The Diversity Story

Chapter 5: Mary Makes A Deal

In the hallway, Charlie was speeding towards the stairs and began to head upstairs to the bedroom for white children. He almost made it to the top when he heard Mary calling for him.

"Charlie. Charlie, wait. Please?"

"I'm sorry, but I just remembered: I can't help you."

"What?"

"It's not that I don't want to. It's just I can't."

"No, you don't understand. Every day, the owners make us do grueling labor, and if we escape, they whip us, and when we die...they burn us."

"It's a cruel world. You'll get used to it. Now, if you excuse me..." he continues to walk upstairs.

"But, Charlie, you're the only white here who's from up North. You can lead us."

The Yankee stopped dead in his tracks and glanced back at Mary. "And by "us", you mean...all of you??"

"Yes. That's what I've been trying to tell you."

"Hold on. Wait. Let me get this straight: you wanna get every last negro out of this orphanage at the same time??"

"Yes."

"That's so unpredictable," he snickered. "No one can pull that off. It's suicidal."

"When there's a will, there's a way."

"And I could not agree with you more, and as a matter of fact, I will be walking that way."

As Charlie resumed climbing the steps, Mary felt discouraged. The only white boy in the orphanage who's from New York and has a map. And yet, he's not gonna help them. She was about to walk away when she got an idea.

"You know what? Fine. Don't help us...just like the whites down here. Why should we expect anything different from you?" Charlie looks back at her. "I'll just tell my friends that Charlie Chapman, the white boy from New York, changed his mind. You'll go about your life, and we'll just stay here and be whipped, shot at, sprayed, and of course, burn to ashes in a furnace when we die. After all, it is a cruel world, right?"

Mary starts to head back to the bedroom when Charlie slid down the railing and followed her. "Wait! Miss? Alright, I'll help." Mary smiles slyly. "I know a couple of guys who can hook you up. Honest guys, really. They can get you anything you need."

"You promised?"

"Cross my heart. Anything."

Mary turns around and holds out her hand. "Then, prove it. Do we have a deal?" Charlie looks at her, still unsure of what to think. He'd never thought he would have to help anyone escape. Both know that a negro girl and a Yankee boy working together would mean trouble for them. Still, he might as well return the favor since they fixed his arm. Determined, he took her hand, and they shook in agreement.

"Okay."

"Great."

"Let's just hope you know what you're doing, Miss-mmph!" He was cut off when Mary placed her finger on his mouth.

"By the way...the name is Mary." She took her hand off and strolled back to the bedroom. Charlie just exhaled sharply and went upstairs.