July 17, 1999 - Gypsyblue

I knew today would be a scorcher. It was hot, and exceedingly humid...but being the good little trooper that I know I am, I laughed away neurotic fears of looking less than cool as a cucumber, and resigned myself to a sweaty, heat soaked day. And it was.....

As usual, I arrived late. I don't get to bed until 5 or 6am, for the most part, and 9:00 in the morning is a time I didn't even know existed, particularly on weekends. So, when I got there, things were already well in progress. Android Cat was the first person I spotted, walking with his yellow picket sign, back and forth, in front of the org. Elrond was in his standard spot, camped on the corner....he was loudly arguing with Andy Hill, who was apparently libelling El. right there on the street, into El's handy-dandy little tape recorder. I waited patiently for a break in the debate, and used that moment to ask Elrond for a handful of fliers. I proceeded across the street, where Gorilla was already busy at work, carrying his yellow sign, wearing a Lisa McPherson tee-shirt and handing out fliers.

I got into it, and quickly handed out 100 fliers. Again, as I reported last month, most people on the street who had heard of Scientology were aware of the scam, and many thanked me for actually doing something about it. People in cars honked to me to deliver fliers to them, which I was delighted to do. I might bitch and complain about the attitude in Toronto, but when you get right down to it, there are alot of really good people in this here city! Mind you, if one more person asks me if I'm a hippie, I think I shall scream!

All too soon it was lunch-time and we retired to our habitual proprietor of lunchables and had an hour and a half in air conditioned comfort. Here we met up with the two gentlemen who are observers, and who have been around whenever I have picketed. So, the six of us sat chatting about various Scientology related things, recent law-suits, the upcoming Clearwater picket, whether DM truly believes in the tech., or is just a greedy little poodle-boy...you know, general, all-round entheta, heavy on the sarcasm. As we were sitting there, two separate individuals approached to tell us of their negative experiences with the Scieno. crowd. I can't say I spoke with anyone today who had something good to say about this cult.

I am sorry to say I could only handle a short time of work after lunch, due to probs. I won't bore arscc with. Nonetheless, after lunch a few things worth commenting on did happen. One was that Elrond brought from his car, a life sized, cut-out photo of David Miscavige, with a bit of real, pink tulle..tutu style, attached to his waist. I must say it did suit him....gave him that gentle quality we all know he's full of.

One of the regular Scientology women, a short lady, who has the most disgusting gum chewing habit I've ever seen in anyone outside of a teenager, heard me spinning my standard line (which is, to people who have just taken one of *their* fliers: "hey dude (or ma'am), read the other side of the story before you spend the big bucks"). This, and my other favourite line "Read the truth about Scientology, read what they DON'T want you to know" seemed to annoy her greatly. I heard her speaking to a colleague, saying "ha, the truth....hahaha", and then, this wonder of originality, began handing out her fliers, using a variation on my words, something to the effect of "Read the truth about the people in the pictures...read why they are harassing the Church" (the people in the pics. being Elrond, Gorilla, Android Cat and Wulfen).

Aside from that, the day went fairly normally. Elrond informed me I'd handed out 300 fliers in my short time there, so I felt as though I'd accomplished something. Funny, I noticed alot of the scieno. fliers in the trash bins, but people were reading mine as they walked away.

I took a taxi home and remarked to the driver that it had been a hell of a hot day for a picket. He asked what I was picketing and, of course, I told him. He asked "What good do you think that does?". I responded without even pausing to think, "If I can stop one person from joining this evil cult, if the fliers I hand out make one person stop and think, then it is worth any time and effort I put into it. The only way to stop the evil that this group perpetrates is to make people aware....and, in my very humble opinion, one person *can* make a difference!". He agreed.