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Pamela’s chest rose up and down slowly. She snored, but her snores were soft. Not like Buck’s. His snores were heavy and loud. Alice always made sure to fall asleep before him. Otherwise she would have to move out on the living room couch. Its fabric would scratch her skin, and she would wake up tired.
Alice was not tired tonight. She hadn’t even bothered to change out of her lavender dress. She sat on top of the bedspread and watched the women in the room. The Gloria Steinem was sitting on the carpet floor by the desk. She spoke in a soft voice. Alice had heard Gloria Steinem speak on the TV once. Her voice was flat and creaky, but it drew Alice in. She never wanted to stop listening.
Alice observed Gloria Steinem, unable to take her eyes off her. She watched how Gloria Steinem’s square jaw moved when she spoke. How the red blouse clung to her body. How her hair fell in her face when she leaned forward. Her hair looked like silk. Alice could see that even in the dim light. The hair was shorter now, and the highlights were no longer hidden behind her glasses like Alice had seen it on the magazine cover many years ago, when she first heard of the woman. She wondered what it would feel like to touch the blonde strands framing Gloria Steinem’s face.
It took Alice a while to noticed that Gloria Steinem wasn’t the center of attention. It surprised her. She was under the impression that Gloria Steinem was their leader. When the discussion was over, Gloria Steinem asked the other women to approve the new approach. Then she got up from the fuzzy floor. Hugged the others goodbye and headed for the door.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said before leaving the room.
Alice found herself on her feet. She almost stumbled on the shoes by her bed, but she didn’t bother putting them on. She moved fast, walking past the bed and out through the door. Gloria’s frame was disappearing down the corridor, moving towards her own hotel room.
“Wait!” Alice shouted.
Gloria Steinem turned around. She threw her hair over her shoulder and it made her look like she was a star in a Hollywood production. She let out a sigh, but smiled slightly.
“Yes?”
This was Alice’s chance. Her chance to tell Gloria Steinem off, like she had promised Phyllis. It would make everything right. It would save Alice from her mistakes.
Everyone counted on her. Phyllis counted on her.
“I-” she started.
Gloria Steinem waited. Her eyes looked tired under the bright corridor light. Her pilot glasses cast a shadow on her face.
Alice thought about all those things she and Pamela had called Gloria Steinem in the car. Commie spinster, baby killer, lesbian lover. She thought of her own visit to The Gay Lounge.
“I’m sorry,” Alice breathed. “I- I had no idea it would be like this!”
“You’re with the Eagle Forum?” she said and nodded at the pin on Alice’s dress. “Phyllis Schlafly sent you here, didn’t she?”
“I supposed so,” Alice admitted.
Gloria Steinem pulled a pack of cigarettes from her bag.
“Want one?” she asked.
She held up the package, still standing on the other side of the corridor. Alice moved closer. She pulled a cigarette from the package. Her fingertips were so close to Gloria Steinem’s long hands. Gloria Steinem’s well manicured nails.
“Thank you,” she said as Gloria Steinem lit her cigarette and leaned against the concrete wall.
She brought the cigarette to her lips and inhaled.
“So, the convention isn’t like you expected it to be?” Gloria Steinem asked.
“No … everyone here has been so kind to me. I, uh, I messed up earlier. I think they’re upset with me,” Alice rambled.
Alice wondered if she was still under the influence of that pill. It had been fine while she was sitting down on her bed, but now the room was spinning again. She looked down at the cigarette in her hand, taking another puff.
“The Eagle Forum?”
Alice coughed when she drew in smoke in her lungs.
“I’m sorry, Ms. Steinem,” she said and put her hand on Gloria Steinem’s upper arm. “This lady gave me a pill earlier tonight and I have been completely out of my mind since. I ended up at the Gay Lounge. The Gay Lounge !”
Gloria Steinem laughed and let some of the cigarette ashes fall to the floor.
“Now I didn’t expect that,” she said.
“I have always looked up to Phyllis. She has taught me everything I know. I didn’t care about politics or voting before I met her.”
“She sounds like a … hard working person,” Gloria Steinem said. When Alice didn’t let go of Gloria Steinem’s arm, she took a step to the side.
“She would be furious if she knew what I did tonight. She will be furious with me when she finds out how bad I messed up earlier,” Alice said and threw her hands out. The cigarette ashes flew everywhere.
“Phyllis Schlafly taught you about politics, but you have to teach yourself independence,” Gloria Steinem said and shrugged. “It’s not healthy for a movement to be so focused on one individual. A single person is not what makes a movement. A movement is people moving.”
Gloria Steinem put out her cigarette.
“I have to get up early tomorrow. Good luck, Ms. Lavender.”
Gloria Steinem slipped into her dark hotel room. Alice was left standing under the bright lights with the burning cigarette in her hand. Tiny sparks made its way down the white stick. She looked down at her bare feet, only covered by her nylon tights. The concrete floor felt cold under the soles of her feet.
“Good luck to you too,” she whispered.