You heard right! Arcata is full of hippies, and they hang out at the plaza, shown above and below. Don't get me wrong. I've got nothing against hippies. On the contrary, I appreciate what hippies do for us. I appreciate their desire to save the environment when the rest of us are wallowing in our materialism. Hmm, the hippies probably won't appreciate me calling them hippies. To tell you the truth, I don't know the precise definition of a hippie, but I think I know one when I see one. I don't want to offend anyone, so I'll change the subject.
So, this is Arcata. It's a college town with a population of about 10,000. It's pretty nice when it's sunny. You can take a walk to the marsh, look at the quaint Victorian homes, and save your money due to the lack of huge shopping centers. Arcatans are against big industry moving in, and rightfully so, because huge shopping centers are eyesores. Anyway, the interesting stuff. The plaza is the nexus for all social events. One time, there was a huge demonstration at the plaza, and a bunch of people in the crowd started smoking marijuana. But the cops didn't do anything! They said something about not arresting people because it would be dangerous. Man, is this place liberal! I tell you, this is one of the most liberal places in the United States. During the Vietnam Conflict, Arcata announced that it would be a safe haven for people who dodged the draft.
Well, I rather like the liberal atmosphere because it's unique. Arcata also boasts a truly diverse population, including people from strange lands and people with strange sexual orientations. The one problem in our liberal paradise is the local marijuana scene. I'm all against illegal drugs, and I think marijuana use here is too common for my comfort.
HOME