More Than Friends

Doomsday

Barri's POV

Michael and I were walking down the street. Michael had on a disguise of course. Michael and I were laughing at whatever stupid thing I said. I accidently bumped into this white guy. "Hey watch where you're going nigger." I turned around so fast. "What did you just say?" I was frowning. Michael was tugging at my arm trying to get me to walk away. "I said watch where you're going nigger. I don't know why this country allows African Americans freedom. Do you know how much easier it would be if I had slaves. There was a time when niggers would clear the side walk for us white folks." "I'll have you know that I am not inferior to anyone. I have as much right to walk on this side walk as anyone else. And if you want free labor then do your work for yourself. Also I am not a  nigger. I am an African American." "I don't even no why I'm talking to you. I can't have a sensible conversation with a stupid nigger." "Come on Baby let's just go." Michael tugged at my arm, but I wouldn't budge. "I  am not stupid. Who put the idea in your head that you're so much better than us African Americans anyways?" "My father and he's never wrong." "Well, I'm sure you wouldn't like it if someone forced you to work long hours with no pay or food. I'm sure you wouldn't like to have to give up your seat to someone else or have worse schooling opportunities than everyone else or get beat down for standing for your rights." "I get your point. You're right. I wouldn't like it one bit. I guess I didn't see it that way. I'm sorry." "I forgive you." The white guy simply just walked away. Michael and I went home. I went in my room and tears started to fall at those awful memories. "Baby, what's wrong?" Michael began drying my tears. "When I was a little girl in 1963, I went to Birmingham Alabama to visit some relatives. I was not use to how stuff worked down south. I'm from Indiana like you. The first thing I saw was that all the African Americans were at one spot and the white people were on the other side of the bus station. I mean once I was with my mother and father and I was hungry. So I asked to go to this little diner that I saw. We went in and I sat at the counter. Everyone was looking at me like I was crazy. My father slapped the back of my head and told me that I was suppose to use the back door and that I wasn't allowed to sit at the counter. I didn't know why at the time. I had to sit at the back of the bus. My mother would pass a perfectly good water fountain to take me to a broken down water fountain, Same thing for restrooms, same with everything. All this time I had no idea why. So I went to this meeting where they were talking about racism and it all clicked. The grown-ups became less willing to fight inequality. So they decided to send kids to protest. The code was Doomsday. My parents did not want me to go to those protest. I went anyways. We marched out of the church. The police and firefighters turned the hoses and dogs on us. I got bit by a dog right here." I showed Michael the scar. "The fire hose was so powerful that it caused me to smack a wall. My head busted open and my shoulder was dislocated. Those white people didn't care. They arrested me. I didn't even have a fifth birthday yet. They arrested so many kids that the jails were filled. I wasn't scared, just in a lot of pain. Finally they released all the kids and I thought we would be seen as equals. That encounter showed me that white people still feel superior." "Baby, I don't think we'll ever get rid of this idea of racism. It's really sad. We automatically get treated differently because of our skin color." "You, can't possibly have any experience with racism." "You'd be surprised. When I was younger and the Jackson 5 had to get Hotel room, they either wouldn't give us one or they'd give us rooms by the dumpsters." "That's terrible Honey. I bet they're regretting that now that you're a superstar." "I'm not that big of a star." "You're so humble." I smiled, but it quickly turned to tears. "I was suppose to go back to Indiana on Doomsday. I stayed for two weeks longer in that prison. I was so happy when I got to see my parents again. My parents decided that I would get better treatment in a hospital in Indiana. So I had to endure my injuries for one more day. By the time I got to a hospital my gash on my head was infected. So they   had to remove the dead flesh and then sew it up. My shoulder was rubbing on my rib cage. It was so painful. I'm so proud of what we kids were able to achieve. The president said that Racism had to end." "See I knew that kids were amazing. They did what the adults didn't want to do." "From that whole experience, the one thing that resonated with me, is that there were these kids who withstood the fire hose by singing the word freedom to the tune of the song  called amen. That guy just brought back all those memories and it makes me think that all of that was a waste of time." Michael pulled me close to him and I rest my head on his chest. He wiped away my tears. "Baby, it was not all for nothing. We don't have to use back doors or be separated. We are now allowed to do the same things that white people do and be in the same places. You know back in the day all the black people would be on one side and all the white people would be on the other side, even though they were all watching the same performance. Now, when I look out into my audience everyone is all mixed together and holding hands, swaying to the music. I'm so proud that you were apart of what made that happened. African Americans are all thankful for what you have done." "You really think so honey?" "I know so." Michael kissed my forehead. We stayed on the bed cuddled together for hours. I'm pretty sure I fell asleep right there in his arms.
------------------------------------------------------ Thank you all so much for reading. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. If couldn't already tell it's a black history month themed chapter. Stay tuned for more updates. As always HEAL THE WORLD.