”what meeting?” asked joe.
“come along, rube,” said johnny, “and maybe you might be enlightened, or at least learn something.”
johnny got up from the park bench and headed toward the trees, and after a moment’s hesitation joe put what was left of his sandwich - about one quarter of it - into his pocket and followed him.
they went down a short dirt road between some trees and came out into a park…
where a crowd of more people than joe had ever seen in his life were gathered around a bandstand. some were seated on concrete seats in a sunken circular auditorium but many more were sitting or standing in the grass in a wider circle.
the band was really loud and playing some kind of music. the music was really loud and sounded like almost all music did to joe - just a lot of noise.
a large woman in a white suit - a better cut version of the white clothes johnny jones was wearing - was standing in front of a microphone about ten feet in front of the band. there was a banner above her head but they were too far away for joe to read it.
“is she going to sing?” joe asked johnny. joe did not mind singing quite so much as he minded music played on instruments. (he particularly disliked music played on any kind of horns. pianos and guitars he could almost enjoy sometimes.)
johnny laughed. “no, rube, she is not going to sing. that is alice - alice cartwright devine herself - the savior of the world.”
“oh.” joe had never heard of alice cartwright devine but did not say so.
“who’s your friend?” came a voice behind joe and johnny.
joe turned and saw a young woman who might have been johnny’s sister - a little smaller but with the same dark laser eyes. and the same white clothing, which joe noticed was common throughout the crowd.
in response to the girl’s question, johnny turned to joe. “what did you say your name was?” he asked.
“joe. joe smith.”
“don’t mind him,” said the girl to joe. “that’s just the way he is. he probably calls you slim or hoss or bucky or something like that, right?”
“rube,” joe admitted.
“that’s even worse,” said the girl. “my name is mary brown. i am pleased to meet you. i see you are not wearing white. is this your first time hearing alice speak?“
“yes, it is,” joe admitted. “in fact i never heard of her before, and do not have any idea what she is going to talk about.”
“i told you he was a rube,” said johnny.
“well, he is not ashamed to admit his ignorance, which is a most admirable way to be, and which some people could take example from.”
joe was wondering what, if anything to reply, when the music suddenly stopped.
alice cartwright devine said “testing” into the microphone and the word carried loudly over the crowd and the crowd applauded.
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