And Then They Were Gone
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Chapter 12 Precious Acts of treason. April to October 1978 small mercies and solace. Newcomers to Jonestown quickly learned it was safest to keep their doubts and dreams to themselves. Deborah Layton writes in her book, Seductive Poison that those who voiced fears or criticism were often reported even by friends and family. Once you were in, it didn't take long to learn the ropes, keep your head down and don't talk unless it's absolutely necessary for each person showing weakness by speaking of his or her fears. Another would become more trusted for reporting it. Jim Jones worked to foster suspicion and fear among the ranks, dividing couples and setting family members and friends against one another, but he could not entirely squelch protest or keep teenagers from being teenagers. Neither could he smother camaraderie. Even in this environment, many took risks for friendship or love or found ways to commit other precious acts of treason. As Deborah put it both small and large. Deborah describes the first of several such acts she would experience in Jonestown that took place on her very first day when she and her mother, Lisa Leighton first arrived, their luggage was searched standard protocol for newcomers by then personal items such as letters and medications were always confiscated during such searches for someone suffering from cancer. As her mother was having medication taken away could be dangerous. But an elderly black committee member who knew Mama hid one of Lisa's bottles of medication. A painkiller called Pergo that she needed quietly stuffing it back down into her bag. Much later, Deborah was to see some of her mother's other confiscated medications on a shelf. In Jim jones' cottage. Steven found a retreat from the deterioration of conditions in Jonestown in the form of the wilderness. Just as he had in Redwood Valley. It was a source of solace. He was also able to share with both his mother and grandmother, Lynetta Jones before she died in late 1977. Wright in orphans of Jonestown relates the story of Stephen's gift to Lynetta of a trip into the wild 78 and suffering from emphysema. She had nearly died from the trip on the roiling Atlantic from Georgetown and then upriver to Jonestown. Stephen had often visited his grandmother in her cabin where too weak to get up. She gazed out at the jungle begging Stephen for stories of his adventures in the woods. He made up his mind. He had to take her there. Even if it killed her one day in December, he carried her in his arms to his haven in the jungle where Lynetta wet. The only time Stephen ever saw his grandmother in tears. She died. Three days later, Stephen told Wright one day, Stephen was finally able to show his mother his jungle retreat rider man. And Jacobs tell how Stephen took Marceline first to a no that had a view of Jonestown. She took it in for some time in silence. Then she turned to Stephen and told him she had been afraid that moving to Jonestown might stifle his creativity forever, that Jones might crush his spirit. But looking down on the thoughtfully arranged clusters of buildings from animal shelters, gathering places, cottages, and her beloved nursery, she realized he had found an outlet for his creativity. He had helped design and build something important for the people he loved. And she saw that Stephen took pride in what he and others had done. Then he took his mother to his jungle refuge, a green and peaceful spot, water splashing into a small pond. She knew that Stephen had found a place in the wilderness where he could escape periodically from his father's madness. That day will become a memory. Both of them would cherish another kind of escape from Jonestown. They found on that walk, came in an unlikely format.