I wrote last night as soon as I got home, however I wrote on my laptop and transferred the document to a floppy and my main machine wouldn?t read it, or copy it. I went back to the laptop and same thing happened. Essentially the entire effort was lost and I will now have to re-write it from scratch?OY!
The whole week lead up to the ?event?. Each passing day brought me closer and closer to the protest and to the people I would see. The excitement built daily?.what would happen? Who would I see? How would we be perceived? Etc?.
Finally Saturday came, and it was probably a good thing that I had to work, because my brain was spinning in anticipation. My attention to the task assigned to me was less than adequate I am sure. My mind kept returning to the event of the evening.
I returned home and decided a nap was in order, well for two reasons. It seemed that the week long anticipation had created for lack of better words what I will call an emotional hangover. The other reason was that I wanted to be fresh and prepared for what was about to happen.
On waking I showered, pre-rolled three hooties and ate a Klonopin. I kissed my beloved and I was off to the protest.
I finally found the event and slowly drove by the others, who were already in the places with signs. They were valiantly holding their signs so that attendees to the event would have little difficulty reading the signs whilst waiting for entrance to the pavilion.
I parked my vehicle across the street behind some big ass truck and decided to do a lil recon before I go strolling up to the protest lines. So, I fired up a hootie and began my reconnaissance.
There was a vast parking lot adjacent to the north of the pavilion, it seemed pretty darn full and there were still a stream of Jags, BMW?s, Escalades, a coupla Roll?s Royce?s with a equal amount of fine Bentleys.
At the furthest north eastern corner sat a clearly marked Police vehicle (puff puff) Outside the vehicle was a suit, who later I learned was the ?Protest Watcher?. The Protest Watcher began walking south down the sidewalk towards the protestors and I noticed he was sporting a two way radio?.I just assumed he was security for the pavilion. But before he reached the protestors he made a sharp right and went deep into the parking lot (puff puff).
I turned my attention to the protestors, there were about 7-8 people carrying signs. They were distributed equally at the north entrance to the parking lot and the southern most entrance to the parking lot.
I knew that?s where I was supposed to be, I mean?.that?s what I went for, to be with the protestors. But the Klonopin had not fully kicked in yet (puff puff). My heart was racing?yeah, I was scared and I don?t know that I need to explain completely why I was afraid, but I was. Yet, I wanted to be there, I wanted to see the people and I wanted to be ?part of?.
Last puff and I snuffed the hootie and made my way across the golf course parking lot towards the crowd gathered for protest. With each step I took, my anxiety level began to decrease and my steps took a more determined stride until I got about 15-20 feet away. It was the moment of truth!
The first person I made eye-contact with was a lady who introduced herself as ?Sara?.not the Sara on the message board.? And then after a brief moment she said ?and now I know who you are?. My plan had worked perfectly, I had worn a sweat shirt with one of my images on the front and my website address on the back?.which includes my surname in the address. She, like myself had not gone to protest to protest and also like myself declined the invitation to carry a sign. She was there to meet someone that had promised that they would be there, unfortunately for Sara (not the Sara on the message board) the other person failed to show?she was upset, but that did not deter her from hanging out with the rest of us.
Second person I met (forgive me, I forget his name) traveled from Virginia just to be at this event. He informed me that last year he missed the event and the people by 20 or so minutes. I thought it was remarkable that he had the fortitude to be there and to have traveled such a distance.
Across the entrance way to the pavilion was another small group of sign carriers. I thought it funny how they had the attendees flanked, both on the drivers side and the passenger side of the vehicles.
From my vantage point I could see the faces of the attendees. Their facial expressions were worth the price of admission! The expressions ranged from shock, interest, disgust and down right arrogance. While standing with our man from Virginia we both saw a young woman mouth the words ?What the fuck?? He and I both had a good laugh over her reaction.
The reactions we got did not limit themselves to facial expressions. In fact several people (at different times) came and asked for a more detailed reason for the protest. They were given information and an earful of reasons. They were polite and seemed genuinely curious and were receptive to what they heard.
There was even a event worker, who while on a break decided to come out and see for himself what all the hub-bub was about. He also received information and an earful. After a few minutes he explained that he had to return to work, he shook his head and said in reference to the protest and what had prompted the protest?.?That Sucks? and left shaking his head.
On the southern most entrance way to the pavilion I met two brothers?and again forgive me for not remembering their names, but they were Richard Bradbury?s brothers. I must say that I was impressed by these two. They were articulate, intelligent and certainly passionate about their reasons for being there. I should be so lucky to have brothers such as these two?..but that?s another story.
While standing there and generally shooting the shit a SUV drove up and a man shouted out ?Don?t go anywhere, I will be right back for some information?. Well, true to his word he drove about 100 yards, turned around and came back to us. The passenger side window went down and a smiling face asked for the information, which he quickly received?.I was struck dumb?.I would just never have believed it.
We began our way back to the other group at the north entrance. While strolling down the sidewalk, three older men approached us. They didn?t look like attendees to the event?they looked more like three old cronies that spent a better part of their days on the golf course and apparently were just out for their evening stroll. I had noticed that they had spent time with the group at the northern entrance, so I braced myself for some flack. Instead, each one of them offered eye contact and said. ?Good job fellas?, ?Keep up the good work?. Once again, I was floored by their response.
Of all the positive response from attendees, neighborhood residents and even a pavilion worker there was only one negative outburst and that was feeble at best. What happened was an older Jewish woman ( I am assuming) with flaming red/orange hair (ya know, the kind that looks like a real bad chemical reaction at the hair salon) blurted out with a rage filled face and said, ?When war breaks out, why don?t you go and do something really useful?
I was standing with Sara (not Sara from the message board) at the time. And as a rule, thought precedes action?so my first thought was. ?how absurd, there is already a war taking place? and then Sara and I both, at the same time responded, ?Been there, and Done that??..Whoops, did I get involved in protest bantering?
Yeah, ok, perhaps I did?.but it was a knee jerk reaction.
The highpoint of the evening, for me, was meeting Kpickle. I knew he and I were in the program at the same time, I knew his real name but perhaps due to a few synaptic misfires I couldn?t place him or his face?.truly frustrating. But we met and gave each other a HUGE bear hug, not a typical ?A-Frame? hug, but a full embrace. My anxiety melted away?I guess I had received what I went for?.acceptance. Acceptance from the past and a connection with one person who (to me) represents 100?s of others from that time period of my life. Perhaps it?s sappy to say it did my heart good?ok, so it?s sappy?.but it?s the truth, it did my heart a lot of good.
While driving home from the event, I asked myself?was it worth it? Would you do it again? Would you encourage others to do the same? I answered YES, to all the questions. Now, it?s the morning after and to be sure, I ask myself the same questions again. Yes, it was worth it! Yes I would do it again! Yes, I encourage others to meet with the faces of the past
My recollection of the night?s events may not be in chronological order, but I hope it gives the basic idea. I hope I got the two brothers older brother name correct, if not please accept my sincerest apologies.
