You know, nobody's gonna belive me...

For a very short time, Richie Havens and I hung around together in the Village, NY City. This was a time before Woodstock. Things were just starting. I was a beatnic, not a hippy. Though, actually I was a more a hippy than a beatnic. I was too positive.

Well, anyway, this was before Richie had teeth and he used to read poetry in the Cafe Wha? He told me he was going over to some friends pad "PAD" and would I like to come with him. I had nothing to do, so, off I went.

We went down to the East Side into what I would now call a slimey nieghborhood, but then was really cool. I think we walked up about 5 flights and knocked on a police-locked door and a man with a big white beard let us in. It wasn't Santa. Richie introduced me to his friends Allen and Larry. They seemed like nice guys, but their apartment was a mess, and there were books everywhere! On the walls, on the tables, on the chairs.

Richie, Allan and Larry had a very deep discussion on communism and freedom. I was very bored and wanted to get out into the real world.

I was 18 at the time.

So there you are. I was a small part of history and didn't even know it or appreciate it. If you haven't guessed I was in the home of Allen Ginsburg and Lawernce Ferlinghetti. Amazing!


Love, Annamill