Buena Vista
I first met Cody at a public meeting at the Buena Vista Audubon Society Nature Center in Oceanside in August of 2015. It was a gathering of volunteers organizing a signature drive for a citizens’ referendum. I hadn’t heard of Cody before, and I didn’t know anyone there personally, but I recognized a name or two. One of those was Dee, who had initiated the referendum and was chairing the meeting. Out of about 30 people attending, 23 were women.
Dee introduced Cody and spoke of her modest fame, not in politics, but in an aquatic sport. According to Dee, Cody’s involvement in a coastal sport somehow made her a leader on environmental issues. It was an assertion made without much explanation or evidence, but protecting the environment was central to the referendum's message.
Cody and I, along with a few others, were asked to serve as precinct leaders. As we registered signature gatherers for our respective voter districts, Cody and I chatted casually. I noticed an attractive woman who appeared to trail Cody as they moved through the room. Their closeness was evident, though Cody was clearly the Alpha in the relationship, as she seemed to be among all the women there. The woman appeared to be a few years older than Cody—closer to my age—but not a generational difference.
As Cody and I talked, her companion hurried over but said nothing. Neither she nor Cody offered an introduction. She looked at me with quiet suspicion, as if I might be encroaching on something. She reminded me of Helen Reddy.
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