had to agree there was a resemblance. No matter, looks good:it doesn’t have a
Star. Besides, people shouldn’t judge by appearances.

Yet, now I’m thinking that people really do judge books by their covers, as
some of these guys would certainly demonstrate if they had half a chance. This is a
dangerous spot. They don’t know this is my bushman outfit. To them I look like
the enemy!

People believe what they want:

A couple of years ago, I found myself in a secret meeting of the
“Weathermen” held in an office at Simon Fraser University. Two guys had flown
in from San Francisco to join three locals to decide what to do with the defence
fund they had raised to pay legal fees for some of their arrested comrades. I sat
stone-faced behind my shades while they decided to keep the money for more
important things. These were serious people — they had reputedly committed
murder for political purposes. I only looked the part, but that was good enough for
them. I looked dangerous.

A fresh faced private about my age moves closer. He seems friendly:

“How are yuh?” he asks.

“I’m fine. How are you?”

“I’d be a lot better if I wasn’t here.”

“On your way to Viet Nam?”

“Sure am. Where’re you going?”

“Japan.”

“Wish that’s where I was going.”

Outside the window, I’ve been watching planes land and take off, taxi and
stop. I recognize most of the airlines, but have never seen the white jets with “Air
America” in large red letters on their fuselages.

Pointing, I ask, “Who’s that?”

“C.I.A. They’re taking us to ’Nam.”

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Japanby Morley Evans

November 21, 2000