Caroline and Damon had prepared a delicious meal for that Tuesday evening. Having a greater appreciation for what this meant to Damon seemed to make it all the more delectable to Bryce. They enjoyed their dinner, with Bryce thanking both Damon and Caroline profusely. He also managed to avoid any discussion of what he had been doing between his class and dinner by questioning the others on a variety of subjects, none of them controversial, but interesting enough to keep the conversation flowing in directions away from his own activities.
Shortly before 7:30, they arrived at the Sigma Alpha Tau house for the weekly business meeting. As usual, there were pledges in attendance in case something was required during the meeting. This time, Bryce noted the presence of Nate Hagan, who was speaking with Jason Todd. He approached, and found that they were speaking about the demonstrations on the quad that afternoon. From them, Bryce learned that Josh Young had set the following day at high noon as the time for the occupation of the offices of the President and VPSA. Although he did not approve of this tactic, Bryce noted that giving out the time of the attempted occupation ahead of time was foolish. It would give the Administration plenty of time to plan counter moves. There was no doubt that everything said on the quad was reported to the Administration.
Damon, meanwhile, was talking to Tyler Rollins and Derek Jansen, two other pledges. Tyler informed Damon that it would be safer to stay away from the demonstrations tomorrow. His brother and some others had organized a counter-demonstration, and there might be violence. Tyler did not know who the others were, but he thought one of them had the unusual name of Bick.
Derek knew Damon because his sister, Kitty, had introduced them. Damon and Kitty loved to put on demonstrations of energetic street dancing at parties. Derek asked, “What’s the official policy of SAT about gays, anyway?”
Damon replied, “There is no specific policy about gays. We have certain criteria for membership, that include such things as being a male student registered at the University, maintaining a certain grade point average, undergoing the pledging process, and being – what’s the phrase? – a gentleman of upright character. I think that wording dates back to the nineteenth century, but you get the gist. Your mentor should have told you this.”
“Yeah, he did. But in practice, how is it?” Derek pursued the issue.
“Let’s put it this way,” Damon replied, “I’m gay. I’m in a pretty open relationship with Bryce Winslow. After some problems last fall, we were accepted with just about all the brothers knowing about our orientation, and there have been no problems last spring or this term.”
“Okay,” Derek said with a grin, “then I guess I won’t be booted for admitting I’m gay, too.”
“No way,” Damon exclaimed. “Does Kitty know?”
“Yes, and she’s been great about it,” Derek replied.
“No problem,” Damon assured him. “But, if I were you, I’d steer clear of the demonstrations tomorrow. If you want to help Peter, go visit him in the hospital.”
“I read you loud and clear,” Derek replied.
At that, it was time for the meeting. Derek and Tyler decided to engage in a game of twenty questions while they waited, twiddling their thumbs, for something to do during the business meeting. Damon was happy to see them remaining together after Derek’s announcement.
The SAT business meeting got off to a normal start, with the usual roll call of officers and reading of the minutes of the last meeting by Secretary Terry Hoffman. The agenda had been posted on the house bulletin board, but, as usual, most brothers had not bothered to read it. A few items of non-controversial matters were covered with no difficulty. Phil Cecil gave a very upbeat report on the current crop of pledges, although he did note that Kevin Worthington had dropped out. Kevin’s mentor, Matt Bostick, reported that Kevin was unable to put in the time needed to complete pledging.
The item which interested most brothers was the scheduled party on Friday evening. After all, helping at soup kitchens, cleaning up along highways, and maintaining a decent grade point average were all fine and dandy, but parties were a necessity of college life, right? Bob Balducci as vice-president was the brother with the primary responsibility for organizing parties, but he called on all the brothers to help out. Of course, the pledges would be put to work, but they needed guidance from someone who had been through it before. In addition, the following weekend was Homecoming, and that meant a reception for the ‘old boys’ returning to campus. Bob urged his compatriots, “Get the wild stuff out of your system on Friday. Next week we need to at least seem respectable. You know how much we depend on the ‘old boys’ for everything from cash donations to recommendations for jobs.” On that bit of reality, this subject was concluded.
An unfortunately related item was highway clean-up. Because of a glitch in the calendar, probably connected to the fall break, the fraternity was scheduled to clean up the trash along the highway leading to the airport on the Saturday following the party. Amid many moans from the brothers, Bob pled for a significant turnout on Saturday morning, but not at seven a.m., as in earlier weeks and in recognition of the reality of partying the evening before.
Then came an item which had been added to the agenda at the last minute: “Campus Demonstration.”
Curtis was clearly uneasy as he introduced this item. He noted that most of the brothers were aware of the demonstration held on the quad that afternoon, and the call for further activity the next day. He said that when he learned of these matters, he appointed a committee of three to draft a resolution concerning these matters. The committee consisted of Phil Cecil, Bob Balducci, and Jason Todd. With that announcement, Bryce looked with interest at Jason, who was looking both pleased and embarrassed at the same time. But that could wait. Curtis was clearly uneasy about taking a position, and one of non-participation, in these demonstrations. It occurred to Bryce that the reason he had not been asked to be on the committee, and the reason Curtis was so uneasy, was that he thought Bryce or Damon might take part in the demonstration, as he knew from earlier conversations that they were sympathetic to Peter Boyington.
Bryce asked for the floor as a matter of personal privilege, thus being able to interrupt Curtis’ dancing around the issue. “Mr. President, I fully endorse the idea that SAT as a fraternity not participate in any such demonstration, so you can quit feeling guilty. Not all us queers are extremists, you know.”
That brought a thunderous wave of laughter from the brothers.
Curtis looked much relived, and grinned at Bryce. But he ordered, “Mr. Secretary, I order that the remarks of Brother Winslow be stricken from the record as including discriminatory wordage.”
That brought a second round of laughter from the brothers.
Bryce pretended ignorance. “What wordage? Extremists?”
When Curtis reasserted control over the meeting, he called on Phil Cecil to present the results of his committee’s deliberations. He presented a resolution which stated:
After Phil presented the resolution drafted by his committee, he moved its adoption. Damon seconded the motion. There was a good deal of discussion, primarily from brothers seeking information about what had happened, and what was proposed by the organizers of the demonstration. In this context, both Bryce and Damon were able to give information about what had happened to Peter, and his current condition. There was some heated discussion about Campbell and Lomax, with Damon informing the body about the indications that they were responsible for this attack as well as that on him a year ago. More than one brother expressed the opinion that it was a good thing that the fraternity had refused to admit those two back at the beginning of the semester. After much discussion, the resolution was adopted, with no dissenting votes.
Following the meeting, Secretary Hoffman posted the resolution adopted at that meeting on the house bulletin board, and personally walked copies over to the campus Post Office addressed to the President of the University and the Vice-President for Student Affairs.
When the meeting adjourned, Bryce turned to his phone, which had been vibrating for several minutes, and found that he had a message from Felicity Gaines, the President of the LGBT Club. He returned her call, apologizing for not answering earlier, but explaining that he was in a fraternity business meeting, and they were discussing the proposed demonstrations.
“That’s what I need to talk about, Bryce. Those posters say the demonstrations are an activity of the Club, but Josh never consulted me or anyone else that I can discover. Are you free now?” Felicity asked.
“Yeah. The SAT meeting is over. And we passed a resolution you’ll want to know about,” Bryce replied.
“Then come to room 206 in the Union now, and bring a copy of your resolution. I’ve got several other members of the Ex-Com here, and I’m trying to contact the others.”
Bryce responded, “I’m on my way.”
Bryce explained the situation to Damon, then took off for the Union. He wondered whether Josh Young would be there. That question was answered even before he made it to the designated meeting room. Loud voices were heard all up and down the corridor.
“Damn it, Josh, you’re not the entire club! You’re not even the President of the club. I am. How do you think this makes me feel when people ask me about this demonstration and I have to say I don’t know anything about it?” Felicity’s voice rang out.
Josh’s angry tone was laced with sarcasm when he replied, “Oh, so we’re supposed to sit around debating parliamentary procedure while gays are beat up all across campus.”
“That’s the kind of talk that’ll lose us the support of the public. Just like those accusations you were making earlier. You might think you know who’s to blame, but you have no evidence,” Mike Sandoval said as Bryce entered the room.
“Oh, here’s wishy-washy Winslow,” Josh greeted him. “That’s just great. Shall we all go lick the boots of the Administration?”
“Have you been to the hospital to visit Peter since you launched your campaign?” Bryce asked with considerable self control.
“What? Hell no! I don’t have time for that! I’ve been busy doing something, not just sitting around holding hands,” Josh asserted.
“I have been to the hospital. Peter is really upset about this. I suppose you know he was deeply in the closet, and his mother is there to look after him. When she found out about all this, Peter actually passed out,” Bryce informed the others.
“Well, one good thing was accomplished anyway,” Josh stated. “Now there’s one less coward hiding in the closet. And we’ll accomplish more tomorrow. We’ll force the Administration to admit they’ve been giving only lip service to gay rights, and we’ll make a statement nobody can ignore.”
“Josh, you cannot do anything in the name of the Club without getting approval of the Executive Committee. Why didn’t you consult with the rest of us before making your announcements and putting up posters?” Felicity demanded.
“For one very good reason. I expected this kind of panty-waist reaction that I’m getting tonight. If you have to wait until every possible objection is settled, you’ll never do anything,” Josh declared.
Felicity looked up as Anne Cantrell, the woman elected as Treasurer last month, entered the room. “Good, we’re all here,” she announced. “I’m calling this emergency session of the Executive Committee into session.”
Bryce was seated, taking notes in his capacity as Secretary. He noted that all the members of the Executive Committee were present. The discussion was no less acerbic than before the meeting began, with Josh, Anne, and Bob Bentley, an at-large member of the Committee, favoring the demonstration and the others having severe doubts about the wisdom of acting on incomplete information. There were no really new facts brought to light. Both Bryce and Felicity had been to see Peter in the hospital since the demonstrations began. Felicity got there after Bryce and Damon left this afternoon, and found the student and his mother engaged in serious discussion. Consequently, she did not stay long, just long enough to express her condolences and concern. Bryce was able to give a more thorough account of Peter’s condition. Given the heated exchanges before and during the meeting, he decided not to mention the threats to carve a Q on Peter’s forehead and to castrate him. He did express his confusion as to why the attackers chose Peter. In a foul mood after several of Josh’s barbs, he said it would have made more sense if Josh were the victim.
After two hours of essentially fruitless argument, the majority of the Executive Committee voted to inform the VPSA first thing in the morning that the demonstrations were NOT an approved activity of the LGBT Club, but at the same time the Club was concerned for the safety of LGBT students on campus, and called for the prosecution of those responsible for the attack on Peter Boyington. Josh and Anne stalked out when that was adopted. Bryce drew up the resolution on his laptop, and had it ready for Felicity to sign in her capacity as President before they officially broke up. He was also designated as the postman, to deliver the resolution to the Vice-President for Student Affairs first thing in the morning. He was likewise asked to confirm that Vice-President Burnett would appear at the LGBT meeting that evening, and to request a larger meeting space in light of the events of the past few days.
Consequently, on Wednesday morning Bryce had to cut his workout short, leaving Curtis and Roland after only a short half hour period. He returned to the apartment, and to a breakfast prepared by Damon, who, recognizing the situation, got himself up and had something waiting when Bryce got home. After eating and cleaning up, Bryce set out for the office of the VPSA in Dinklemore Hall, the central administration building. He got there at 8:00, just as the office was opening for the day. Also waiting was Terry Hoffman, the SAT Secretary, who told Bryce that Curtis decided he should deliver the fraternity resolution in person.
Dr. Mark Burnett was a tall, imposing figure. Bryce knew he had been a basketball standout as an undergraduate, and he had a short career as a professional before returning and obtaining a graduate degree in Education. He was now in his mid forties, with thinning hair and the beginnings of a paunch, but still rather impressive. He was clearly not pleased with this early morning visit from two of his least favorite student organizations. He claimed he was too busy to spend time with the guys, so Bryce suggested that they see him together to save time.
Terry went first. He read the SAT resolution, and placed a copy on the desk of the VPSA, and then left. Bryce followed suit in reading his resolution, but he also wanted assurances about the evening. Dr. Burnett refused to commit himself, “in light of the current state of the campus.”
“Don’t you think, Dr. Burnett, that it would be good policy to explain the Administration’s position to those students most concerned, in light of those very conditions?” Bryce put it to him.
“Um, ah, well, perhaps. If I can, I will be there. And you may tell Miss Gaines that she may count on the large auditorium in the Union for her meeting,” Dr. Burnett conceded.
“Thank you, Dr. Burnett,” Bryce replied, and departed.
All that morning, tensions built up across campus. After leaving his English class at 11:00, Bryce went to the quad to observe. Josh Young was again prominent, trying to organize the crowds. There were quite a few students on the quad, perhaps several hundred, but it was not clear as to how many were going to participate in the proposed demonstration, and how many, like Bryce, were there to see what was going to happen. The platform Josh had used the previous day had been removed, but he mounted a chair at about quarter to twelve and began to harangue the crowd. Bryce had to admit that he was a powerful speaker, and was able to get the crowd fired up. But then, so was Hitler. In a very inappropriate thought, Bryce wondered whether Josh had an orgasm at the height of his oratory, like Hitler was reported to have experienced. By the time Bryce jerked his attention back to the events in front of him, Josh was leading the crowds towards Dinklemore Hall with some of his supporters carrying the sign Damon had first spotted yesterday, saying “University Endorses Gay Bashing.”
As the demonstrators neared Dinklemore, there emerged from between the buildings another group of students. At least, the presumption was that they were students. Quite a few were in military or semi-military dress, fatigues. Many were wearing muscle shirts or very tight tee-shirts, usually with some para-military slogan. Not a few had tattoos on their arms. There were fewer of them than there were of the followers of Josh Young, but they looked tougher. There were only a few females among them, unlike Josh’s followers, who were about a third female.
As Josh and his followers approached the entrance steps to the administration building, the other group interposed itself between them and their goal. Bryce, who was observing from a safe distance, noted the presence of Campus Security inside the building. About this time, Bryce was joined by Damon, who had just been released from his Political Theory class.
There was a brief period when the two groups seemed frozen in time, kind of eyeing each other. Then, someone in the para-military group yelled, “Death to Queers!” and the group attacked. There was a sickening sound of flesh being pounded and rent, as the smaller but more violent group began to bash the followers of Josh.
In only a few minutes, the demonstrators were fleeing. Those who were not were lying on the ground, suffering from a variety of wounds. At that, the Campus Security finally left the building and began to impose some order on the situation. When that happened, the attacking group quickly dispersed, fading into the spaces between buildings.
Bryce and Damon approached the center of the mess, where at least a dozen students lay moaning and bleeding. Bryce went up to Officer Zoeller and asked angrily, “Why didn’t you guys come out earlier? You could have prevented this donnybrook!”
Zoeller recognized Bryce, and replied, “Because that SOB Vice-President told us to stay inside. I think he liked seeing the demonstrators getting beat to shreds.”
“Who were the others?” Bryce asked.
“Don’t know for sure, but we have an inside line on that group. Can’t say any more,” Zoeller said.
As Bryce and Damon began to walk away, they noticed one of the attackers who was also hurt and lying on the ground. They went up to him, and demanded, “Who are you, and why did you attack the demonstrators?”
“None of your fucking business,” the student replied, although he was holding his head as though it were hurting seriously.
Damon pointed to the name on his fatigue shirt. It said “Lomax.” Only then did Bryce recognize the boy as someone he had met briefly during pledge week. He immediately went back to John Zoeller and told him who was there. Zoeller grinned. “Well, well, well. Something really interesting might come of this.” He went to the injured student and insisted on personally taking him to the infirmary and interviewing him there and at the security office.
“Well, well, well,” Bryce thought.