Summary

The Gem – Marlee comments in narration on how happily surprised Liz was to see her when she arrived at the theatre; and how nervous she became when she realized she was the only white person in a crowd of “colored” people. She tries to calm her nerves by holding onto the black feather, which she carries in her pocket, but is ultimately unable to enjoy the film (“The Wizard of Oz” with, among other things, its Cowardly Lion struggling to find courage). After the film, Liz says it will be difficult for her to see Marlee again, but that she wants to. Marlee suggests they meet at the rock crusher, and Liz agrees.

The Rock Crusher – Marlee arrives early at the rock crusher and waits, increasingly nervous. Liz eventually arrives, assured that the difficulty of finding the meeting place means that it...