REEFER RADNESS

"The Reefer Man" [People, March 23] by Chris Barry is, by literary
standards, a gem in its own right. Reminiscent of a scrap torn from
the script of the original Dragnet TV series, "The Reefer Man" pulses
with a feel of a vibe for the time. It says what it says and the
author pulls no punches about it. Sleek and compact, like the cold
blue steel of a Smith & Wesson 38, "The Reefer Man" has a comfort all
of its own.

Is this yet another heads up for youth warning of dangers, or a candid
synopsis of the life of a drug dealer as it appears? It matters
little, and that is what makes this piece work so well. Whatever the
reason that prompted Chris Barry's "The Reefer Man," it is not
apparent, and that leaves the reader with far more to contemplate than
otherwise possible. Great read.

WAYNE PHILLIPS