Kay Treakle, Calla Lily Rebel

Greenpeace Seattle was wonderfully, and stupidly, open to all.  We invited participation from anyone who walked through the door… well, not quite anyone.  There were a few idiots and stoners, who were ignored, not invited to help, and who generally went away.  It was a Darwinist culture: people volunteered to do tasks, and if they were good at it, they were given more responsibility, and then more, until we became dependent on them for whatever role they fulfilled.  Which is when they generally said: “I need to get paid”.  That’s kind of how we got our staff.  Natural selection.

The decision-making body was the Steering Committee, which met on Thursday evening, and involved anyone who was actively performing a job, volunteer or otherwise.  Amazingly, we decided everything by consensus: we’d talk decisions out until everyone agreed, or abstained, or was too exhausted by the interminable discussions that they shut up.  Still, the process did help build confidence in what we were doing, albeit at the expense of a lot of talk.

Money was an issue.  We raised funds initially by staging a walkathon, but that revenue went directly to support a campaign to confront Soviet whalers.  Rent, mail, utilities, office supplies, travel, and salaries were funded through donations, memberships, and merchandise sales.  A very limited income stream.  So the Steering Committee viewed every requested expense as competition for funds that could support campaigns.  We were really cheap.

Which bring us to the Great Typewriter Caper.  We picked up staff one position at a time, as need developed, and as funding allowed.  We reached a stage where a half dozen of us were sharing desks, and jointly using a donated manual typewriter, which generally had a line waiting to use it.  Kay proposed purchasing an electric typewriter, which, since they were far quicker, would more than double our capacity to compose copy.  The Steering Committee weighed the request, back and forth…  “But we need the money for a banner, for the seals, for a bookkeeper…”

After a month of indecision, and in total opposition all office protocols, young Kay Treakle thought “this is bullshit!”, walked down the Ave to the University Bookstore, and bought a brand new IBM Selectric, carried it into the office, plugged it in, and began typing a letter.  When she was done, Jon was waiting to use it.  Then Julie.  Then Campbell.  Nobody said a thing.  Not one word.  And at the next Steering Committee meeting, Kay submitted the receipt for reimbursement, which was immediately approved.  Since everyone had already used the damned thing, how could they complain?

Incredibly minor, but classic Kay.  She saw a problem, saw group equivocation that made no sense, assessed that action would lead to a resolution, took that action, and never looked back.  Work in the office was far more efficient, the Steering Committee could still argue interminably, and her action added to the trust we all came to have in her leadership.