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wrong.
    â€œWe’re holding a protest outside of Argenta’s offices,” I blurt once I’m in the living room.
    Mom says nothing at first. I can tell her thoughts are racing. She squints, then scowls, then chews her bottom lip, then goes calm and smiles at me. Then she starts squinting again. I wait for the next smile, and then I start in.
    â€œI couldn’t have told you because you would have told Slick—I mean, your boyfriend—and that would ruin it.”
    â€œWhen are you doing this thing?”
    â€œNext Friday. It’s a Pro-D day.”
    â€œBut why a protest? Why don’t you write letters, circulate a petition—”
    â€œMom, that’s been done. Lawyers have written letters for two years. They don’t get an answer.”
    â€œA letter isn’t really your style, Liza, I admit that.” Mom smiles. “It’s just, well, it’s awkward, with Robert being my—”
    â€œFine!” I say. Why had Mom gone so wobbly? “The Maya can drink from poisoned wells!”
    â€œWhoa, Liza. It’s just that, in families, we need to respect each other, support each other.”
    â€œSlick isn’t part of our family, Mom,” I say.
    â€œWell, he’s pretty close. Anyway, it isn’t fair to embarrass friends.”
    â€œI’m not embarrassing him , Mom. This is about Argenta Oil. There’s no sign saying Robert is Scum .”
    â€œLiza!”
    â€œI’ve thought about this, Mom, I really have. I’m not out to get Robert. Argenta owes money, and they’ve got lots to spare. They think no one will notice because Guatemala’s far away. Well, we’re bringing Guatemala to their front door. Hey! Good idea. I wonder if it’s too late to get some dirt from Guatemala shipped up. That would be cool!”
    â€œYou wouldn’t have time,” Mom says. “Soil is live. You can’t transport live things across the border without a period in quarantine. But it is a good idea.” Mom smiles. Then she looks me gently in the eyes. “Sweetie, I can’t keep this a secret from Robert.”
    â€œBut that will ruin the protest, Mom!” I say. “He’ll tell, and they’ll close the office for the day. We want everyone in that building to know that their employer won’t clean up its own crap.”
    â€œWatch your language!” Mom scolds. Her face starts its contortions of thought again. Then she calms. “Liza, I’m really very proud of you. You got all these girls together, you’ve planned an event, you’re speaking out against injustice—”
    She looks dreamily out the window. “Maybe I should join Voice of Women for Peace again,” she wonders aloud. “Or WILPF.”
    â€œWILPF?” I ask. I jump onto the couch and start barking: “ Wilpf! Wilpf! ”
    â€œWomen’s International League for Peace and Freedom, silly!” Mom laughs. She heads up the stairs to her office. “I’ll just check out their website, see what they’re up to after all these years.”
    â€œSo, Mom?” I call. “Are you going to tell him or not?”
    â€œWhat? Oh. Liza, I can only promise that the company won’t know ahead of time.”
    That would have to be good enough.
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, November 16, 2010
    Attn. Media: Victoria Girls Demand that Argenta Oil Respect the Law:
(Victoria, BC)
Kids may have the day off school, but there’s no day off for justice.
    GRRR!—Girls for Renewable Resources, Really!—will surprise Argenta Oil today with a rally at 10:00 AM.
    Argenta Oil owes fifty Guatemalan families half a million dollars for damage caused by drilling on their land. For two years Mayan coffee farmers of the Ixcán region have asked Argenta Oil to pay up, as required by Guatemalan law. The farmers, with the support of the US group OilWatch, recently launched a court case, which they