Thomas Carl Hotka

West of the East Coast Thomas Carl Hotka

Publisher Marketing: Every summer the population of college-age kids explodes in Southern California. Some come for opportunities on movie lots and recording studios. Others migrate for summer jobs at Disneyland or Knott's Berry Farm. A few are simply on vacation. Most arrive in the chaotic land of tinsel, fruits, and nuts to hit the beaches and party. Fraternity brothers Robert, Kevin, and Benjamin return to Disneyland for a second summer. Working at Carnation Plaza Gardens, friendships are made with Tammy, a grunion hunter and powder skier from Utah, Dave, a volleyball player and mountain climber from Kansas, and Jed Bob, a rockabilly guitarist and "slap-back" bass player from Texas. Extracurricular activities include beer drinking at the French Quarter in Anaheim, bodysurfing at "The Wedge" in Newport Beach, and side trips to Tijuana, Catalina, and Hollywood. Most of the kids pack light, but a few make room for heavy baggage, including their own demons of obsession, deception, and manipulation. Aston, a former First Lady Astronaut Trainee in Albuquerque, is one of the young people with lots of baggage, including a working "hit list" of six names. She along with her best friend Leslie, an Eastern Airlines stewardess and American River whitewater guide, run into Robert, Kevin, and Benjamin at lunch in Big Sur. They meet again at Disneyland, where the girls are taking a break from surfing the pilings at the pier in Huntington Beach. During their time together, there is no mention of Aston's list or the name at the top of the list----President of the United States John F. Kennedy.