The Diversity Story

Chapter 6: Nick and Joseph

The next day, in the kitchen, Mary was discussing the plan with her friends while cleaning.

"So, Mary," said Regina. "What did Charlie say?"

"Well, we had a talk, and he said he'll do it."

"Really?"

"Oh, Mary! That's wonderful news," exclaimed Jaliya.

"I can't believe we're actually going up North," said Akela.

Suddenly, Mary saw Mrs. Fletcher walking toward the kitchen and signaled her friends to be quiet.

"What are you all standing around for? Get to work!" Mrs. Fletcher cracks her whip, and the girls scurry back to their stations. Once she was out of the kitchen, they breathed a sigh of relief and laughed. As they went back to work, Charlie crept around the corner and called out to Mary.

"Psst...Mary," he whispered. "Mary."

Mary turns around to see Charlie standing at the doorway, motioning her to him. With no Fletchers in sight, she walked over to him.

"Charlie, what are you doing? You can't bother us during the day."

"I know, but I bought you a little help." Charlie leads her to the bedroom where two white teens are talking. One boy was short and stout, while the other was tall and lean.

"Oh. Uh..."

"Mary, this is-"

"Nick and..."

"Joseph."

"...at your service." Nick kisses Mary's hand.

"Ever since I came here, they've help me get anything I need. And now, I'm loaning them to you."

"That's right. Charlie says you're in a bind. So, we cleared our schedule to help you and your friends get whatever you like to escape."

"Just write out a list, and we'll get it."

"Thanks."

"Alright, you guys. Thanks. See you in a bit."

"Take care, pal." The boy head upstairs to the whites' bedroom.

"They seemed very helpful."

"See? I told you." Mary starts to walk back to the kitchen when he said: "Mary, wait...let me work with you."

Mary looks back and gives him the side-eye. Did she hear correctly? "You? Work? Please..."

"Come on. I wanna help, really?"

"Wait, you're serious?"

"Yeah. Besides, I kinda owe you."

"For?"

"For my arm. Sorry for not telling you yesterday, but thanks for fixing my arm."

Mary looked at him as if lobsters were growing out of his head. He gotta be from another continent to wanna work with a group of negro teens. "You sure you're serious?"

"As a heart attack. Plus... I think you guys could use the extra hand."

She thinks about his offer for a few seconds. Were these words sincere? Maybe this white boy does wanna help. Finally, Mary said: "I must be outta my mind. Okay. You can help, but not in the kitchen. If the Fletchers see you working in here, they'll think I had something to do with it, and I am not in a mood for a lashing."

"Whatever job you got, I'll do it. Anything."
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"Absolutely not!"

"Cato..."

"Ever since I came here, I've been whipped, beaten, spat on, and forced to fix this raggedy hunk of metal that keeps breaking down," He hit the furnace with his wrench for emphasis. "Now, you want me to chaperone some Yankee, which can only lead me to getting whipped...again?!"

"You weren't exactly my first choice either, pops."

"Cato, it's just until we escape."

"No! Don't you have any idea what southern whites do to negros who put their kind to work? At first, it's flogging, but then comes group lynchings, hot metal burning your flesh, or worse: dismemberment."

"Ouch..."

"Cato, please? He really wants to help us."

Glaring at Charlie, Cato asked: "Do you really wanna work, boy?"

"Y-yes, I do."

He looks at Mary and then back at Charlie. "Fine. You can help Leon with the wood. He's out in the back."

"Thanks, Cato. Don't worry, I won't cause any trouble for you or anyone else." Charlie heads upstairs while Mary looked at him smugly.

"That wasn't bad, was it?"

"They didn't make me work down here just to be a yank nanny, Mary."

"I'll take that as a 'no'." Before Mary headed upstairs, she heard Cato say: "I'd watch him if I were you, Mary. That white boy's not who he seems."

"In case you forgot, that 'white boy' has our ticket out of here."