Illustration of Derek Powazek by Adam Ellis

Happy Four-Twenty

The calendar reminded me of a story I wrote three years ago. Here’s a bit:

Four-twenty. Supposedly it’s the number of active elements in marijuana. Or the criminal code for possession. I think all that’s all just urban legend material. All I know is that on April 20th, back when I was in college at Santa Cruz, it was a very special day.

I remember one April 20th when I was hitchhiking up Bay Street to campus. A VW van picked me up and a blue cloud rolled out when the door opened. “Happy four-twenty,” said the driver, handing me a joint. It could have been 1969, but it wasn’t. It was 1992. Santa Cruz was like that.

Happy four-twenty, y’all.


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Hi, I’m Derek. I used to make websites. Now I grow flowers and know things. I’m mostly harmless. More.