She felt oddly betrayed。 〃That's really pathetic;〃 she said; recalling
the tall; handsomely bearded man in jeans; boots; and a simple peasant
shirt。 〃I'd have thought that; with what you stood for at one time; you
might have minimized crass capitalism。 You have sold out; which just
goes to show how terribly wrong one person can be in the judging of
another; or how necive。〃
Ross had risen。 His eyes were too dark to distinguish anger from hurt。
〃You don't know what you're talking about。 You didn't know me then; and
you certainly don't know me now。 When I returned from Africa that last
time with my grungy denims; my dashiki; and my beard〃…his eyes
narrowed…〃it took me all of a week to shuck them。 And do you know why?〃
He went on only when she shook her head。 〃Because I saw that there was
more narrow…mindedness; more prejudice; ing from the mouths of the
hippie generation than anywhere else。 Because of my appearance; I was
assumed to be one of them; until they discovered that I didn't always
think the way they did; that I had a mind of my own。 The true sign of a
liberal; Chloe; is accepting people for their differences; respecting
their right to be different。 Those others; the ones who prided
themselves on being nonconformists; declared all…out war on the
establishment。 And what happened?〃
Without waiting for her response he went on; his voice low but
relentless; his gaze intense。 He put his hands on the t