As you all know, I met my husband while doing research at a university. We bonded over slices of pizza and the freedom of the naturist lifestyle. And, of course, love for the sciences, social and physical. We started the club here at Bear Valley, just one of the clubs in this great country spreading the ideology of health and freedom to the masses.
I thought it would be interesting to take a look back at the founding from his perspective, thus, Richard’s story:
“When I was invited to the other shore, the shore further out from the mainstream shore most people visit, I was not sure what I was getting into. I had spent my life up until that point in the pursuit of knowledge for its own pleasure, though that is somewhat isolating. But in the university setting I was surrounded by social opportunity. Once I met Dr. Einstein and he told me the same. He was not much for decorum. But it was through him that I first became mindfully aware of social inequality, its causes and potential cures. Very rudimentary, he was a scientist of intuition and imagination, but that was my first exposure to the science of socialism27.
My work is human betterment. I work in the theoretical field of artificial intelligence with which I hope to someday cure human loneliness. Alienation is a killer. Every Marxist knows.
So when I was invited to the beach that day I went with reluctance, for I was leaving behind my great work for humankind, but Heather told me I had to have a fresh mind in order to achieve a breakthrough. I was going through a rough patch. For one thing, and I know it is petty, but, it seemed that every ballpoint pen was destined to destroy every unstained shirt I own. Something about the workmanship, or lack thereof, it is as if under capitalism things are being produced with a limited life-span forcing one to make a re-purchase on a massively sped-up time-line in order to ensure profits to the few who rest at the top of the system. I was as exhausted as I was unfulfilled. I was alienated, as are we all, by modern society.
My most secure pen was an old model. An under the counter model, with the picture of a lady in a bikini on it. But, turned upside-down-right, the suit disappeared. A nice use of chemical engineering. It didn’t leak.
So I was ready to go to the beach. My protest aside, I was more than ready. It is strange that she took me out to a shore where we had to walk much further than the more popular beach. We had to trek through the brambles. But it was worth it. For the area was remote, and private. The view was wonderful. And the quiet! Nothing but the Sea lapping gently and repeatedly against the shore and the birds cooing to their lovers.
Heather sat down the picnic basket and I dug through it with the curiosity and gusto of a famished man. When I looked up the sun was in my eyes. But as I adjusted my vision, and slid my glasses up my nose, I saw that Miss Dumbrowski had removed all of her clothes.
“Miss Dumbrowski!” I said.
“Call me Heather.”
I was stunned. Time paused. Academics had not prepared me. I was embarking on a new field, an exploration of uncharted territories. It was then that I saw the inherent flaws within the American academic system. Not enough hands-on experience. Everything is theoretical. Which in itself is also very important.
“I didn’t bring a suit,” Heather said. “But why waste the day? And why go back?”
I have to admit I admired her calculating scientific mind. In order to make her feel more comfortable I also shed society’s skin and we had a wonderful day at the beach, frolicking in the sand and the waves together. And after a while that Mary Jane lady showed up with watermelon and cookies. It was the start of everything. And it was good.”
At the bottom of the page was an advertisement for a beach towel. The club sold its own Sun Fun Bare towel featuring a scene of bears at a picnic on it under a yellow sun. The Yellow Sun was the symbol of the greater movement and the bears need no explanation. The bear is the animal totem of the Soviet Union.
In the second world war there was a tame bear, liberated from a nazi circus, who fought with the red army. Why should bears not have a nice day at the beach? They have earned it.