Toshi is on the couch. He is thinking about everything but then again he is thinking about nothing. Schaffer plays Guitar Hero II. “Institutionalized,” by Suicidal Tendencies. “Hey Schaffer, what’s this song?”
“Some – punk song … punk song … punk song.” It echoes in Toshi’s head. Schaffer’s fingers fly. Images swirl around Toshi.
Garish frat boys swagger into a bar. Sorority girls sing along to pop music. Needle scratch. Emaciated youngsters take up instruments onstage. They look like heroin addicts, play like dervishes. Shouted lyrics, three chords. Frat boys howl and pull their collars over their ears. Out steps a rebel clad in torn leather jacket and dirty black jeans. Billy looks glumly at his beer. “Do we have to go drinking every night, guys?”
A masked figure appears. It’s Captain Straight-Edge! Billy’s drunk friends cower. With lightning speed, CSE’s Xed hand slaps Billy’s beer to the ground. “You’re right, Billy, you don’t need poisons in your body to fit in. It’s OK to be Out of Step. Just stand up for yourself and stay focused.”
Toshi walks to class past a parking lot. President Beanfield rolls up in a red Cadillac and rolls down his window. “Hey kid, what are you rebelling against?”
“Whaddaya got?”
A would-be sorority girl weeps in a hallway. She looks up to see a girl with piercings and spiky hair. “Aw you poor thing, you couldn’t even conform right,” the girl says. She puts headphones on would-be girl. The tears stop.
Toshi stands at the career fair. Suit, résumé, fake leather portfolio. “Try these, kid.” It’s Jello Biafra from Dead Kennedys, holding out his glasses. Toshi puts them on. The people are filled with gears, motherboards, cams, servos, oil, fasteners. Some are simply filled with amoeba-slime. Quoth Jello, “It’s different when you’re a punk.”
