Stephanie Carnes Peco
ex_student grad year
1980

The 1960's were slow to end in Texas. In fact, there were plenty of hippies living out in the country and in shabby little cottages not visible from the road well into the 70's. These were the halcyon days of Austin. You couldn't walk across campus without smelling dope and everyone's dog was a lab and named Toke.

There were also Drag regulars: Bicycle Annie and that Smile! guy. Bicycle Annie was a frail bag lady always standing at the intersection in front of the University Co-op attempting to step down from the curb. It was painful to watch. Then some poor freshman would try to help her and she'd scream at them. You only tried to help her once. The Smile! guy stood in front of the Co-op and ordered you to SMILE!!! with this weird mixture of good cheer and menace. You tried to avoid eye contact.

The vendors were there. That side street (23rd Street) hadn't been blocked off yet. And this was when the term "Drag Worm" began being used. The frats coined it, I believe. There was a lot of patchouli oil and bra-less, hairy-legged women. It was good times in a smaller, less hectic city: the only place in Texas where you probably wouldn't get hassled for having long hair.