Well, all I can say is, Mark should have been there.

Mark and Grady and I had had a great day at the LMT. A couple of well known long-term Scientologists -- now former members of Miscavige's Church of Scientology -- had dropped by to say hi. We hadn't spoken since I was a member of the C of S and it was really great to catch up. They both assured me that there are Scientologists all over the country who are not members of Miscavige's Church but who are all in touch and all doing very well. We decided it's just about time to have a big party at the LMT for everyone who has left Miscavige's Church -- Scientologists and former Scientologists alike.

A few other people had also dropped by to introduce themselves, just people in the community who wanted to let us know they're glad we're in Clearwater. One guy offered his services to us and he will be able to help us tremendously. Excuse me for not giving details :-)

On my way home I stopped at the new Publix on West Bay. I had just about finished my grocery shopping and was leaning over the cold cuts counter, looking for some Swiss cheese. Suddenly a woman came up to me and stared at me, bug-eyed. She was in her mid-thirties, with long straight hair and bangs, kind of an orangey blond color.

I was about to ask her if she needed some help when she blurted out, loudly, "Don't I know you?"

Before I had a chance to say anything she said, even more loudly, "I've seen you on TV. At the City Commissioners' meeting. You're Stacy Brooks! You're a Suppressive Person!"

By now she was shouting at me. Finally understanding what was happening, I said, "Ah, you're a Scientologist. What's your name?"

But she didn't tell me her name. She just kept shouting at me, "You're a Suppressive Person! You're a Suppressive Person!"

She was really upset by now. Hoping to calm her down a bit, I said, "Maybe we should sit down and have a conversation."

But at that she jumped back as if she'd been bitten. "I can't believe I've been shopping in the same grocery store as a Suppressive Person! I'm never going to shop at this store again!" She seemed genuinely horrified that she and I were buying our cold cuts from the same counter.

Finally she turned and, abandoning her cart, went running down the aisle shouting, "You're a Suppressive Person! You're a Suppressive Person!" until she turned the corner and disappeared.

It was really quite a spectacle. Once she was gone I breathed a sigh of relief and turned back to my cart. It was then that I realized several other people had witnessed this encounter. They were standing around wide-eyed, not knowing quite what to do.

One man approached me, as if speaking for the group. After glancing from side to side (I assume to make sure the woman was really gone), said, "Who was she?" in a loud whisper.

"She's a Scientologist," I began. I intended to say more, but the man immediately said, "Oh! I understand," and nodded his head at the others knowingly. I smiled and shrugged. A couple of the women shook their heads and smiled at me sympathetically. Then everyone continued on with their shopping.

Just another pleasant evening in Occupied Clearwater....