Love Or Liberation

Chapter 18

When the three of them approached the Low building from the north, about ten counter-demonstrators were walking back and forth at the south entrance of Low, many of them carrying signs denouncing SDS and Mark Rudd, the president of the Columbia chapter of SDS.

Among the counter-demonstrators was a tall, blond, muscular and bespectacled young man carrying a sign that said "Stop SDS!" The young man was Jack. He saw the three students coming from the campus entrance, and motioned for them to join him.

"Stop the trouble SDS is causing! You don't want Mark Rudd to run this University, do you?"

Elaine just stood there and shook her head sadly. She and Jack made eye contact. Elaine suddenly found she had lost all attraction to him. She felt he was lacking something in his character that would make him feel for fellow human beings. She couldn't see how he could not oppose the war that he might be required to fight in, that was now seen as a war that could not be won.

Jack said, "Elaine?"

Benjamin said, "Hell, no, we won't go!"

Elaine chuckled.

Jack made a disgusted face and went back to walking back and forth with the other counter-demonstrators.

"Stop SDS!" he said.

Benjamin turned to look at Elaine with his big, brown eyes and asked, "Do you know that guy?"

Elaine said, "Yes. That is the guy I've been seeing. I don't know why it felt so right to be with him for so long. I thought it was love, but now I feel repelled by him."

Benjamin said, "That was the guy you spoke about the first time we met, when we went for Cuban sandwiches? You were seeing a jock?"

Elaine said, "I guess so."

Benjamin said, "I'm glad you've come to your senses."

Elaine said, "I know. He represents everything that is wrong with this university and this country."

Benjamin said, "I don't know about that, but he does seem like a jerk."

Elaine said, "You're not the only one to say that. I had really fallen for him for a while, though. I hope it isn't a reflection of part of my personality."

Benjamin said, "Well, I could see that a woman might find him physically attractive, I guess, but he does seem reactionary."

Betsy said, "Look! The crowd is coming this way!"

Elaine, who didn't feel comfortable in crowds, said, "Let's get out of here. I don't want to get caught between these two groups."

She turned to go back out of the campus. Benjamin started to go with her and took her hand in his.

Betsy said, "No! I want to be where the action is."

Elaine said, "That is up to you. I'm not going to get caught in the middle. There might be fighting. Crowds unnerve me."

Benjamin asked, "Do you want to go to the Barnard campus, or do you want to go to the back of the crowd?"

Even though Elaine was anxious about possible violence, she felt relief in holding Benjamin's hand. It felt safer to have an ally. Elaine glanced at Benjamin's curly, light brown hair, which was growing almost like an Afro. She noticed for the first time that he was a good looking guy and that he was solicitous toward her.

"I have a class to attend later this afternoon, but I still want to support SDS. Maybe we should go to the back."

They heard someone from the SDS and SAS side of the protest yell, "To the Gym!"

Then a big cheer roared from the crowd of protesters. Elaine would guess that there were about four hundred protesters supporting SDS and SAS in front of the sundial. They all started jogging east toward the construction site of the gym.

Benjamin said, "It looks like they won't be physically confronting the counter-demonstrators."

Elaine said, "Let's go to the gym. I don't want to go in the midst of the crowd, though. Maybe we could walk around the south side of the campus."

Benjamin smiled, squeezed Elaine's hand, and said, "As you wish."