lotus land 4

        On the ferry returning to Vancouver Island Hank vividly recalled Bernice's mother, a scrappy two-fisted Jewish woman who loved protests and civil disobedience. When she wasn't schlepping toward Bethlehem (her anti-Yeats quote) in a halter-top, she wore loose-flowing granny-dresses of paisley, madras, calico and gingham. She was a rock and roll head-bandana warrior whose tribal enemy was the dreaded brain-dead bourgeoisie. Maxine.
        Her parents were Ruth and Nathan Silver. Patrician socialists of the Old Left. Classic humanists with an elite appreciation of the Beaux Arts. Wealthy, of course, having earned large sums as class action trial lawyers in litigation against vile villains of industry. And even more money teaching law.
        At the moment they were caught up with Jerry Spence who was litigating on behalf of Earth Justice.
        Hank loved the Silvers. It tickled him that they named Maxine after the esteemed social historian Max Lerner.


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        Hank met with Nathan often. Not once did he catch the gentleman without a jacket or cardigan and the bowtie. Ever reminding him of John Houseman in "The Paper Chase." And if Nathan knew Houseman personally, it would not be a surprise.
        Early on, Hank surmised that Maxine was a dilettante activist, concerning herself with the newest hottest cause-of-the-month. She felt strongly for her causes. Boycot Nestles, No Nukes, Save The Whales. And she never missed a rally. That was how she hooked up with Hank.
        She cornered Greendozer at a rally protestting the ruin of Meares Island. Here was a guy fighting the industry that put food on the tables of most of the working stiffs in the area. Rugged, blessed with knotty brawn, Hank was a far cry from the scrawny, coughing, pot-smoking, all-night talkathon pencilpricks who gathered around her father. How Nathan could abide their obsessive bickering over points of civil law and The Talmud, was beyond her.
        Here was a strapping flannel-shirt eco-warrior going head-to-head and fist-to-fist with British Columbia logging interests. The real deal. Wow!