Editorial April, 1971 Vol. 24, No. 4 Prepare for the Journal of Better Living Executive Director Ernest H. J. Steed Landing Editor Francis A. Soper Assistant Editor Twyla Schlotthauer Editorial Secretary Elizabeth Varga Office Editor T. R. Torkelson For some time we had been flying Art Director Howard Larkin blind. The clouds were thick and Layout Artist Henry Rasmussen Circulation Manager A. R. Mazat heavy, almost obscuring our own Sales and Promotion L. R. Hixson, Milo Sawvel wingtips. Our flight from Denver was heading west. Suddenly we broke out into the In This Issue open. The snow-covered landscape below looked cold and still; ahead 2 Prepare for the Landing Editorial loomed the jagged peaks and sharp 3 Love Opens the Door Lavonne Zublin escarpment of the Sierra Nevada. 4 "Several Swigs"—A Sequel Alma L. Campbell The public address system on our 5 Today's Unchecked Killer Jean Davison Convair 880 crackled as a cheery 6 The Ear of the Beholder Keith Merced voice came over clear and strong, 8 Death of a Pusher T. Casey Brennan "We are having to reduce our 9 The Simple Life Ernie Holyer PAN AMERICAN ground speed in order to get into 10 Could It Be Me? As told to A. E. Terrill line for our landing at San Francisco." 12 Teens—Life Can Be Beautiful A New Kind of High We were still ten miles from the California border, but that Interview with Vonda Kay Van Dyke distance would need only about one minute's flying time. 16 Start the World—I Want to Get On Immediately the high whine of the jets began to lower per- Diana C. Gleasner ceptibly, and we knew our nearly 600 miles per hour was 18 I Went to a Party Teen-ager Danny Groves being cut back. And it wasn't long until we started sliding 19 Color Special "Listen's" Newspaper in Miniature from our 35,000 feet elevation down over the western slope 24 "Somebody Cares" of the Sierra. The towns and fields of the Central Valley glided by under- In the Next Issue neath, and with Mount Hamilton ahead of us we banked north, then west again over the San Leandro Hills and Oakland, • Is LSD really so bad after all? Regardless across the Bay into a smooth landing under the threatening of what you think, you will want to read, "A fog clouds which are so characteristic of the San Francisco Little LSD—So What?" area in late afternoons. • "Listen's" cover story takes you "down un- That landing, though apparently routine, was not done on der"—and not to Australia either, but to the the spur of the moment. It was planned even before our flight habitat of undersea explorers in Tektite II. was begun, and the plan was put into effect while our plane was still hundreds of miles from the airport. Photo and Illustration Credits Cover, Courtesy of Vonda Kay Van Dyke; pages 3, 5, 8, 10, 16, We got into our assigned sky traffic lane, followed carefully and 17, D. Tank/Henry Rasmussen; page 4, World Wide Photos; pages 4, 18, 20, and 22, United Press International; pages 9, 18, the designated approach pattern, and carried out instructions and 24, Henry Rasmussen; pages 13 and 14, Ray Fisher; page emanating from the control center. We were preparing for our 19, WHO Photo by T. Farkas; page 21, Herbert Bennett. landing. Many people "fly high" today. It may not be at 35,000 feet; Editorial Office it may be at sea level or any other altitude. They say they are 6840 Eastern Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20012 seeking a "high." Publication Office Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1350 Villa Street, There are different kinds of "highs." This person can feel Mountain View, California 94040 one after smoking pot, that person claims to find one with Subscription alcohol. Still another says he gets it with heroin. There are Yearly subscription, United States, its possessions, and Canada, many ways of securing drug "highs." Such persons, however, $5.00; single copy, 50 cents. To countries taking extra postage, $5.25; single copy, 50 cents. are flying high without preparing for the landing. They even talk about, and anticipate, the "crash." But this is hardly a Change of Address Send change of address to LISTEN, 1350 Villa Street, Mountain safe way to land. View, California 94040. Zip code must be included. Allow thirty days for change to become effective. Give both the old and the On the other hand, there are "highs" which can be secured new address. through healthy and normal ways. These mean getting a real thrill out of life, living it to the fullest, but through it all pre- paring for the landing. LISTEN, monthly journal of better living (twelve issues a year), provides a vigorous, positive educational approach to the prob- Vonda Kay Van Dyke, "Listen's" cover personality this lems arising out of the use of tobacco, alcohol, and narcotics. It is utilized nationally by Narcotics Education, Inc., also by many month, is a pilot herself. She says she gets a real "high" going organizations in the field of rehabilitation. Second-class mail privileges authorized at Mountain View, California. Form 3579 up in her plane. She well knows what it means to prepare for requested. Printed in the United States of America. the landing, not only in her plane, but also in the experiences of ever y life. This is her "new kind of high," as she puts it, Copyright, 1971, by Narcotics Education, Inc. "a ki which bri y in for a landing without regrets." 44,424a, Don't ask yourself, "What have I done wrong?" rather, "What can I do now?" Lavonne Zublin Horns blared behind me as I slowed stared at me from his cocoon of blue velop for him. Golden curls which were traffic to peer into the faces of three long- blankets. Our eyes locked in communi- his pride were my shame. Mark began haired hitchhikers. The boys, looking cation, and we silently agreed that no to roam. "Belonging" meant more than gaunt and cold, stared back. The weirdly negative diagnosis would keep hitm-dewn, anything else. Long hair was an admis- dressed three made no move toward my and it didn't! sion ticket to crash anywhere, and he did. slow-moving car. They seemed to know Mark sat at ten months and walked at I tracked him down once and found I would not stop. fourteen months. He did not walk as him existing in a little shack in an alley. Did they often suffer the searching other children, nor hold objects as other Blankets hung at the windows. As I ap- scrutiny of mothers? Having determined children, but he compensated. He was proached the converted garage with its that my son was not one of them, I ac- always learning, always cheerfully achiev- front door propped open, I strained to celerated and drove on. I was relieved ing new skills. There were no more spills, see into she dark room. Identifying my- that Mark was not among them, yet at bumps, or tears than with any child; for self 'to a form that became distinguish- the same time I was sad. I would con- although his way was not normal for me, able as a long-haired boy, I was directed tinue to wonder where he was. On what it was for him. Was this applicable to his to the kitchen. My steps were careful as lonely corner was he waiting? life now? I circled polite but wild-haired girls and It was not as if I never saw my hippie After seven major operations, when he boys cheerfully playing cards on the floor. son. Without warning he would appear, was six years old, Mark began to attend I avoided stepping on guitars, pillows, only to disappear again, leaving in the school regularly. He achieved academic clothes, and full ashtrays as I made my wake of his visit an anxious mother to awards throughout his grammar-school way to Mark. ponder, What makes one boy turn away career. His character and attitude shone In the kitchen my son stood at the from everything his family stands for, like a bright star. I wondered now, When sink eating a burned, shriveled TV din- especially when his brothers and sister did that star begin its descent? ner. I was heartsick, remembering the eagerly contribute to a society which In high school, Mark's English .teacher well-balanced meal I had prepared earlier needs their stability? Of all the children, said of him, "Once in five hundred stu- at home for his brothers and sister. The why did Mark choose the route of the dents do I hope to find a student like only unoccupied place to sit was on a hippies? Mark." He did well in school. He was on naked, soiled mattress on the floor in a I asked myself over and over, What the debate team. He played his guitar, small room adjacent to the kitchen. It did I do wrong? It has taken a long time sang in the choir, and won talent contests. was there that we visited. to resolve that question. Through neces- All went well until he became a senior. The small room contained no dresser, sity Mark had more attention and careful That year, dating reached a frenzied peak and clothes were piled high in cartons. guidance than his brothers and sister. as graduation neared, and he was left out. Two of Mark's suits hung alien and dusty He was born with multiple birth defects.