Excerpt from 'Alice in the Redwoods. Alice's father is a preacher in Crescent City, California, amidst the redwoods. Alice is a student at Humboldt State near Arcata. She meets a character named Manny Bredeteau, similar to Charles Manson before he was notorious. She becomes aquainted with 'His Family' and takes one of them on a weekend getaway at her families home in Crescent City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Your Daddy's nice.  Bet he's nice to everybody.  Never met a man that was nice to me without putting a price on it.  He didn't even try to preach to me."
 
"He never does.  He doesn't believe in guilt or threats.  He tells stories and practices what he believes.  He's a preacher by example."
 
The ocean was calm.  The waves lapping instead of crashing.  The sky was full of clouds with blue poking through sporadically.
 
"You warm enough Charmin?  Thats Mama's hoodie.  She's had it about 20 years."
 
"It's nice.  Like your family, warm and comforting.  Makes me wonder why you hang around us.  Your life is so Ozzie and Harriet.  Is it curiosity?"
 
Alice reached down, picked a shell up and flipped it into the water.
 
"A little bit.  I've always asked a lot of questions.  Why people accept without proof.  Daddy says its Faith. Either you have it or you don't.  It's a tough congregation here.   The more questions people ask, the more aware they become, the less likely they have faith.  Daddy has a few atheists in his flock.  They like his stories.
 
You feeling a little more relaxed Charmin?"
 
"Better than I was.  My nervous system has been in revolt.  Manny has Weeblo shooting that pistol every day.    He picked up a side of beef in Ft. Bragg for Poppy.  He brought it back to the church first and hung it up in the baptismal and had Miss Gladys practice stabbing it about a hundred times.

He had her so cranked up she was laughing hysterically.  I slipped out the back door into the field before he could round me up too.  He's manic as hell lately.  Manny paces for hours.  Something is up and its making me nervous."
 
"Does he know you're here?"
 
"He'll find out.  He always does   I don't think he'll mind because I'm with you."
 
"Don't be too sure.  Manny tried to feel me out the night of the party.  He brought me a big cup of that windowpane punch. He thought I was wasted. I wasn't.
He'd leave for a few minutes and then come back like he'd never left.  He was messing with my perception.  He doesn't like what he can't control.  
Watch out for Manny."
 
"He's my family Alice.  He takes care of me."
 
"Theres family everywhere Charmin.  It doesn't always have a price."