Lizzie – Chapter 5
CHAPTER 5
Sara came by Lizzie���s apartment about noon on Saturday. She was dressed in jeans and a black t-shirt that said, ���Some girls like girls – Get over it���. She carried a small white dog and had a backpack over her shoulders.
When Lizzie opened the door, the little dog barked. Lizzie said, ���Well, hello. I���m pleased to meet you also. My name���s Lizzie. What���s yours?���
���Arf.���
���I���m sorry. I didn���t quite catch that.���
Sara laughed. ���This is Buster.���
���Hello, Buster. Are you joining us on the protest this morning?��� Lizzie reached out her hand and the dog licked it.
���Arf.���
���May I hold him? Will he let me?���
Sara held Buster toward Lizzie.
Lizzie held the dog close to her chest and it started licking her face. ���Oh, I love doggie kisses. I miss my dog so much.���
���Why don���t you have it here?���
���When Jerry and I got married, I had to leave her with my parents because Jerry wouldn���t have a dog in the house. She was about sixteen years old. She developed cancer and we had to have her put to sleep. I cried for a week. I���d had her most of my life.���
���What kind of dog was she?���
���She was a Yorkshire Terrier. She had one litter of pups before we had her spayed. I gave one of them to Uncle Dave. It���s a joke in the family. If you ever saw Dave, you���d never picture him with a Yorkie. Uncle Jesse has a calico cat named Marmalade. When Bitsy and Marmalade were introduced, Marmalade adopted Bitsy. It���s funny to see them together with Marmalade washing Bitsy like she would a kitten.���
���That would be funny to see. Why not get another dog?���
���This place has a ���no-pets��� policy.���
���Bummer. I don���t know what I���d do without Buster. Are you ready to go?���
Lizzie looked down at her plain green t-shirt and jeans. ���I hope I���m dressed okay.���
���You���re fine. It���s going to be a nice day. No rain and not cold enough we���ll need coats.���
���Do I need to bring anything?���
���Nah.��� Sara pointed to her backpack. ���I���ve got water bottles for us and there���ll be signs when we get there.���
���Okay. I���m not sure what I���m supposed to do.��� Lizzie shrugged her shoulders and spread her hands in a gesture of uncertainty.
���You���ll be great.��� Sara assured her. ���Just follow the rest of us.��� She patted Lizzie���s shoulder.
* * *
Sara led the way to the subway. They got off at their stop a couple of blocks from City Hall and headed up the stairs. At the top, they were met by about twenty people. A red-headed girl walked up to Sara and kissed her. Several of the others hugged her.
Sara said, ���This is Liz, she���s straight, but she has a gay uncle and a gay brother. Liz, I���m not going to try to tell you everyone���s name. You���ll pick them up as we go.���
One of the men handed Lizzie a sign. ���Here you go, Liz. Welcome. I���m Jeff. I���m a straight ally, too.���
���Hi, Jeff.��� Lizzie said. She looked at her sign and laughed. ���Elizabeth Taylor had eight husbands, my brother only wants one.��� ���Seems like an appropriate sign since my name is Elizabeth also. However, my brother wants two husbands. He���s been in a three-way relationship for a couple of years now.��� She laughed again. ���I���ll have to have a picture of this.���
The red-headed girl held up her cell phone. ���Smile.��� She snapped a picture and said, ���What���s your email? I���m Joan.���
Lizzie told her and Joan emailed the photo.
���You new people need to know the rules,��� Jeff said. ���We don���t engage with anyone who heckles us. If they ask questions like ���why you���re doing this?��� it���s okay to answer. If they start violence, stay calm and back off. We don���t want any trouble. Also, we don���t block the sidewalk or any doors. Understood?���
Lizzie nodded along with several others. ���Who are the other new people?��� She asked.
Two girls who were holding hands and a boy all answered. ���It���s our first time also.���
The group walked a couple of blocks to the front of City Hall.
Jeff repeated, ���Remember don���t block the sidewalk or entry to the building.���
They stood in a line close to one edge of the sidewalk. Lizzie stood between Sara and Joan. They spoke quietly among themselves.
A woman approached. ���You people should read the Bible! Homosexuality is a sin!��� She waved a book in front of Jeff���s face.
The group tried to ignore her. This seemed to make her angrier. ���It���s unnatural!��� She stamped her foot. ���You need to go home and leave decent people alone.���
A police officer approached. ���Is there a problem here?���
���These people are breaking the law.��� She pointed toward the group.
He looked at the group. They stood in a single line about twenty feet away from the entrance to the building.
���Ma���am, they have a right to assemble as long as they are peaceful and not obstructing the sidewalk or entrance to the building,��� The officer said in a calm voice.
���I don���t care how peaceful they are. They���re breaking God���s law,��� the woman insisted and waved her finger in the officer���s face. ���Arrest them.���
���Ma���am, I can only enforce the laws of the city or state. So far they have done nothing wrong. From what I see, you���re the one causing trouble. I���d suggest you move along and leave these people alone.���
The woman snorted. ���I want your name and badge number.���
���Certainly.��� The office complied with her request and she stomped way. He turned to the group. ���Who���s in charge here?���
���I am,��� Jeff answered. ���We have a permit to march.��� He took the paper out of his pocket and handed it to the officer.
���Looks like everything���s in order. I���ll be around if you have any more trouble.���
���Thanks, officer,��� Jeff said.
* * *
They stayed in front of City Hall for about four hours until Jeff said, ���I think it���s about time to break. Anyone hungry?���
There was a chorus of yeses.
���How about pizza?��� he asked.
���I���ll have to take Buster home first,��� Sara said. ���Liz, you go on with the gang and I���ll meet you there.���
Jeff draped his arm around Lizzie���s shoulders. ���Don���t worry, we���ll take care of her.���
���I���ll bet you will,��� Sara said with a laugh. ���Watch him, Liz. He thinks he���s a ladies��� man.���
Jeff stuck an overly masculine pose. ���Just because I get more girls than you do.���
���I wouldn���t bet on that,��� Sara retorted.
* * *
That night before she went to bed, Lizzie called Mike. ���Hi, Mikey. How are things?���
���Pretty good. How���s school?���
���Fine. Mike, I���m confused. Do you suppose it���s possible that I���m gay?���
Mike gasped. ���Why would you ask something like that?���
���Well, I met this woman the other day. She makes me feel strange,��� Lizzie admitted.
���Strange how?���
���It���s hard to explain. I know she���s a lesbian. I just feel weird when I���m around her. And I don���t have many friends here, even after four years.���
���Has she made any advances?���
���Not really. We met when we collided on the sidewalk during a rain storm. That night, we had dinner together. We talked for hours. I told her things I���ve never told anyone else.���
���And what were you drinking with that dinner?���
���A-h-h-h. We went through two bottles of Moscato,��� Lizzie admitted.
���And you know what happens when you drink wine.���
���Yeah. Diarrhea of the mouth. Anyway, I told her all about Jerry and Catherine. . . It felt good to talk about it with someone besides family.���
���I���m glad you���ve found someone you can talk to. I think you need a friend.���
���I think so too. Then today, I went with her to a protest rally…���
���What?��� Mike interrupted. ���My little sister at a protest rally? What were you protesting?���
���Believe it or not, we were protesting for marriage equality. I���ll email you the picture a woman took of me. But, back to the subject, how would I know if the attraction I feel is sexual or not?���
���Look, Sis, I can���t advise you. All I can say is let things work out as they will. If it���s meant to be, it will be.���
���Thanks, Mike. I guess I was just wondering how you���d react.���
���You���re my sister. I love you. Who you love and end up with, I���ll accept, just like you accept Brian and Eric and our relationship.���
���I love you too. Talk to you later. Goodnight.���
���Keep me posted. Goodnight.���
