Chapter 26 26

"Marcie, I might be teary this week." It was six o'clock in the morning, and the two of us were waiting at the airport together. "Eleven days of separation this time," she said. "We say goodbye from time to time, but this time is the longest." "Yeah," I replied, then smiled and said, "But what I mean is, if I go back to the demonstrations this time, I'm likely to be hit by a tear gas bomb." "You look as if you'd love a bullet, Oliver." She said it was on point.In some circles, the taste of tear gas is considered a kind of performance.She saw that my ego was not being satisfied.

"But don't provoke those stinky policemen on purpose," she added. "Definitely. I will never act rashly." Her flight has boarded.One quick kiss and I turned away, yawning all the way, to catch my flight to Washington. Let me be frank.Whenever there are major social issues that require me to contribute, in fact, I am always willing to do so.This Saturday, the "New Agitation Committee" is scheduled to hold a huge "November Anti-war Demonstration March" in Washington.Just three days ago, the organizers of the march got a call and asked me to come and help them negotiate with those guys from the Department of Justice. "We can't do without you man," Freddie Gardner, who was in charge, was still telling me at the time.I was really proud of it for a while at first, but then I heard what they meant: they valued me not only because of my legal expertise, but also "because I look like a Republican when I cut my hair." .

At the center of the negotiations was the question of the route of the parade.According to a long-standing tradition, parades in Washington always walk along Pennsylvania Avenue and pass in front of the presidential residence.The gang in the Ministry of Justice insisted on moving our parade route to the south this time. (I thought to myself at the time: How far should I move it? Does it have to be moved to the Panama Canal?) Marcie gets a detailed report on my call every night. "Krandinst insisted: 'It's a wonder if there's no violence, it's a wonder if there's no violence.'"

①Richard Krantinster: Senior official of the Ministry of Justice. In 1972, he succeeded Mitchell as attorney general. "This guy, how does he know?" Marcy asked. "That's it. That's what I asked him. 'Bah, how do you know?'" "You really said that verbatim?" "Well... all but one word. Anyway, he said to me, 'Mitchell said it.'" ①John Newton Mitchell (1913—): Attorney General at the time. "Hey, how does Mitchell know?" "I asked. He didn't fart. I just wanted to punch him with my fist." "Oh, you're quite calm. Didn't you say you'd never do anything rash, Oliver?"

"If it's a crime to be whimsical, then I'll have to sit in 'jail'." "That's good," she said. No wonder our phone bills aren't staggeringly high. On Thursday afternoon, two bishops led a large group of priests preparing to hold a mass for peace outside the Pentagon.We were warned in advance that if they engaged in such activities, they would be arrested, so we went to many people, including several lawyers. "Has there been any violence?" Marcy asked me on the phone that night. "No. Those policemen are really polite. But boy, here's a bunch of bastards! No one will believe it. They yell at the priests. I think they just drink in bars." I wouldn't have yelled so fiercely when I was drunk! To be honest, I wanted to pull out my fist again."

"Did you beat them?" "I've been beaten in my heart." "That's good." "I miss you so much, Marcy. How I want to hold you in my arms." "Keep that in your mind, too. What happened to the priests?" "We had to go down to Alexandria and try to get them out on bail. It was going pretty well. Why, you changed the subject again? Can't I say I miss you?" ①Alexandria is a small town south of the capital Washington, which is under the administration of Virginia.The Pentagon is located in Virginia. By Friday, government authorities had flipped the books.Probably because of Mr. Nixon's prayers (with the aid of Billy Graham, of course), Washington was suddenly chilled and drizzled with cold rain.However, this did not prevent a candlelight procession led by the prodigy pastor Bill Coffin of Yale University.Speaking of this pastor, he is really a genius, and I really want to be a believer when I see him.To tell you the truth, I went to the National Cathedral to listen to his sermon afterwards.I stood far behind the lobby (the church was too crowded), but I also seemed to catch the feeling of solidarity.At this moment, I would give up anything as long as I could hold Marcie's hand tightly in my hand.

①Billy Graham (1918—), the most famous evangelism teacher in the United States in the 1960s and 1970s. As soon as I stepped into the church, there was a revolting spectacle in Dupont Square with a horde of "Ibis," "Mad Men," "Weathermen," and other morons of every description. farce.The kind that I have tried my best to eliminate this week, there has been a big publicity and a special publicity. ① That is, the members of the Yibi School.Yibi Pai is called the Youth International Party, a loose radical youth organization that started in the late 1960s.It imitates hippies, so it is called Yibishi.

②A radical youth organization in the United States in the 1960s.Singer Bob Dylan sang the line: "Even if you're not a weatherman, you can know the direction of the wind." That's where the weatherman pie got its name from. "These bastards!" I said to Marcy on the phone. "They can't even come up with a decent proposition - they just know how to flaunt themselves." "These guys are the ones you really deserve to beat up," she said. "You're absolutely right," I said, somewhat disappointed. "Where are you from?" "Just came from church," I said.

Marcy said a lot of good things, but the meaning was to express her disbelief.So I took out the content of Coffin's sermon as a testimony, and she believed it. "Hey, just wait and see," she said, "when tomorrow's paper comes out, the report on the assembly in the church will only take up half a column, but the news on the riots in the square will take up three full pages." Sadly, she was right on point. I can't sleep at all.I was sleeping in a decent, if only crappy motel, and I was really disturbed that the thousands of people who had come to the demonstration were sleeping on floors and benches.

It was still cold and windy on Saturday, but at least it stopped raining.For the time being, no one needs me to go on bail, and there is nothing that I need to negotiate, so I walked to St. Mark's Church, which is the assembly point of the parade. I saw people inside and outside the church, some were still sleeping in tents, some were drinking coffee, and some were just sitting there silently, waiting for orders.Everything was well organized, and the authorities sent judicial officials in case the demonstrators clashed with the police (and also to prevent the police from chaffing the demonstrators).A lot of medical staff also came, just in case something went wrong.People in their early thirties can also see a few from time to time.

By the coffee pot, several doctors were explaining to a group of volunteers what to do in case of tear gas. When people feel lonely, they often feel that people look very familiar.There's a female doctor who looks to me like... Joanna Stein's. I went to get a cup of coffee, but she greeted me with a "Hello".Sure enough, it was Joanna. "You're teaching them first aid. I'd better not disturb you." "Nothing," she said. "It's a pleasure to see you here. How are you?" "It's freezing," I said. I was never sure if I should apologize to her, because I never called her afterward.It seems that now is not the time to apologize.Although there seems to be some doubts on her kind face. "You look tired, Jo." "We drove here overnight." "That's awful," I offer her coffee and let her take a swig. "Are you alone?" What did she mean by that? "I think there must be half a million people standing with me," I think I will definitely not be picky when I answer this way. "Yes," she said. There was a long silence. "Oh, I forgot to ask you, Joe, how is everyone in your family?" "The two younger brothers are here, and I don't know where they are now. Mom and Dad have a performance, so they can't come if they stay in New York." Then she added: "Which group did you join in the parade?" "No," I tried my best to blurt out without thinking.The lie was spoken, but regretted immediately.Because I know that if I don't say that, she will definitely invite me to participate in the parade in her group. "You . . . look very nice," Joe told me.I could see it: she was stalling for time, hoping I might be warmer again. But I stood there dryly, and I had to find something mild to say, the embarrassment was really enough. "Sorry, Joe," I said. "I have a few friends waiting for me outside in the cold wind. "Oh, what are you talking about," she said. "Just ask what you have to do." "I'm sorry—it's really just..." Seeing my uncomfortable look, she didn't want to keep me. "Take it easy." I hesitated for a moment, and finally walked away. "Please give my regards to all the music fans and friends," I called out to her again after walking a few steps. "They'd love to see you too, Oliver. Come on Sunday." In a few moments I've come a long way.I turned my head inadvertently, and saw a woman and two men had come beside her.Apparently, the three of them drove here overnight with her.Are they doctors too?Could one of those two men be her boyfriend? That's none of your business, Oliver. I joined the parade.I didn't sing all the way, because I don't like singing all the way.Like a giant centipede, the parade passed the District Court, the FBI and the Justice Department, passed the Internal Revenue Service, and turned a corner at the Treasury Department.At last we came to the site of the monument which is called a tribute to our American founding father, but is really profane. ①It seems to refer to the Washington Monument (or Monument), because there were many scandals during the construction of the Monument.This is also in line with the parade route mentioned by the author, because from the Internal Revenue Service to the Treasury Department and then the White House; after turning the corner at the Treasury Department, the Washington Monument is not far south. I sat on the ground, almost dead from the cold.Someone gave a speech, and I dozed off listening to it.It was only when I heard thousands of people singing "Save the Peace" in unison that my spirits lifted. I didn't sing along.I don't like singing very much.But to be honest, if I were with Joanna and the others, I might sing along.But I don't always feel comfortable singing alone in the middle of a crowd of strangers. When I got back to my ground-floor apartment in New York and opened the door, I was exhausted.Just then, the phone rang.I used what little strength I had left to make a final sprint, and snatched the phone receiver. When a person is tired, even the brain is a little confused. "Hi," I said in a high-pitched falsetto. "I'm Abbie Hoffman, and I'm sending you 'Ebbies' New Year's greetings!" ① At that time, he was a well-known anti-Vietnam War activist. I thought it was a joke. But Marcy didn't smile. Because that's not Marcy at all. "Uh...um...is that Oliver?" My little joke was really a bit out of place. "Good evening, Dad. I...uh...thought it was someone else." "Oh...that's right." There was a moment of silence. "How are you, child?" "It's fine. How's Mommy?" "Very well. She's right there. Well... Oliver, next Saturday..." "What's next Saturday, Dad?" "Are we still planning to meet in New Haven?" ①The seat of Yale University is in Connecticut. We made an appointment back in June, and I've completely forgotten about it! "Oh... I'll go. I'll definitely go. "Fine. Are you still driving?" "right. "Then we'll meet at the gate of the gymnasium, shall we? Let's make an appointment at noon, how about?" "it is good" "Let's have dinner together after the game." Say "yes" quickly.How he wants to see you.It was in his tone. "Okay, Dad." "Okay then. Oh...your mother wants me to say hello for her too." In this way, I had been arguing for a week to hold a demonstration, but in the end I was so polite with my parents, and the contrast between them was really too great. Marcy's call didn't come until midnight. She told me: “There were news reports that Nixon was lying there watching his football game while you were demonstrating.” That's all for now. "I'm as cold as hell at home," I answered her. "Wait another week..." "This kind of stupid thing of going to different places can no longer be done." "It's over, my friend. It's only seven days."