me out of the theater because I was shooting storm troopers with my ray gun.

When we got home I watched TV with wonder and amazement. The program called “Fernwood Tonight” looked something like a late night talk show, but it was a little askew. And in my altered state, I couldn’t tell what was going on. So I went to bed and lay in the dark watching red and white pinwheels spin behind my eyelids. I was due at school the next morning for the first day of classes. Already a little late, I hurried to my Old Testament class. It was nearly full when I arrived- the only seat available was in the front row. So I took it and sat through the full hour not more than 6 inches away from Dr. Knierim, who had a habit of spitting when he lectured. It was just as well- I hadn’t had time to shower before I left. But I was still a little under the effect of the brownies from the night before. And I must say the herbal haze combined with the tall German professor shouting in my face, “VAT SEZ ZA TEXT!” created a very scary foreign film effect.