1311

 "It's just become impossible with Melissa", says Sarah as we are starting to cross the Oak Street Bridge.  "It started just after you guys left when she really began ragging on George and Jeffrey for their drag performance, which by the way was totally brilliant.  She insisted that that sort of thing never again happen in the house and that they had completely disgraced our witness as a Christian community.  Can you imagine that?  Then in the next few days she started banning people.  First Tommy and his partner Cecilia from the Sunshine Diner, nor would she permit any of us to go there to visit.  Then she weighed in about Amanda saying that a woman operating a sex toy store should have absolutely no business with us unless she is prepared to fully repent."

"So this is why the exodus", say I.

"Carol really has had her belly full.  Yesterday at lunch she looked at me and said, "Would you like to be rescued?"  I couldn't turn her down."

"What about the others?"

Sheila, Maureen and Jennifer all seem to have a calming effect on her.  And they are all pretty grounded and supportive of each other so she can't really affect them.  Melissa actually seems to have  a lot of respect for them, so she doesn't dare try to be high-handed with them.  The others have all sort of retreated into their own private spaces...

"But what about you and Carol?"

"Oh...She hates both of us!"