I too know the trajedy of Palmdale. I grew up on E Ave Q2 and 22nd St East. Our hometown is an anachronism; full of the broken homes of laid off aerospace workers and parole violators. Half the kids that I grew up with were the offspring of outlaw bikers and felons. 90% of the time their cupboards were bare and their houses reeked of cat piss. One or more parents/step parents were always involved in some stage of the judicial process. Dope is the only constant in an environment like that. It's the only structure that some kids ever have growing up in the windy Antelope Valley. I am really happy for you that you were able to kick the sh1t. I am a veteran of the AV wasteland. I have since been around the world. There is so much more to life than ditching school in the desert, hiding from cops, and drinking coffee at IHOP during school hours. Isn't there?