Erm ... I didn't realize that while I was typing the other, that someone was makign this thread. So I'll save the mods some time and copy over xD
The Intel department notified me that a given fellow protester had spotted a yellow tent in the Ideal Org parking lot. I immediately leapt into action! I loaded some signs and materials to make more into my car and hit the highway.
When I arrived, indeed the tent was there. There were three vehicles, and three men looking very bored. So I decided it was time to spice things up for them, and I started snapping some photographs.
Surprise! SS Ideal Org Flash Raid!
They finally noticed me, and they weren't happy at all. See? One guy even got on the phone immediately.
Surprise! SS Ideal Org Flash Raid!
So when I was bored of standing there photographing the bored Scientologists, I took a stroll around the building to see if anything looked better at all ... at ALL. And the answer is no.
Nope ....
Surprise! SS Ideal Org Flash Raid!
nuh uh.
Surprise! SS Ideal Org Flash Raid!
Hmm mmm.
Surprise! SS Ideal Org Flash Raid!
The opposite of yes.
Surprise! SS Ideal Org Flash Raid!
The rotting base on this column, next to a small sign (back door) about the sales office says "Nothing is better! Please help me before I collapse!"
Of course, I could go on and on about how the building looks like an abandoned rubbish heap, but I'll move on.
After I took a photo of the weather vane that looks like a dollar sign, I took a walk around the front of the building to see exactly how many people were there.
In the front, I met up with another protester and we stood vigil. But we didn't have a sign yet, so I went to my car to get one. "Doug," as he called himself, was waiting for me.
(Me) "Hi! How are ya?"
(Him) "What are you doing here?"
(Me) "Walking around, taking a few pictures."
(Him)"What's your name?"
(Me) I'm not giving you my name."
(Him) "My name's Doug. What's yours?"
(Me) "I'm not giving you my name."
(Him) "Verrryyy intretstinnngggg! VEERRYYY interestingggg!"
(Me) "Yeah. It's because I know about your Fair Game policy, which was supposedly rescinded, but the order to cancel fair game states that the treatment of SPs should remain the same as the original order."
(Him) "Who do you work for?"
(Me) "Big pharma and the German government."
(Him) "You wish." (lol did he think I tried to convince him?!)
(Me) "Uh huh. Everything that Hubbard hates."
(Him) .......
** I get the sign, and he's still lulling around the rear entrance of their property **
(Me) "By the way, how's the law suit against the city going? You know, for not being allowed to get special treatment and close the basement?"
(Him) ....
** I step on the grass just inside the sidewalk on my way past **
(Him)
"Get off our property!"
(me) I'm not ON your property! (It was hard not to laugh)
(Him) "Get OFF the property! I'm alling the police! Get off the property!"
(Me) I was never ON the property. Go ahead and call them"
While we wait for the police to show up, the person in the blue Kia -- the same who photographed us with flash from about 500 feet -- drove through their lot, and Doug spoke with the driver for a bit.
Surprise! SS Ideal Org Flash Raid!
Our license plate numbers were taken, and eventually the police did show up. The officer stopped, and advised us to stay off their property. He sounded a mix between annoyed at such a benign call, and sarcastic because he knew what happened (Doug had overreacted). We assured the officer we had not been on their property. His response? "I know." He said he told them that we were expressing our first amendment rights, and we were being peaceful. Also something along the lines of "I gave them your side and I have to give you theirs." Basically, be sure we don't go onto their property.
So we laughed, and held signs, and people would stop to ask "Scientology is THERE?!" So we handed out a couple fliers, informed a few motorists, and saw more than one pissed off because they didn't know Scientology was moving in. Books sold to non-Scientologists during that time? Zero.
Eventually the Scilons decided to move the tent. We thought they were taking it down, but no.
We also thought they were maybe trying to make the claim of having sold books in two locations. But no such lulz were to be had.
Several more cars pulled up, people started exiting the building (lol what? Why were they all hiding in there?!) and they set up for a good ol' beans and rice cookout. Kidding, OSA. I know someone could have sprung for actual meat and bread for once.
The put the flaps down on the tent, blocking any view from the road, and we drove off to a happy dinner at some place while they ate and pressured each other into buying yet more copies of Dianetics to get their numbers up.
Surprise! SS Ideal Org Flash Raid!
