California Purples

About the Book

California Purples is an examination of the coming-of-age post World War II baby boom generation seeking a suitable raison d’etre among themselves at the outbreak of hostilities in Vietnam.  Along the way, it presents a window into the lives of native Californians unfettered by the pretensions a d fables of Hollywood.  Ironically, this is not an aspect that has been exactly over looked by the industry.  Indeed, California Purples could be considered an amalgam of

American Graffiti meets Animal House with a dash of Big Wednesday and Hollywood Knights thrown in for good measure.

The long dominant (but soon to recede) car culture sets the mise en scene for the first chapter, introducing Chris Barrett and his friends, surfers Bill Carnahan and Dan Feringher and hot rodder Rick Harris, who narrowly survives a harrowing drag race at the chapter’s conclusion.

The second chapter shifts the focus to surfing, giving the reader a feeling of what it was really like to be at Malibu at dawn.  Reckless Bill Carnahan cuts his friend Dan Feringher off on a huge wave resulting in a scary collision that snaps his surfboard like a popsicle.  That evening they attend a beach house party and wind up saving Carnahan from imminent death when he climbs up an oil pumping jack and attempts to surf the thing.

In the third chapter, Dan Feringher makes a fateful decision and accepts a place among the crew of a Trans-Pac sailing ship to Hawaii.  To participate, he takes incompletes in his classes at college and comes home to find a draft notification. He picks up his surfboard and heads toward the ocean at midnight.

Three days later his body washes ashore.  At the funeral, Bill Carnahan tells his

Friends that he, too, has been drafted.  Rick Harris dismays his girlfriend, Claudia, by announcing his intention to enlist.

Barrett leaves the funeral with Dan’s girlfriend, Sandy, who drives them back Feringher’s place on the peninsula in Venice.  Once there she discovers the previously unknown draft notice and becomes distraught.  Barrett inadvertently raises her ire in an unguarded moment which results in the two

Having completely unexpected and rather carnal sex, at the conclusion of which she cries, “Oh Dan, I love you.”  In the cold, bleak morning of the following day the two uncomfortably share his toothbrush before departing.

The fourth chapter discloses that Harris had secretly wed Claudia before departing for Vietnam.  The same day that he is killed, shortly after his arrival there, Claudia learns that she is pregnant.

Assisted by her friend Sandy, Claudia entreats Barrett and his friend Mike Brancuso to accompany them down to Mexico so she can have an abortion.

Arriving in Tiajuana, they learn that only Sandy will be allowed to go to Rosarito with Claudia for the abortion.

As the procedure gets underway, Sandy suddenly wishes she hadn’t volunteered for this job.  Following the abortion the girls return to the hotel in Tiajuana where Claudia falls immediately asleep.  The remaining three leave the room in the early hours of the morning and walk, like ghosts at an exhibition, past the produce section of town as meat and vegetables are being distributed before noticing a rather forlorn church and entering.  They each light candles before collecting Claudia and returning home.

Chapter 5, which is posted at this site concerns Mike Brancuso’s older brother, Tony and the longest day of his life.  Like the rest of the novel, it is much more pleasant to read it than to have me synopsize it for you.

The rest of the novel resolves the various conflicts which arise, particularly a romance that has Barrett has pursued throughout the story.  Sex, drugs and rock and roll ensue.

About the Author

Greg Fletcher lives in Redondo Beach, California and is working on a novel concerning politics in Los Angeles and a screenplay which re-interprets an ancient classic epic.