For lunch, we stopped along the roadside at a small church. There were a lot of police and TV crews around us. Ellen warned us to stay together and to keep off private property, a warning directed at Julia. But she picked up her day pack, where she usually kept the pot, and said she was going behind the church to sunbathe. Ellen looked at me and I shrugged. She told Morishita that she suspected Julia had gone off to smoke pot -- incredibly bad judgement, with the police and press around. Ellen suggested that Morishita send Julia immediately to Montgomery. He did.

We had a police escort of some 30 officers, many surprising me by their sympathy to us. Julia was waiting for us when we arrived at St. Jude Catholic Church. Ellen told me that Julia had spoken with a nun and threatened to go to the press and charge that others had broken rules of the march and she was out because she was a woman.

After supper we held a stormy meeting. An hour later, we had all vowed not to use drugs for the rest of the walk. But Morishita wanted a lifetime vow. Both sides took extreme views. Carsten explained that his newspaper was working for the legalization of marijuana in Denmark. He said he thought that religion was the opiate of the people, but was willing to walk with monks: so, monks should be willing to walk with him. Shima was more uncompromising than the monks. He had long suspected that Julia was leaving the group to smoke pot; his journal listed the times. I was surprised that Shima had not brought this to others' attention before. Carole and Mercury also knew that she had bought pot, but were reluctant to do anything. They feared exposure, because Julia knew Mercury was in the US without a passport. Brian, who had just joined us that day after arranging to drop out of school, said that if she were forced to leave, then he would leave also.

No vote was taken. The monks reserved the right to make the decision themselves. They would let us know that decision in the morning. The meeting was over at 2 a.m. but I don't think anyone slept.

   January 3l, Rest day in Montgomery
This was a scheduled rest day. It was anything but restful.

Early in the morning, Morishita phoned Pamela in Atlanta to explain the situation to her. He told her that he had decided that Julia, Carsten, Niels, Brian, and I would have to leave the walk. (I had joined them in using pot once.) Carole came in to talk with me. She said that everyone respected the role which I had taken as mediator of the different conflicts in the group. (I sure bungled this one.) But the decision was made and would not be changed. Morishita would call a meeting to let the other four know of his decision. Carole asked that I take the initiative in volunteering to leave so that Julia would leave the walk quietly and not try to discredit it.

We went to church. A peace mass was conducted. I don't remember it very much. At the end of the service, all of the walkers stood at the front of the church while the congregation filed past, shook our hands, and wished us luck and success. It was difficult to talk with them and keep a smiling face, knowing what the next few hours would bring.

Mass over, the decision was announced. I asked that we be allowed to stay until tomorrow morning in order to make plans. I decided to return to Durham, while the others decided to go to Mobile. Some of Brian's friends would drive up later in the day. The next bus for Durham didn't leave until the next morning.

After the other four had left, Shima and Morishita said that it might be possible for me to rejoin the walk in a few weeks. I was invited to join them in the morning for prayers. go to page 15