First Christmas

Ben Quist met Lori Clark his first week of college, freshman year. He picked Government as his area of study, figuring maybe he'd go into civil service, or foreign service, or secret service, or postal service – he really wasn't sure yet.

One of the first-year electives was Current Political Affairs, not a subject Ben was particularly interested in, but he figured it was the easiest pick. Ben wasn't political and he really didn't follow political news.

"So why the hell did you pick Government and Politics as your major?" Clarke wanted to know a few classes into the school year when Ben expressed his disinterest.

"I have more important concerns to worry about," he answered.

"Did you try to stop The Evil One?" She wanted to know.

"I haven't paid much attention to The Evil One," he said. "He's annoying."

"Nothing's more important than standing up to The Evil One, Quist," Clarke insisted.

"Getting through college might be," Ben replied.

Ben would have avoided the loud and aggravating Clarke if he hadn't been attracted to her. She was cute, though a bit husky, with chin-length brown hair with flipped ends. Ben noticed that she wore mostly jeans and jerseys (or sweatshirts), mostly with political stuff on them - and not a lot of makeup. She obviously wasn't all that concerned with her appearance.

They ended up sitting next to one another in the class, led by Professor Herb Sanford, who was about as to the left as one could be without being accused of being a communist. Sanford had a sense of humor, but he was also stubbornly opinionated which made him annoying. He was also about fifteen years beyond retirement, which made him a fossil – a throwback to the LBJ years. He even wore his thick white-gray hair in a sixties style.

Clarke was much more into the class subject material and topics than Ben. She was the first to offer her viewpoint during class discussions, not shy about saying what she thought. Ben, on the other hand, barely said a word and was usually bored with the material.

It was a Presidential Election year which made for some enlightening and emotional discussions, especially because it pitted the comeback attempt of the controversial New York real estate billionaire turned egotistical reality television show host (and former President) against the Vice President of the United States hoping to become the first woman of color President.

Clarke let her opinion of "The Evil One" be known and she was happy to engage anybody foolish enough to challenge her in a debate about why The Evil One was the worse thing to happen to America since the days of Joseph McCarthy.

Clarke had Professor Sanford on her side, of course, but some of the guys in the class were more than happy to enrage Clarke with their comments and opinions. Ben wished Clarke would talk about something else besides politics!

There was crossover for Ben and Clarke outside of the class – she was friendly with some of the girls who were friendly with some of the guys Ben knew so they'd all spend time together at the dining facility, library and dorms when not in the classroom.

Ben discovered that Clarke came from a well to do family in Bridgeport (Connecticut) and that she was dating some influential guy who was a legacy at Yale, one more reason for Ben to realize that he was way out of his league hanging out with her.

Emotions ran high as Election Day approached, Clarke convinced that 'The Normal One' would make history as the first woman President, despite Professor Sanford's warnings about polling, the perceived economy, and America's inability to free itself from the sins of the past (racism, sexism, homophobia, etc.).

Clarke went home for the election, so Ben didn't see her reaction when the race was called surprisingly early for The Evil One. Ben had fallen asleep by then, not particularly interested in watching the returns, awaken by the commotion in the hall outside his dorm room – both wailing and cheering.

Clarke was still pissed off when she returned to the campus a few days later.

"The election shows the division and disagreement of the nation," she told Professor Sanford. "Let's face it, we are selfish, interested only in our own needs, unwilling or unable to face the racist sexism of white male dominance and privilege."

Professor Sanford pointed out that 53% percent of women voted for The Normal One and 55% of men voted for The Evil One, but only 45% of white women voted for The Normal One, compared to 91% of Black women and 60% of Hispanic and Latino women. Meanwhile, 77% of Black men voted for The Normal One, while only 37% of white men and 43% of Hispanic and Latino men did. Most telling, 53% of those who voted for The Evil One said they didn't even follow politics.

"That's because most men are stupid and weak, afraid of women," Clarke stated. "And not following politics but still voting is the basic definition of the low information voter."

At the dining facility that evening, Ben asked Clarke how it went with her boyfriend regarding the election.

"I broke up with him," she announced.

"What?" Ben asked with surprise.

"I can't sleep with a guy with voted for Evil and Hate," she said. "How can I continue a relationship with someone with such different political views?"

"It's just politics," Ben said with a shrug.

"Get your head out of your ass, Quist!" She roared. "I want to be able to live in America as a woman without kneeling to White Male extremists. I want to move forward, not back an entire century. My jerk boyfriend voted for The Evil One because he believes that women don't have the capacity to lead because we're 'too emotional' which is hilarious when you think about how many tantrums The Evil One and his cult have thrown over nothing. He doesn't realize the damage The Evil One will cause because he doesn't have his own thoughts, just those of the fake news right wing echo-chamber."

"Isn't that a little harsh?" Ben asked.

"It's one thing to differ on something like which movie to see, but it's another thing entirely to differ on important matters like women's bodily autonomy, rights for the LGBTQIA community, and the end of democracy," Clarke ranted. "I can't imagine bringing kids into this world with someone who doesn't share the same values as me."

Ben stared at her with both admiration and sorrow.

"Please don't tell me you voted for The Evil One too!" She was still seething.

"Of course not," Ben let her know. "I barely made it to vote at all."

"Thank you," Clarke replied. "There's hope for you yet." She gave him a smirk. "I guess we can still hang out."

And they did as the rest of the semester played out. The classroom debates didn't end as Clarke continued with her endless political commentary. Conversations about the pandemic especially ruffled her feathers.

"Hello? Drinking bleach? Can we get serious?" She said in class one day. "My grandmother died from COVID. I have zero regard for how The Evil One handled the pandemic. And don't get me started on the January 6th Insurrection."
"That's old news," someone in the class stated and Ben thought Clarke was going to leave her seat with rage.

Ben liked Clarke's feistiness and she trusted him as a friend, peer, and confident though he was easily bored with her politics. He let her rant and rave about politics while offering his counsel when she needed to be talked out of making death threats to the RNC.

"The real problem I have now is every time I look around at White Men on this campus," Clarke confided to Ben one day. "I can't help but wonder how many of them voted for Evil over Normalcy. How many of them don't respect me and my rights as a woman."

Ben and Clarke went out with their college friends – for an occasional dinner, or a movie, and they continued to socialize together around campus, even though Ben sometimes felt uncomfortable when Clarke was on one of her political rants.

"Not everybody lives, breathes, and shits politics, Clarke," Ben said one day. "There's more to life than Orange and Black."

"Not to me," she responded.

In mid-December, Ben and Clarke ended up at the same dorm party which involved some underaged illegal drinking and other shenanigans. Ben offered to walk Clarke back to her dorm room when she had enough of the festivities.

"My roommate's gone for the weekend if you want to stop by my dorm room," Ben said, mostly to show off and sound suave, not thinking she'd take him up on such a bold offer.

"Sure, okay," Clarke said easily, and Ben almost tripped over his own two feet with surprise and sudden nervousness.