On her 17th Birthday, Mari Collingwood celebrates by going to a concert with her friend, Phyllis Stone. Her parents express concern, both at the band playing, Bloodlust (Mari's father says "Aren't they the band who dismember live chickens on stage?", an obvious reference to the onstage antics of Alice Cooper) and Phyllis, who is implied to be of a lower social class. They allow her to go, however, and present to her a gift before she leaves?a peace symbol necklace.