Stephanie Bond - Baby, Dont Go

A licia Randall burst into her editors office. I have my next story!

Nina Halleck, executive editor of Feminine Power magazine, looked up from her desk and laughed. Please, come in.

Alicia smirked. Sorry, Nina, but youre not going to believe this. Theres a small town in Georgia that imported women for their men.

Nina squinted. Mail order brides?

More like bringing the entire catalog to town for the men to browse, Alicia said dryly.

Nina pursed her mouth. Okay, thats a spin on matchmaking. Whats the name of the town?

Alicia settled a hip on the edge of Ninas desk, distantly registering the Manhattan skyline view. The place is called Sweetness. Isnt that great? I cant make this stuff up.

Was there a shortage of women in this Sweetness?

Apparently, it was an abandoned mountain town that was being rebuilt, and there were no women. So a year ago the town leadersall mentook out an ad in a newspaper in the town of Broadway, Michigan for she looked at her notes single women with a pioneering spirit, offering free room and board, and lots of single, Southern men.

Why Broadway, Michigan?

From what I can gather, Broadway was hit particularly hard by the downturn in the economy. I guess they thought women there would be desperate to relocate.

Did anyone respond?

Yesa large group of women went down, a hundred or so.

And?

And Alicia leaned forward. I want to go down there and see whats going on. It could be my next topic for the Undercover Feminist column.

Nina set down her pen. Do you think theyre doing something illegal?

Not necessarily. But doesnt it assault your sensibilities to think of a group of Neanderthals advertising for women to come and service them?

Do the Neanderthals have a name?

Alicia checked her notes again. Armstrong Marcus, Kendall and Porter Armstrongbrothers. Apparently they grew up in Sweetness. About ten years ago, an F-5 tornado blew the town off the map.

Nina grimaced. Loss of life?

None. It was called the Sweetness Miracle.

I think I remember when that happened. I was writing copy for TV news. Nina glanced upward, as if she were searching her memory banks. No one was killed, but every building and home was destroyedand maybe a water tower survived? Something like that.

Sounds right.

Hmm. So these Armstrong brothers are restoring their hometown?

According to the town website, they have a federal grant to rebuild based on a green initiativerecycling, alternative energy, tree-hugger stuff.

Soundswholesome.

Its a great cover, Alicia agreed. Especially if theyre starting their own commune.

So what do you have in mind for a story?

I want to do an expos of this chauvinistic matchmaking experiment of theirs.

By going undercover? As what?

What else? A woman with a pioneering spirit looking for a single, Southern man.

Nina released a laugh. You, on a manhunt? Alicia, when was the last time you even had a boyfriend?

Alicia narrowed her eyes. I wrote an entire feature on why that B-word should be stricken from every womans vocabulary.

I remember, Nina said. Sorryold habits die hard. Besides, when I called Henry my manfriend, he said it made him feel like a butler. She tilted her head. But you digresswhat administration was in power when you last had a man in your life?

Alicia frowned. I dont need a man in my life, and I dont want a man in my life.

My point exactlyso how do you propose to pass yourself off as a woman on the prowl?

I took acting classes in college, Alicia said with a shrug. Besides, anything for a good story, right?

If there is a story. The Armstrong brothers didnt exactly coerce those women into moving there, did they?

Not that I can tell.

Soits a free country. Maybe they have the right idea, bringing men and women together to build a community from scratch.

It was Ninas job to play the devils advocate, Alicia conceded. Tell you whatI have a few weeks of vacation coming, and my mother has been after me to visit her since she moved to Atlanta. Why dont I head down and check out this place while Im there?

When did your mother move to Atlanta?

Six months ago with her new boyfriendum, Bo.

Bo? Thats his real name?

Evidently.

Her boss considered her with shrewd eyes. Alicia, are you sure this idea isnt to satisfy some sort of personal vendetta to prove men and women cant be happy together?

Alicia scoffed. The divorce rate in this country already proves that. Whatever I find in Sweetness will merely be anecdotal. Come on, I have a gut feeling that something will come of this. Will you authorize the expenses?

Nina gave a rueful laugh. Okay, its your vacation. Then Nina took off her glasses and leaned back in her chair. Aliciathe magazine has been approached about making your column a syndicated blog.

Surprise and happiness shot through Alicia. Thats great news!

Yes, it is, Nina agreed with a smile. Congratulations. I wasnt supposed to say anything yet, but if this trip youre planning turns up something interesting, it might be the right material for a blog series. It could be your first piece, a way to pull in readers right up front and develop a following.

Alicia nodded. Maybe I can get some of the women from Broadway to tell their personal storiesanonymously, of course.

I like it, Nina agreed. It has broad appeal and a human factorI think readers will go for it. Then she gestured to Alicias dark razor-cut hair, Nanette Lepore pantsuit and Stuart Weitzman pumps. Youre going to have to take it down a notch if youre going undercover in a mountain town, dont you think?

Alicia gave a dismissive wave. Ive been camping before.

When?

When I was nine, my dad and his secondno, third wife took me to the Met to camp overnight.

The Met?

It was a special programthe museum set up tents in the atrium.

Oh, yeah, thats exactly the same as living in a mountain town.