Chapter 2

Sadly, we were only meant to be friends, as Sergio liked to put the make on any man who was willing. I got over it, eventually. I found my own living quarters, and was much happier. Life in the Village was eye-opening, liberating, and I thrived.

When I heard about the music festival, it was right after the Stonewall riots. I felt the need for some peace and love instead of the hate, violence, and air of distrust that had settled in the Village since June.

* * * *

After working my way through the ever-expanding crowd, I finally found a spot that wasn’t too dirty, or covered with people making out. The stage was a fair distance away, but not so far that I couldn’t at least make out people setting up for the first performance of the afternoon. I smiled and nodded to the folks to my right as I spread out my blanket. My bedroll would act as a pillow for now, and the show was about to start.

“Hey, neighbor. I’m Sullivan Conyers,” a gritty voice said on the other side of me.

I turned to look at its owner. He was an average-looking man, if you were comparing him to Rock Hudson. But movie stars aside, I thought he was enough of a looker to merit a second glance, with his long brown hair falling in waves around his shoulders and in his face, and hazel eyes begging me to join in the fun. He had a dimpled chin like Kirk Douglas, who I’d thought was magnificent in Spartacus.

I shook the hand he held out to me. “Nice to meet you, Sullivan. I’m Laramie Pruitt.” I sat, positioning my food container and other belongings around me, more than ready to have a good time.

“Are you here by yourself?” he asked, and I glanced at him where he lay propped up on his elbows, bare chest glistening with sweat.

I swallowed and looked away before my eyes could give a hint as to how much I…well. “I caught a ride with someone headed this way. Once we arrived, he set his sights on a woman—forgive me, the woman’s breasts—and was never to be heard from again.”

Sullivan laughed. “So, what you’re saying is, he came to Bethel to nail all the babes he could, right?” He tucked some hair behind an ear. “It’s the sexual revolution, man. Every chick here’s probably on the pill and practically giving her virginity away.”

I frowned at his words. “Are you saying that women shouldn’thave the freedom to do what they like with their bodies?” I may not want to have sex with them, but that didn’t mean I felt the fairer sex should be treated like baby farms and penis receptacles.

He sobered immediately. “No! I didn’t mean it like that.I think it’s great, and about damn time. It’s just…there are unscrupulous men out there, you know? I have two younger sisters who’re mad for sex, every chance they get. I just don’t want them to get hurt by some Casanova using them for his own ends.”

I could see his point. “Sorry. I get on my high horse sometimes. I believe that we all have the right to be ourselves and experience life as we are, and not be held down by the customs or conservative beliefs of the establishment.” I sighed. “I need to lighten up, don’t I?” I tended to get passionate about people’s rights and had liberal opinions about everything.

Sullivan smiled. “Nothing wrong with being who you are. I dig your passion. It’s groovy.”

He winked at me, and I blushed. “All right, stop embarrassing me. How about you? You here with anybody?”

Shaking his head, Sullivan said, “Nah. Came by myself. Left my buddies behind in San Francisco and thumbed rides all the way here. Most folks were decent. A few tried to scam me, but I handled them.”

I chuckled as he flexed his muscles. “I bet you did.” I focused on the crowd for a moment. “You got a sweetheart back home?” I tried not to think about why I wanted the answer to be no.

“Didn’t work out. We wanted different things.” He glanced at me. “You?”

“Same.”

Sullivan stared at me for a few seconds, as if taking my measure. “Solid.”

I didn’t know what to make of his frank appraisal, so I said “Now that we’ve cleared the air, let’s check out the music.”

As one, we both leaned forward, elbows on our knees as we listened to the first performer, Richie Havens.

It didn’t take long before my toes were tapping. I stood along with Sullivan and joined all the other people around me, clapping and swaying. I felt such freedom! It made a nice change from the tension back home.