RANKED #1 in 1950s (7-12-18)
RANKED #4 in history (6-1-18)
RANKED #3 in history (7-12-18)
After the Supreme Court ruled that schools were officially integrated in the Brown Vs Brown case, black and white kids were able to go to school together.
Ther...
Charlie stepped off the public hound and leaned across a building, waiting for Gladys to get off of the hound. He did not know particularly what he was doing. He knew he should have just gone to the supermarket as soon as he got off the hound, but that was the last thing on his mind. He wanted to continue talking to Gladys, so he waited patiently for her. People were walking by, and some were black, so no one would suspect a thing. It wasn't like black people couldn't do fun things or go shopping, they'd just have to fear running into a racist, white person to ruin their day.
Gladys was one of the last people to get off the hound. As she stood on the sidewalk, she noticed Charlie leaning across a building. What was he still doing here? She had expected him to take the hint and go about his business. She had no intentions of talking to him for the simple fact that he was white and she didn't think that was alright. It was weird talking to him on the hound stop; she didn't want another repeat of that. No one had ever bothered to strike a conversation with her that much—not even a black guy. She liked to keep to herself. Charlie obviously couldn't take that hint. So, as she walked along the side walk and passed Charlie, she pretended like she didn't see him.
"Mind if I go to the library with ya?" Charlie appeared beside her—within a reasonable distance, of course.
"Don't you got somethin' to do?" Gladys raised her eyebrows, looking ahead. She refused to make eye contact with Charlie while they were out in public. She didn't even make eye contact that much when they were alone.
"Yeah, but it can wait." Charlie shrugged his shoulders. He really just felt like being in her company. It was a strange feeling, but he felt like he just got to know her a little bit. It wouldn't hurt to get to know her a little more.
"Ion care if you come. Don't think I'ma talk to you." Gladys said quietly.
She had a sharp tone, which made Charlie only want to talk to her more.
He quietly followed her to the library. He almost opened the door for her, but he decided against it. Around here, men only opened doors for white women; they never held doors open for colored women. They expected colored women and men to hold the doors open for them, though. It was all kind of messed up, but it was the way things were.
The library was nearly empty, except a few people browsing for books. Charlie did not fail to notice the dirty look the librarian gave Gladys. Gladys pretended like it didn't phase her, but Charlie knew it did. He could tell by the slight frown on her face; her entire demeanor seemed somber.
"Good afternoon." The librarian smiled at Charlie.
"Good afternoon, ma'am." Charlie waved back to the librarian.
Charlie discreetly followed Gladys to the back of the library because he didn't want the librarian seeing that they were together. Charlie watched how Gladys' face lit up when she was surrounded by an endless supply of books. There was one more thing he learned about her: she didn't just like reading, she seemed to love it.
"I been waitin' all month to buy some books." She whispered, her fingers touching the seams of books.
"Why all month?" Charlie raised his eyebrows, sticking his hands in his pockets.
"Cuz I finally got some money." She said sadly.
Charlie frowned a bit; he didn't know she had to wait an entire month to buy a couple of books. He could buy books every couple of weeks if he wanted to because his financial situation was stable enough. Charlie didn't want to make her feel bad about it.
"You're buying them now." He placed a hand on her forearm and gave her a soft smile. "That's all that matters."
Gladys eyed his hand on her forearm, and Charlie took that as a hint to remove it.
Gladys looked up and down for the books of her favorite author, but she couldn't seem to find them. Some books weren't even placed in the correct category; whoever worked here needed to reorganize everything.
"I cain't find the books." Gladys frowned.
"I'm sure we can ask the librarian." Charlie suggested.
"I can try but she ain't gone be much help." Gladys sighed and walked to the front counter. "Excuse me ma'am, do you have any Gwendolyn Brooks books?"
"No, nigger. I don't." The librarian pursed her lips together. Gladys felt the tight lump in her throat from hearing that hateful world.
"Okay, thank you anyway." Gladys nodded her head and stepped away from the counter.
Charlie watched the whole scene unfold and became slightly angry. All Gladys wanted to do was to find a couple of books, and the whack job of a librarian couldn't help her do that. It wasn't like Gladys was asking for too much. So, Charlie cleared his throat and stepped up to the counter.
"Excuse me, ma'am. Do you have any Gwendolyn Brooks books?" He said with a slightly agitated tone.
"You know that's a nigger author, boy?" The librarian raised her eyebrows.
"I do." He nodded his head. "Do you have any in stock?"
"They're over there in the trash pile." The librarian pointed to a shelf of torn books.
"Thank you." Charlie walked over towards the shelf.
He grabbed a few books and walked back to the counter. He bought them with the money his mother gave him to go to the supermarket. He hd to use his own money to go on errands for his mom anyway. She probably felt bad and that was why she gave him a little extra. He didn't use all of the money; he would just fib and say he lost some of the money while riding the hound. At least he would bring some of the items off her list home, just not everything. Charlie felt the glares the librarian sent them as he and Gladys walked out of the library together.
"How much I owe you?" Gladys was referring to the books Charlie just bought her.
"A trip to the supermarket." Charlie answered with a smile on his face.
"Why you bein' so nice to me?" Gladys shook her head. "Ion understand."
"You razz my berries. I think you're quite alright and that's the word from the bird." Charlie nodded his head.
"Okay, iah go to the supermarket witchu, but I cain't stay long." Gladys smiled small. Charlie got her to smile; it was a great rest of the day already.
When they got to the supermarket, they got the same looks of hate—like the librarian gave them. Charlie pretended like he didn't see any of it because it would ruin his day. And he was having a great day so far; he hadn't had this much fun in a while.
Charlie watched as Gladys walked down an aisle, and he walked down the one next to it just so he could meet her at the end. He gave her a soft smile, as they reached the end of the aisles. She pretended like she didn't want to smile, as she quickly turned her head away, but Charlie knew she wanted to. He could tell he was making her giddy, even if it was just a little bit.
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Charlie could honestly say he wasn't thinking about the color of their skin; they were just two people who were having fun. They spoke like they'd been friends—whenever Gladys decided she wanted to keep the conversation going. Charlie was glad he waited for Gladys to get off the hound, he really was.
•••
Slang in the 1950's:
razz my berries - excite or impress me word from the bird - the truth
