#54, Ananda.

The tiny, self-confident, ultra-blonde girl who worked part-time at the Meadows for a couple years. Ananda was definitely more interesting than anyone would've ever guessed. She had lived for some years in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where she collected rainwater on her roof to shower with (awesome!). Then she lived in Minneapolis, and when i knew her she lived near Lake Merritt in Oakland with her boyfriend Todd, who worked in the music recording biz. This was great because she gave me a promo CD for the (then-) new Massive Attack album, 100th Window. And once she gave me a Jane's Addiction t-shirt that slowly became one of my favorite articles of clothing. Her eyes were bluest blue, and every time we got Monkshood in at the shop (which wasn't very often), Ananda would remind me of how poisonous it was. "Just remember Heather- you need to wash your hands after you touch it." It was so cute! One of her favorite stories is one of mine to remember: Once while in the Virgin Islands, on the beach, she witnessed a fat (probably American) tourist in a Speedo walking along the shore with a boombox up to his ear, blasting the song "Hot Hot Hot" by Buster Poindexter. Oh, it's so bad it's good!! Thanks, Ananda.