Savages

20

Every great company has an origin story and here is Ben and Chonny’s:

They’re hanging out at the beach, Chon on extended leave between his two hitches, and they’re playing volleyball on the court next to the Hotel Laguna.

Ben and Chon are the kings of the court, and why not? Two tall, lanky, athletic guys who make a great team. Ben is the setter who thinks of the game as chess, Chon is the spiker who goes for the kill. They win a lot more often than they lose, they have a good time, and tanned chicks in bikinis and suntan oil stop and watch them do it.

It’s a good life.

So one day they’re sitting on the sand post-match and start speculating about the future—

—what are they going to do—

and Ben brings up that old saw “Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.”

Which sounds good to them.

Okay, what do we love? Chon asks.

Sex

Volleyball

Beer

Dope

They don’t want to act in or make porn films, so sex is out. There are only about two guys in the whole world who make a decent living playing volleyball, the whole microbrewery thing is a bust, so . . .

Ben’s been playing with hydro in his room.

A lot of trial and error, but lately he’s actually produced some pretty potent stuff that he and Chon and O have smoked up.

And they love getting high, ergo . . .

Ben has the scientific and business knowledge and Chon has . . .

The baditude . . .

And a pedigree in this sort of thing, given his legacy.

“You were there when the Association tubed,” Ben observed. “What went wrong?”

“Greed,” Chon said. “Greed, carelessness, and stupidity.”

(Qualities that, to Ben, pretty much describe not only the defunct Association but the human species as a whole—greedy, stupid, and careless.)

Vowing to avoid greed, stupidity, and carelessness, Ben and Chon decided to go into the marijuana business. Not as smugglers or dealers, but as growers.

Their goal: to produce the best marijuana in the world.

This was the seed (we’re getting there) of an idea, and, like any great idea, it all starts with the seed.

The best cannabis seed in the world comes from . . .

Afghanistan.

No ocean, no waves

But hellaciously fine cannabis seeds, the absolute premium of which is called—

The White Widow.

Coincidence or fate?

You decide.