Eleven
Clarity faxed the letter using a public fax and joined the girls for a late dinner of roast beef salad with vegetables and balsamic vinaigrette. The following day, she picked up the morning paper between two rows of small shrubs near the entrance of Cynthia´s home.
“We did it again,” said Clarity, pointing to the front page of the newspaper. She let Lanai move closer to read the large headline. Referendum on naturism set for two days in unprecedented decision from Governor´s Office.
“Now, we have to check the reaction from the Governor,” said Lanai.
Despite the governor´s best efforts to change the date of the referendum to a more leisurely six months and to know who had sent the news to the L.A. Times, he couldn´t fight the huge tide of public opinion favoring the quick timeline for the vote. Clarity and the girls saw through progressive news briefs on television conducting public opinion polls that the letter had hit the public´s sentiment right on target. Exactly at seven o´clock in the evening, the governor of California capitulated and agreed to set up the referendum within forty eight hours.
“Total victory,” said Cynthia.
“I´m happy,” said Clarity, checking a message on her cell phone. It was the courier service in charge of delivering their thongs. Clarity called him back right away and she listened patiently to the courier´s memorized sentence repeated over and over like a mantra.
“I´m sorry mam, we cannot deliver to another spot, even it´s a nice house in Malibu like you say it is. Our courier service guarantee applies only to the original location selected for delivery, and our records show you did select our on time delivery guarantee or extensive three hundred fold money back amount. We will attempt delivery of the product tonight at Stevenson Garden Products rooftop terrace, the original selected location at time of the ordering.” Clarity insisted a few more times, letting the man understand that she had no intention of claiming the guarantee if Slothtrack Express delivered to another location, but the comments were useless. If they wanted their thongs, they would have to pick them up at SGP, past Packwood´s blockade there. And the thongs were a critical symbol of the new synchronized swimming team, so there was a majority vote to claim the thongs. Only Lanai was reluctant.
“Ok, but if we end up in jail, I have priority to choose the best bunk.”
They had a quick dinner and decided to drive Taimi´s MonteCarlo to within several hundred feet of SGP´s parking lot. The main entrance of was sealed off and Clarity saw Packwood and his assistant walk back and forth, preventing any live creature from getting near the sliding glass doors. Clarity knew that there was a delivery area of SGP in the back of the building. She walked with the girls around the building in silence and they reached the logistics entrance of the building, coming face to face with Charlie.
“What kind of mess have you girls gotten into?” asked the guard, “everybody´s looking for you, and not precisely to congratulate you, this officer named Packwood told me to arrest you on sight.”
“We´re fighting for our individual rights,” said Taimi.
“It´s a bit delicate Charlie,” said Clarity, “but we need your help to avoid Packwood while we receive an order from a courier service.”
“Nothing illegal I hope?”
“Not really, just a few women´s garnments.”
“Ok, come inside through the logistics entrance, I´ll try to make sure the truck comes this way.”
Clarity and the girls rode the elevator to the top floor of the building, finding the terrace and the pool lit.
“One would almost feel the need to party,” said Cynthia.
“A bit early for that,” said Lanai, spreading the branches of two cypresses to make some space and lean over the terrace fence, “the courier is here, but Packwood caught it, I don´t see any package…”
Clarity and the rest of the girls joined Lanai in their sudden interest in exploring the terrace fence.
“Oh, no” said Clarity, “he´s driving away, Packwood must have told him to back off. Oh, God, more police cars around the logistics area, we can´t get out of here now, we can´t get out…”
As she repeated her last sentence, she heard the noise of the door behind her. She turned her head and saw Ms. Marquez dressed in a beige robe walk towards the poolside stairs.
“Well, there you are girls,” said Ms. Marquez, “I was worried about you. This case is getting crazy, the District Attorney just will not listen to me, I´ve been trying to ask Officer Packwood to give me access to your deposition, but it´s like blowing on a violin. Fortunately, the referendum is in our favor, we´re beating the clock, we´re…”
“Ms. Marquez, we feel very lucky to have you here working at SGP,” said Clarity, “we know you´re doing your best, and we know that a clothing optional policy is going to be good for the company.”
“What are you going to do, you can´t leave, Packwood will arrest you.”
“We´ll camp out,” said Cynthia, “right here.” They all looked at her, surprised at first, then enthusiastically endorsing the decision.
They found a few sleeping bags in the outdoor gardening section where the marketing department kept some samples for customers interested in home camping, and placed them around the pool. The moon was out and the sky was starred, displaying the bright tail left by the Milky Way. Clarity fell asleep thinking of her last sentence. Clothing option is good for the company…good for the company…