Hitchhikers and Squatters Part 1

Back 1992 I picked up hitchhikers in West Virginia and drove them to our common destination of Soldier Field, Chicago, the site of the next Grateful Dead show. I used our deadhead code to drain gas money from them which instantly gave me a leg up on the scheming dude Ty and his girlfriend. They had been off the tour while he worked as a cook on the Ringling Brothers circus train. She has been a circus dancer but was fired for drinking on the job. Later in Chicago they bummed my camping stove to make and sell grilled cheeses with supplies procured from one of Ty's tour rat buddies. I figured they were trying to get up some cash for tickets. Instead they shot heroin in my car while I was in the show. I made them find a ride and found some friends from home to take their seats. Whenever Ty would see me in a Dead lot that summer he would sneak up and surprise me or pull my hair, real annoying little things scammers do to push your buttons and test the zone. I stayed friendly, the tour ended, and I figured I would never see him again. But....