And with that, Marge, I walked out and left them sittin’ there big-eyed…. Yes, dear, I’ll take a cup of coffee—strong. Yes, your friend Mildred is upset!
DISCONTENT
MARGE, I don’t usually interfere with strangers on the street and neither do I butt my nose into people’s business ’cause folks have been known to get killed on account of that sort of thing, and I want to be around here for a long time to come … but as the man says, it’s the exception that proves the rule.
Girl, I’m not interested in how much you spent on your Christmas presents ’cause that money is as gone as yesterday’s snow, I don’t care how you figure it. Let’s talk about now…. Of course, I liked my present, and by the way, how did you know I needed a sequin bed jacket? … Well, you sure are a good guesser because I know I never mentioned it!
Getting back to my story, when I was comin’ home from work this evenin’, I passed one of them step-ladder speakers, and I mean to tell you he had some lot of people standin’ around listenin’ to him. There he was just a-wavin’ his arms and hollerin’ real loud ’bout food prices bein’ so high and the bus and subway fares goin’ up, and honey that cold weather wind was whippin’ his coattail to a frazzle, so I thought to myself, “If he got the gumption to stand on that cold corner and talk, I’ll have the grace to stay with him a while.”
Well, he did right well, although I figured he jumped around too much instead of stickin’ to one subject…. You know what I mean. He’d talk about Jim Crow a bit and just when you got interested in hearin’ all about that, he’d go talkin’ about unemployment, and then on top of that he was talkin’ too long, and I got to go to work in the mornin’, so as much as I wanted to hear it all, I had to leave….
No, Marge! I didn’t tell him all that! I just left peaceable and quiet…. Well, another woman was leavin’ at the same time and I heard her grumble, “If he don’t like it here, why don’t he go somewhere else!” I turned around to look at her and she looked a whole lot better than she sounded, so I said to her, “You better wish he stays right here, if you know what’s good for you.”
“Well,” she says, “if he’s discontented he oughta go where he’ll be content. After all, everybody ain’t dissatisfied!” Since she was travellin’ in my direction, I walked right along beside her. “Listen here, lady,” I says, “you work eight hours a day instead of twelve or fourteen because a gang of dissatisfied folks raised sand until they made it a law, and if they had all gone somewhere else you would still be on the job now instead of on your way home for supper.
“Discontented brothers and sisters made little children go to school instead of workin’ in the factory. A whole lot of angry, discontented women fixed things so that we womenfolk could vote. All these different denominations of churches were set up because folks were discontented with one or another of them. Look at these housing projects—they were built because some folks were fightin’ mad about livin’ in slums. And you get paid a certain amount of money per hour ’cause folks were discontented with less, and if you belong to a union you know full well that it wasn’t started by folks that loved their bosses.
“Another thing … public schools were not started by parents who were content with private ones. Why, whoever invented a washing machine must have figured that an awful lot of women were discontented with washin’ boards … and when it comes to your remarkin’ the fact that everybody ain’t dissatisfied, all I can say is there was a whole gang of folks who didn’t think Social Security or Unemployment Insurance was necessary, but try to take it away from them now that they’ve got it, and you’ll hear a different tone!”
… No, Marge, she didn’t get mad. All she said was, “My, I never looked at it that way, I guess you’re right.” We parted good friends and the last thing I told her was, “When we get peace in the world it will only go to prove my point: people are sure discontented and dissatisfied with war!”
… That’s right, Marge! Why if man was content to walk there would be no airplanes or trains! Girl, some people spend a lot of time fightin’ advancement, but after all the Good Book says, “Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge; but he that hateth reproof is brutish.”
NORTHERNERS CAN BE SO SMUG
GIRL, I TRIED to hold my peace, I tried to let things go by the board, I did my best to remember all the things you told me, but before the night was over, I just had to speak my mind! … Yes, it was a nice meetin’ as meetin’s go. Of course you know I don’t consider a meetin’ to be the last word as far as a good time is concerned. I go to them ’cause sometimes folks got to meet in order to straighten out things, and I feel that it’s my beholden duty to be right there meetin’ along with everybody else.
Marge, the church was crowded, and it would have done your heart good if you could of been there to see that fine turnout! … It’s a good thing that you had a toothache ’cause I wouldn’t of taken nothin’ else for a excuse! … No, I don’t mean that I’m glad your tooth is achin’, and you know it! … Why do you always twist and turn every word I say…. I don’t mean every word, I only mean some words! … Are you feelin’ better now? … Well, that’s good. Do you want me to tell you ’bout the meetin’? … All right, I’ll begin at the beginnin’.
Honey, they raised some money this evenin’! This civil rights business has got folks so tore up ’til they’re really ready to dig down in their pocketbooks and put some money where their mouth is! The whole idea of givin’ the money is simply this: they’re gonna send it down South to help out people who are catchin’ a hard time ’cause they want to vote and ride the buses and things like that…. Yes, they had several speakers there and they spoke right well.
The minister introduced one white man who got up and started his speech by sayin’, “The South today is in a state …” and then he went on to tell us all about the state of things. After he finished a colored man got up and started his speech by sayin’ “The South has always been in a state …” Then he went on to further tell us ’bout the state of things. Two or three more people spoke a little bit, and I’m here to tell you that they gave the South a hard way to go! Oh, it was the South this and the South that and by the time they got through, I don’t think there was another bad word to say ’bout the South ’cause they had said ’em all!
When the question and answer time came, everybody started in on the South all over again and took it from slavery and traveled each day and year right back on up to nineteen hundred and fifty-six. I learned a lot, but it seemed to me that we was forgettin’ that this land also has a North, East and West to it! Since I didn’t think we should be so forgetful I got up to say my say.
When it came my turn, I said, “We have heard a great deal about the South tonight and rightly so, but I’m wonderin’ if we got room to just low-rate the South in such a sweepin’ manner….” Marge, before I could go on with what I had to say, there was a little disturbance in the back of the auditorium, and one squeaky-voiced little man jumped up and said, “Yes, that’s right, before we get on the South, let’s take care of the North!”
… Now, he wasn’t doin’ a thing but tryin’ to mislead the people, so I kept standin’ and got him out of my way! “Never mind that before business,” I says, “but let’s take care of the North while we’re gettin’ on the South! To hear us talk, anybody would think the North was some kind of promise-land come true. All is not sweetness and light just ’cause we’re on the North side of the Mason and Dixon line!
“But the main thing I want us to remember is that there’s lots of good people down South!” Marge, they started to mumble then, and I could see that I wasn’t gettin’ too much agreement on the last thing that I had said, “Yes,” I says, “good people. When we talk about slave days let’s bear in mind that there was plenty of white folks who helped the slaves to escape, Southern folks. No, they didn’t get the honor and the glory like the Abolitionists in the North ’cause they had to work quiet and secret and it was worth their lives if they got caught. I
heard about them Southern ship captains who took slaves out of the South and hid them ’til they got to freeland, I heard about Southerners who bought slaves in order to bring them, to the North and set them free, I heard of Southern homes where the poor ‘run-away’ found rest and food and hope. Believe me, when I say that it took nerve and courage to fight slavery right there in the teeth of it, so to speak! It wouldn’t be right for us to forget those things ’cause even though there was more help comin’ from the North, it was harder to get help in the South and for that reason it was worth its weight in gold!”
One woman sittin’ behind me, whispered, “We don’t want to make them Southerners sound like no angels now.” And I said, “We got to give credit where credit is due at the same time that we’re puttin’ the blame to the South! Are we goin’ to forget the judge in Carolina that spoke up for us, are we goin’ to forget how he had to leave his home for sayin’ what was on his mind? … Are we gonna forget the man in Kentucky who sold a colored family a home and got put in jail for it? Are we goin’ to forget those youngsters in Alabama who signed a paper sayin’ that they didn’t want to have nothin’ to do with mobs and that they were for the right of a colored student to go to their college? Are we gonna forget the folks who refuse to join up with klans and such? Are we gonna forget them Southerners who made trips to people’s homes to warn them that bad white folks was comin’ over to molest them? Oh, yes, there’s been a lot of good Southerners who took a stand for the right even when the goin’ was lonely-like and frightenin’, when they got chased from their homes, when ‘friends’ wouldn’t talk to them, when they got ugly telephone calls and letters. Oh, my, but it ain’t easy to do right in the midst of all that killin’, burnin’ and mobbin’ that’s goin’ on!”
One of the speakers interrupted me and said, “They ought to be doin’ a whole lot more. After all, it’s their laws that’s makin’ all the trouble!” “You are so right,” I says, “and we oughta encourage ’em! We got to start showin’ that we know how some of the folks are scared and pep-talk ’em a little bit! When we hear that there’s a mob made up of hundreds of folks, we got to realize that the other thousands upon thousands was not out there with ’em and got to ask ’em how come they can’t show some gumption and start doin’ and speakin’ against the mobs instead of sittin’ home washin’ their hands of it like Pontius Pilate. For too long they have been allowed to think that we don’t expect any good to come from them, that we just fold our hands and say, ‘Oh, well, they’re Southerners, so what can you expect?’ We got to start sayin’ to ’em, ‘Speak up so’s we can hear you, if everybody ain’t for oppressin’, then let those that’s against it stand up and be counted! We got to include ’em in the stand! We got to write some of their churches and clubs and things and ask ’em, ‘Where are you and what are you goin’ to do?’ When we get their answers, we’ll have it down in black and white for the whole world to see! And I bet we’ll rack up a few more friends down that way!”
The lady behind me says to me, “Honey, they should speak if they feel right! Looks like we’d be goin’ out of our way to be askin’ ’em about it.”
“Yes,” I says, “we would, but it’s goin’ to take some out-of-the-way things to change them Southern laws! After all, we sure hear plenty from the folks who don’t want the law to change and from the Northerners who’re willin’ to go part-way with the civil rights but hang back some when it comes to livin’ the thing right down the line!”
Marge, I got solid agreement on that ’cause folks know that even though our laws are much better than down home, we still got to put up such a to-do to get what the law promises. Didn’t they try to keep the man out of the housin’ project out in Chicago, didn’t they have mobs gatherin’? How ’bout folks tarrin’ the colored woman’s home out in Long Island? Mobs and meanness can happen in any part of the land but them laws in the South just make it easier for it to go on!
Sure, I told them all those things and they had to listen to me, too, ’cause while we’re settlin’ the trouble down South, we got to remember that we want all our rights, everywhere and this is no time for Northerners to get so smug…. You’re right, girl! All the colored folk that’s standin’ up and talkin’ out in Mississippi, Alabama, Kentucky, Carolina and all over the South, ain’t they Southerners, too! Yes, indeed, we got to send the message East, West, North and South …. It’s high time that the land should be free, from one corner to the other!
LET’S FACE IT
TODAY I HAVE a good feelin’! Marge, life has its moments and every once in a while you hit up on one of them and you wouldn’t take anything in the world for what it feels like! One good day like this one will last me a long time to come!
You know I worked hard today, but I really enjoyed every blessed minute of it because my mornin’ got off to a rousin’ good start! Well, Mrs. M … has house guests visitin’ her. Guess where they are from! … Well, no point in you guessin’ ’cause I’m glad to tell you. They are from Alabama! It seems they are some kind of far-removed cousins, and they are up here doin’ the town for a couple of weeks. I don’t get to see much of the woman because she is out shoppin’ and seein’ shows durin’ the daytime, but her husband sticks close to the house and spends his time scribblin’ things down on paper.
They have been hangin’ around for nearly a week already and I was feelin’ kinda sorry for Mr. and Mrs. M … ’cause the whole business is developin’ into quite a strain. Mrs. M…. was followin’ me from room to room in order to keep him out of my way and whenever I had to do any cleanin’ in Mr. Alabama’s, she would try to steer him to the other end of the house. Oh, I was wise to the drift of things and as I said, I felt sorry for Mrs. M ….
She was scared out of her wits that Mr. Alabama was gonna say somethin’ wrong. It seems like I was drawin’ him like a magnet ’cause she really had her work cut out for her. Every time he’d come hoverin’ around she’d think up some reason to call him into another room. “Come on in here, Billy, I’m goin’ to fix us some coffee,” or, “come here, Billy, there’s a very interestin’ program on T.V.,” and things like that.
I guess it had her pure wore-out because after a while she calls me in her bedroom and whispers to me, “Mildred, Billy is from Alabama, and he has some strange ways and right now he is just eaten up with what’s goin’ on down there.” “Is that so?” I says. “Yes,” she answered, “you know how the colored people are insistin’ on the school situation and things like that.” “Indeed,” says I. “Oh, yes,” she says, “and while Mr. M … and I are very up-to-date in our ideas, Billy sees things a little differently.” “You don’t say!” I says.
You should have seen her runnin’ her hands through her hair and glancin’ back over her shoulder like she expected Billy Alabama to come in on us any moment. “Mildred,” she mumbled, “I’m so afraid he’ll say or do somethin’ offensive, but I can’t keep him out of your way all the time, so if he says anything to you I want you to feel perfectly free to speak right up and express yourself.” I laughed a little then, “Put your mind at ease, Mrs. M…. because I will surely do just that!”
Marge, when I said that she began to look more worried than ever and adds, “I wish you would handle the matter without name-callin’ or makin’ a big scene. I’d consider that a favor because Billy is very stubborn about certain things, but on the other hand he is a good man in a great many ways. For example, when my mother died, he was real nice about helpin’ out the family and he did see that my brother was able to finish school and …” I held my hand up real calm and solemn-like, “Don’t worry about it ’cause if he don’t holler and beller at me, I don’t see any reason why I should lose my head about anything.” She sighed a big sigh of relief and went on, “No, he wouldn’t do that and although he’s a bit narrowminded, he is genteel.” I nodded and smiled my agreement, and she and I parted company and went on about our business.
I was dustin’ the books in the library when Mr. Billy Alabama of the genteel, narro
wminded school of thought finally caught up with me. Marge, that man’s eyes was as cold as a icecube at the North Pole! But his mouth was neatly tucked up at each corner so that he looked like he was wearin’ some kinda false-face smile.
“Well, sister …” Yes, that’s just the way he started off! My mind started runnin’ like a sewin’ machine, and before he got the next words out I had given myself two or three private words of instruction. “Mildred,” I says to myself, “don’t ask him if you look like one of his mother’s children, don’t call him ‘brother’ and don’t tip your hand one way or the other until you get the full message that’s on Billy Alabama’s mind.”
Just as these thoughts twittered through my mind, he was still talkin’. “… seems like you kinda busy there this afternoon! I was just tellin’ my cousin how I couldn’t help but admire your ways. Yes, indeed, I told her, ‘That girl really impresses me as bein’ right smart and you mighty luck to have her, what with times bein’ what they are today with first one thing and then another.’”
Honey, I pinned a smile on, too, and sorta nodded in a general kinda way. Of course he took that as the high-sign to move on up a little higher. “I’m tellin’ you these are some terrible times we livin’ in and like I was sayin’ to my wife this mornin’, ‘Darlin’, between the atomic bomb and the races fightin’ one another and the high cost of livin’, it strikes me that it just ain’t worth a man’s time to get out of bed in the mornin’,’ Yes, that’s what I told her. But she’s a very remarkable woman, and I’m glad to say that she always looks at things on the brighter side, so she says, ‘Billy, there’s no sense in bein’ down at the mouth all the time because the world is gonna keep on turnin’ and the sun’s gonna keep on risin’, and this race business is gonna straighten out, no matter how dark the picture might be at the present moment!’ Yes, that’s what she said! Her words started me to thinkin’ and the more I thought the more convinced I was that she just might be dead right. Well, sister, I’m not losin’ my faith in Nigras….”
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