Trueblood: A T March 1990, V Features Bright Lights, Big City by Lois Droege 3 Freedom seemed as large as Chicago itself when Karen first arrived in the Windy City. But being a runaway meant living on the dark side of the bright lights. Pleased to Meet Me by Judi Bailey 7 "What you see is what you get." If you'd describe yourself that way, come on over and shake hands with yourself. There's more to you than meets the eye. Diabolic Steroids by Jane Scherer 10 Pumping anabolic steroids instead of iron produces more than 10 muscles—it promotes facial hair on women and breast growth on men. Avoid the 'roids! Becki Trueblood: Jewel of the Gem State by B. Russell Holt 16 It's got more eyes than an Idaho potato and more legs than the Rockettes. It's the Miss America Pageant. Miss Idaho, Becki Trueblood, saw Miss Missouri take the honors, but she knows winning is more than wearing the crown. To Bee or Not to Bee by Laurie Lee Wilson 22 That is the question: whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the stings and arrows of outraged honeybees or to don protective gear and gather honey. 26 Departments Ask a Friend Too Young for Love? 13 You Said It! Steroids Strike Out 14 Kitchen Sink Cookies: The Snack of Champions 15 Plugging In Decisions, Decisions 20 Cartoons Spit-toons 21 And So Forth Hell, Michigan 26 Puzzles State of the State 27 Listen Up! The Blob Tube 28 One Last Note Body by Miller 30 31 Poster Bottle of the Bulge 31 2 • LISTEN • March 1990 COVER PHOTO BY JAY PARKER / PARKER PORTRAITS Lois Droege LC Karen left home for Chicago, hoping to escape her parents' restrictions. Instead she found herself trapped by drug addiction and rape. Karen listened, ear pressed to her parents' bed- long, black, curly hair. She glanced from the pic- room door, as Mom and Dad argued about her ture to herself—even she noticed the change. Her behavior yet again. She was sick of them treating hair was still long and curly, but now it was her like a two-year-old. She was also sick of her straggly and badly in need of a shampoo. The girl uptight twin sister who never did anything in the picture was smiling; her high cheekbones wrong. She knew one thing for sure: she was set in an angular face accentuated dark, deep-set getting out of this place soon! Just because they'd eyes. The teeth were straight and even; the braces found cigarettes in her purse, they acted as if the had done a good job. She peered into the mirror. world were coming to an end. She smiled to her- Her eyes were dull and lifeless, underlined with self; if they'd checked the whole pack, they dark crescents. She heard the door open behind would've found the marijuana hidden behind the her. It was Dad. others. That's what she needed, a joint. "May I come in, honey?" She dialed her friend's home and whispered, "Looks like you're already in," she snapped. "Syl, this is Karen. They found my cigarettes." Her father stood quietly for a moment. She Sylvia laughed. "What else is new? At least noticed for the first time how he had aged. She they care whether you have them. My parents are flopped on the bed, and he sat down next to her. too busy hitting the bottle to wonder what I'm "I just don't know what's happened to you this doing." year, Karen. We don't seem to be able to talk to Karen had met Sylvia at the beginning of the each other anymore." school year. At 17, Sylvia was almost two years Karen moved off the bed and stood as far from older than Karen. She had introduced Karen to him as possible. "What's there to talk about?" she pot. Karen often went to Sylvia's house after mumbled. school with several other kids, and spent the "For one thing, we need to talk about what afternoons just lying around getting high. Some- you've been doing. You're not attending school as times they tried angel dust and, recently, cocaine. you should, and your grades show it. We've Sylvia had been on the street several times. She found you drunk in your room, and you smoke always talked about the people she met and the behind our backs. The sad part is that you don't places she stayed. It sounded exciting to Karen. seem to care. What's happened to my little girl?" Karen hung up the phone and walked past her "She grew up, Dad. Face the facts. I'm not your dresser. Her eighth-grade graduation picture was little girl anymore." stuck in the mirror. Looking at it, she remember- "Who are you, Karen?" ed how her classmates had always envied her She refused to answer. When he questioned her March 1990 • LISTEN • 3 again, she covered her ears and shouted, "Leave of the $175 she'd hidden—and the money she me alone!" planned to steal from her sister. Her father stood up. "I'll leave you alone, Later, something startled her awake, and she Karen, at least for the moment. When you're realized it was 11:00 p.m. The house was dark ready to talk to your mother and me, you'll have and quiet. She packed her shoulder bag and to let us know. Meanwhile, you're restricted to slipped down the back stairs, not forgetting to your room." He turned and left. take her sister's wallet on the way. Karen slumped on her bed. More restrictions! Sylvia was waiting behind the library. "You're Well, this is it, she thought. I'm not going to have 10 minutes late," she hissed. any more restrictions! "I overslept, so don't act like my mother! Do She dialed Sylvia again. "Syl, remember the you have a joint on you?" plans we talked about? Well, it's got to be tonight. "Take it easy, Karen. We've got to get out of I have to escape from this place. Can we meet?" this place clean." Karen followed Sylvia to the Sylvia whistled. "Wow! You really mean it, bus station, where she bought their tickets for don't you? Any time is OK with me. My parents Chicago. Sylvia told Karen they'd be able to get won't even know I'm gone. In fact, I'm sure they jobs there. wish I'd stay away for good. Meet me behind the When they arrived in Chicago, a handsome library at midnight. Travel light; put everything young man driving a sports car met them at the on your back. We don't want to be picked up." bus station. Karen was impressed. He drove them Reaching beneath her bottom mattress, Karen to a seedy-looking residence hotel on the west found the envelope she'd hidden and popped side of town. two pills into her mouth. She fell asleep thinking Karen had been sick during the whole trip. LISTEN (ISSN 0024-435X). Published monthly by Narcotics Education, Inc., 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904, U.S.A. For the U.S.A.: one- year subscription $16.95 (U.S.). Second-class postage paid at Nampa, ID. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to LISTEN, P.O. Box 7000, Boise, ID 83707. 4 • LISTEN • March 1990 After begging Sylvia for some coke, she fell across she could get a job soon, she might be OK. But the bed and didn't awaken until the next after- where would she stay? noon. Sylvia was dressing and said she'd buy She gathered her things and was out on the Karen some decent clothes. street within 20 minutes. Taking side alleys, she "What kind of job do I need to get so dressed headed in the direction of downtown. She was up for?" asked Karen, frowning. glad it was summer instead of winter. "Joe wants us to hit the street and turn a few Two girls about her age were leaning against a tricks tonight, so you'd better get cleaned up." store window, smoking. She asked if they knew "Tricks?" of a place she could sleep. They laughed, then led "That's right, kid. Just stick with me, and I'll her through a broken door in a dark, abandoned teach you how to pick up the ones with money. building. We'll bring them back here, and if we can get The place was filthy. Old cans, clothes, and them high enough, we can probably roll—" trash were strewn everywhere. The girls grinned Karen stopped listening because she suddenly at each other. Then one said, "Welcome to the felt very frightened. Now she understood about Grand Hotel." Two young people were huddled Joe and the apartment they had. But she had on the floor in stages of undress. Candles were never dreamed that this was what they expected stuck in cans, and Karen thought she saw an of her. What could she do? She got so nauseated animal scurry under some old newspapers. that she rushed to the bathroom, holding her "This is our pad, and you're welcome to stay. stomach. But if you like living, you'd better stay awake and When she came out, the apartment was empty. on the street at night. We crash in the daytime Karen couldn't stop shaking, either from fear or when everyone's sleeping off drugs." lack of drugs.