A Life Wasted

Serious Pressure

I drove for a while, constantly nervous about being spotted and captured. I decided it was time to go to ground, but with some help. I went to a known guy in the extremist movement. Just drove up his driveway. He came out to my car and asked if he could help me. He didn't recognize me so I said, "That's why I'm here. I need help." He looked at me like I looked familiar and said, "Who are you?" I handed him his town's morning paper. He held it for a second, saw the photo on the front page, then held it up to my face and said, "No! Hell no!" then threw the paper in my face. He walked away then came back and said, "Look, I'm sorry. I'd like to help you. I really would. But you're so hot you're smoking. They are looking everywhere for you. I'm sorry, but I can't help you. I hope you get away, but I don't think you have a prayer.

I knew he was right.

I drove back to Birmingham to attempt to make contact with another guy I knew about there. I'd never met this guy but saw him on an HBO special, "Soldier's in the Army of God." From what I saw on that show this fellow was a hard core extremist that wouldn't turn me down. All I had was his name and that he lived in Alabama. I found his address in Birmingham. He had such an unusual name that I was sure this had to be him. When I got to his house there was a big box truck parked on the street covered with anti-abortion pictures and slogans. Had to be the guy. So I knocked on the door and someone else answered. I asked for the guy I had seen on the HBO special by name and this other guy said, "That's me." I didn't know what was up but said I had the wrong guy and left.

This guy shared the other guy's name and was a pro-lifer, but a pro-lifer of the non-violent type. Guys like him hated me as much as the pro-choice crowd did. And he recognized me. So he called the cops, which I heard on my scanner. For the second time that week, I barely made it out of Birmingham.

After that I forgot about getting outside help and focused on not getting caught on my own. There was little doubt that things were closing in on me. I wasn't willing to give up, but I knew my days were numbered.