Was That The Smell of Skunk or Coffee

by Cynthia Rucryst

 Yesterday’s WG was once again incredible! The start of it was rather scattered because NI and Ann had to go release a skunk caught in a live trap. Ni told us to go ahead and get started but everyone was all a twitter about the skunk and reluctant to start without some of our members. 

 

Then Ni and Ann came back smelling like skunk, especially Ann. So there ensued a long and funny skit about the smell. Most of the gals were bothered by it and so several women went rustling around looking for incense or candles to help rid the room of the smell and trying to figure out what Ann could do and where Ni was. Poor Ann, the major animal lover finally had to go shower off. With all that Teresa came in soaking wet and freezing after trying to get a big fish out of her boat and slipping on rocks—we were like sheep without a Border Collie!  

We didn’t get started until 11:30 or so, but by then, we were a little calmed down—not so scattered, then Bethroot arrived, which helped. Ann was clean and mostly unsmelly, but her hat from Broadway got the stink on it, too. Then Ni came in spraying Rose water, which did the trick. Once we were corralled and made sure Teresa was okay, we got started reading our stories whether fiction or real. Yes, by reading our stories we validate ourselves--as others applaud our bravery in baring our souls, our nakedness. 

I started first, which was a first for me and read my tribute to Jean’s 90^th birthday party. Jean loved it and so did everyone else--I gave her a copy. Mara said it was great just the way it was, because someone else wanted more info about what Jean did, but for me this was not a biography of Jean’s life, just a simple tribute and telling of the celebration of Jean and women’s land dykes.

Everyone else that read had powerful stories, from Ann’s recount of her trip to NY to see “Fun Home” about Alison Bechtdel and the parallel lives Ann and Alison have plus Ann’s love of Broadway musicals. Donna read a poem about her “Gypsie” lifestyle that was really good and Rayne read some of her journaling about her first trip to see John of God. It was very interesting. Mara wrote about the Pipeline and her involvement and Tangren talked about her BD party, her dollhouse and about Raggedy Ann. Ni was so supportive of Tangren insisting passionately she get her story out.

Ni talked about her own story and the woman she has proof reading and how Ni kept missing the point about the narrative and the woman kept harping on her until finally Ni got it. Her recount of it and her passion was dramatic and inspiring! The poem she read which she wrote about the horrors going on in our own country and the world, after the UCC shooting, captured the pain and the frustration most Americans feel--full of emotion and ah ha’s... 

In between, we had our usual lesbian repast-–gourmet eating society style. We finished up finally about 4 and got all our stuff together, hugs and thank you’s, to the now dry Teresa and the Rosewater smelling Ni and Ann. We still could of used that Border Collie to herd us outta there!