It was almost uneventful, having Hector tear the verboten tickets in half. His demeanor so sleepy and disengaged, Lia felt prompted to whisper, “I’m Lia, Jesse’s friend,” as if they were meeting at the high point of some covert mission. The boy only blinked at her, pointing a stubby index finger in the direction of their theater.
The lights went down. This was it! The import of the moment gave them a jolt—a shock of much-needed energy after a long day in which emotions had sapped their strength. They sat alert, but the first part of the film, interviews and performances with The Germs and their manager, was distracting and made them impatient. There was Black Flag singing “White Minority,” which Lia thought she understood, but still, it wasn’t the main event, or what they’d gone to such l
