Terms: get light / get high / get stoned / get wasted / get faded / get baked / fade
*The language used in this dialogue is meant to reflect how different Americans might express themselves. Significant incorrect grammar or sensitive words will be underlined for reference.
Skies were blue with those thin strips of white like ripped white pillow feathers painted all around. The birds sang and the sun burned a little on the arms. It was a perfect day to sit in a park — or so thought Charles. In fact, it was a great day for the park for another reason. The sun and birds are fine and all, but what Charles really was looking for was music.
He had recently went to a concert with some work buddies of his and he loved it! Now, Charles was itching for more of the live music experience. He wanted to feel the beat vibrate inside his ribs. He wanted to enjoy the energy of people jumping and singing all around him. He wanted to smell the sweat of the singers as they yelled their lyrics at the crowd. Charles would have never guessed it, be he was radically in love with live concerts. And to his luck, there would be one today at the park.
After walking for some time, he finally found where the stage was. Charles found a quiet, clean spot to lay his coat down in the grass and kicked his shoes off. He stretched his feet, closed his eyes, and let the sun sizzle his arms just a little bit. He was nearly falling asleep when the mechanical screech of a microphone pulled his attention back to life. There was a middle-aged lady on stage tapping on the mic as if to test it.
—Hello all, she said, greeting the crowd of park-goers. —I hope you are having a wonderful Sunday. My sponsors and I are here to get the show started off tonight. How about that? Are you all excited?
The people around the stage sitting in the grass all yelled and cheered in approval. They were, in fact, all excited. The sun was starting to go away, and the mood was getting set.
—Excellent! Well, we’ve got a great show planned for you all tonight. A$AP Rocky and Tyga are here.
—Yo, where they at? some guy yelled out impatiently.
—A$AP? Aw man. I thought this week was Twenty One Pilots. You’re kidding me, right? another guy moaned.
—Yes, the lady from before said, We will get on with the show in just a minute. Firsthand, I want to talk about the “big M.” Mari-what?
—Oh, no! We don’t wanna hear it, lady! someone else yelled.
Charles was confused and looked around for someone to help him understand.
—What a buzzkill, right? They always bring these old-timers trying to keep us from getting stoned in public. It’s a waste of time. That’s why I stopped coming to public concerts.
It was a young woman about the same age as Charles.
—What do you mean? They throw stones at people in public? he replied.
—Oh, God no! Haha, ain’t you ever heard of someone getting stoned? Like, high?
Charles shook his head to say No.
—Well, to tell you what it means, it’s what happens when you smoke weed. You know, cannabis. Some people say they get faded or get baked. It’s all the same thing.
A guy sitting next to the lady had been listening and made a sound that meant he agreed.
He then told Charles, —Yeah, sometimes we say we get wasted or we get light. Wasted’s a little more for drinking, though. Most people just say high, when in doubt.
Another lady nearby complained, —Don’t teach him that stuff! Poor guy. He was so innocent until you told him all that junk.
The lady next to Charles turned to the complainer and told her, —Shut up, yo. Or do you want to fade?
She got quiet and turned away. The lady next to Charles laughed and bumped her friend to laugh together.
She told Charles, —Don’t worry, I wasn’t really gonna fade. It was just a threat.
Charles asked her, —A fade is a hair style, right? Or were you talking about smoking?
She said “No” and, —By fade, I mean … and she moved her arms around like she was punching someone invisible. —I wasn’t gonna fight her, you know?
—Fade can mean fight, then? Charles asked.
—Yeah. And if you catch a fade, you end up fighting someone. Or worse, they try to fight you.
Sounds like a heavy hand tapping on the microphone bumbled from the stage once more.
—And without further ado, here is your concert! the woman on stage announced. And several people sitting in the grass simultaneously sighed Finally!
Charles looked over and whispered at the pair he’d been talking to.
—I’m glad she stopped telling us not to get high, or she was gonna catch a fade from somebody in this crowd.
The three laughed at his comment and invited him to stand up and dance. The sun had gone down, the big lights were turned on. Everyone started to vibrate as the first pounding beats rolled out from the massive speakers.
Culture Surf 