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Show 173 I was closer to the subway than to their place so I went back to the South Side. In heels Amelia Rubin was taller than I was but she seldom wore heels, and I didn't mind anyhow, she had such a great bosom and such a sweet smile, -'eight doesn't matter to friends. She said she was a socialist, not a Conmunist, more like in Sweden, and I said I was sort of a socialist too and [ hoped they would bring more social justice into the world but I distrusted Henry Wallace and the Progressives. Political activism was OK, I said, but it was terrible to fight over differences the way the Stalinists and the Trotskyites did in the Co-op. She said she knew what I meant, her father was a Republican. She said life at home in Cleveland had been stifling but she felt free in Chicago. I said freedom was the most important thing in the world, and her face glowed. "Oh yes! For me too!" "Political Freedom and Social Freedom and Personal Freedom." "Yes, yes! And Economic Freedom too. The Freedom from Want." "Right. But Personal Freedom more than anything. Individual Freedom." "Absolutely, Chess. Including Free Love." "Free Love! Oh. Oh sure sure sure." "Don't you believe in Free Love?" "Sure I do. Sure. Of course." " I f you aren't free in the most meaningful part of your personal l i f e, how can you be free any other way?" "Oh, I couldn't agree more." Then I realized that her face was glowing for Freedom, not for me, and I relaxed again. It was j u s t talk. She was excited and her hands moved as if she were conducting a small orchestra. We talked about the hypocrisy |