Ooops. The all capital letters LETTERS are supposed to be only for things I hear, you hear, he hears over the microphone, over the Public Address system, over the loudspeakers. Is is there an an echo echo echo in in here here here here...?
YEAH MR. DOLE, WE KNOW YOU, YOU KNOW YOU CANNOT RUN FROM YOUR RECORD....
I am so tired. So hungry. So bored. And it's only what... quarter to six? But shit, I've only had drinks and fruit all day long. Plenty of fluids but now I need real calories and protein. Look at me I can't even concentrate.
Wait a minute... who's this.
Department of Justice badge and I.D. tag? Huh? What? He looks at me, then turns to the three cops in the tent.
"Well, I don't know if we mumble mumble mumble."
The sergeant is one he talks quietly with. Sarge answers, "Yeah, but we won't have any problem with them. We've worked with them before."
"Mumble mumble mmmph..." now he actually is putting his hand over his mouth! Sheesh!"What? I can't hear you," Sarge says, only two feet from the guy's mouth.
A bit louder this time, I distinctly hear the first few words, "They've got guests coming down from Mumble mumble." And again he looks at me.
Damn. I am starting to take his attitude Real Personal, like... I mean just because I'm writing down every word I can hear, if I find it interesting, does that mean he shouldn't trust me? Well, yes, I suppose it does, now that I think about...
"Oh yeah," Sarge is saying, "loud, and even fiery, but their local organizers really know that we're not their problem. All I'm worried about is getting them here on time so they don't think they're losing any of their speaking time. It's three miles from the park to here."
Finally I can hear the federal agent(?) when he speaks. Perhaps he feels more secure - another guy with a Justice badge has now joined him.
"Oh yes, and you know who gets to walk all the way with them through the heat.""You guys do, along with our City team."
What? Walk all the way with the march from.... He can't be an "agent," he's got to be some kind of march monitor, or Department of Justice civil rights advocate, or... ah, there it is, on the second guy's badge, "Mediator." The second guy sees me looking at his badge, smiles broadly back at me.
I swear a silent vow that I will make that first guy understand who and what I am. That I am not a threat to him, no matter what I write down. However, I bet it will take all week to do it. Still, I am resolved: After four more days in the sun, the mumbler and I will be partners in crime here.
Day One: The Shadowy Federal Mediator Reveals Himself - & host Danial gives him a name: "the Mumbler."Stay Tuned For More Action-Packed Boredom!
HOW MANY OF YOU OUT THERE ARE FEDERAL AGENTS SPYING ON US?
Oh hell, paranoids on the stage, too. Yeah, still the SADIST. I realize I have not been listening to them at all.
COME ON, RAISE YOUR HANDS AND BE COUNTED, WHY, COME ON UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS TO US! NO? WELL, WE'LL TAKE YOUR PICTURE....
Now there's a wimpy threat if I ever heard one. But... deja vu. How many damn feds are there here? The mediators have gone off under a tree with the Sarge and another officer, and... yes, Harley, one of the City's crowd mediators.
But... an attractive woman in a suit (light, airy material) comes up to my table. Time to work.
"Oh, hello... are you here to sign in?""Yes. With Equal Justice Under the Law..."
"Right here, please. Umm..."
"Yes?"
"People have been asking me what your group will be speaking about."
"And what have you been saying?"
"Well, that I wasn't sure, but I thought you would be here to speak out against unequal sentencing of people of color."
"That's part of it."
"Mmmm. Okay, thanks."
"Thank you. How much time do we have before we start?"
"Uh... these people have another ten minutes, then there's a fifteen minute break - when they take down their signs and you can put up yours, then you start with the green light, at... six-forty."
"Right. At least it is finally starting to get cool."
"Yes."
"Been here all day?"
"Yeah."
"Bet you're glad of the shade here...."
"You know it."
"Well, thanks again."
Late afternoon shadows are stretching across the protest zone. The lady is right. It is finally starting to come down from ferocious heat. I am still hungry. Think I just might go buy a burger from Ruby's. Next group's signed in, yeah. Mmmm. With a side of fries and a big Cola (name brands can apply here - the host will drink you).
Oh Lord, thank you. Food. Mmmm... unwrap, check cheese, lift... and now, bite. Ah.... Chew chew chew.
Hey, check that out... seven black men in green suits, marching in step....
And now some audience? All right. Maybe these guys will actually say something, and their friends hear them, too....
Equal Justice Under Law. A strange transition to follow the SADIST, what?
Well, the burger's okay, and the lettuce and tomato seems pretty fresh. And....