There is nothing like a penetrating gaze.
John and Steve were best buddies. That is, they got each other into trouble in about equal measure. This was at a birthday party at the Exceptional Children's School in the Palisades. These two knuckleheads were wondering how many cups of fruit punch would spill if they pulled out the tablecloth really fast. There was no question that the flowers would still be standing.
What we considered a normal childhood in the 1970s would get most parents arrested today. Family size was a factor behind the generally loose supervision of the era, and by the eighth child I think Mom and Dad just couldn't keep up anymore. So John enjoyed his freedom. We spent many a Sunday morning splitting into teams and scouring the canyons and hillsides above the Palisades to look for him. He was usually pretty dirty from sleeping rough, but in surprisingly good shape. Years later we learned that he spent most Saturday nights sneaking into the Bay Theater and bumming popcorn and Coke from the people around him. He was charming.
