Monday, June 1, 2009

Summer is Here

The kids had their first day off from school today. Of course I still had to have my daughter at the high school by nine for her "Guard" practice, but at least I didn't have to make sure papers were signed...dole out lunch money or ask if homework was "Really"done !

Finished a GREAT book, 'The Help' by Kathryn Stockett. About black women raising white kids in the south in the 40's through the 60's. Not only did they raise these kids...they waited on , cleaned and cooked for them as well.

I remember that when I was very young...even before I was born my mother had a black woman come every so often to help clean.

Her name was Carrie...the one that helped before I was born. When I came along, my mother had been caring for not only my grand mother but my great grand mother as well...in addition to her own husband and kids.

When I surprised them with my appearance in the world, a woman named 'Berta' was occasionally helping out my mother. She could lift the end of a couch with one arm while she vacuumed under it with the other.

We used to have an older black gentleman named 'Peg' That my Dad knew from somewhere in his 'EastPoint' past that would drive his ole truck and park in front of our house to sell his produce off of the back of his truck to my parents.He had every type of produce you could imagine...and sometimes sugar cane to boot!

I had never met a man with one leg (hence the name 'Peg').

At the timeI had been around very few black men at all.

It isn't like we had full time help, but my parents never spoke of these people that came to help us out as if they were any different at all from me and my own family.

But the way that some people... 'White' people treated "NIGRAS" in my early years makes my skin crawl and gives me a VERY uneasy feeling.

I went to a neighbor's graduation party for his son over the weekend. I was telling about how long winded the principal was with the ceremony and how I had to leave before my daughter won her award.

My neighbor, who I love to death... and this came from 'Her' friend anyway, said that she felt the same way. Her friend sitting beside her at the ceremony had a daughter who all of the sudden won the "Presidential" award. She remarked to my friend and neighbor that how could she bring this award home without buying a sticker to cover the President's face because Obama's face was NOT going to be in her house!!

You know, I turned into a coward.

I didn't laugh with the other women, but I didn't say what I should have.

I should have said "Why in the world wouldn't you want a picture of "OUR" President in your house congratulating your daughter for achievements she has made?"

Is it racism...is it that you are so FAR to the right that you can see no other possible solution to our woes than your own?

My husband is a Republican...I tend to have a bleeding heart...but we co- exist, we argue and sometimes we agree.

He has agreed that this man...THIS Barack Obama...is the leader of the country...OUR country and that because of the electoral and the popular vote, 'WE' have chosen him and he is our ally and our Man in the office.

He has also said that at least he is trying...and in these 'Trying' times...that seems to be our best shot.

You know, I never really liked Bush, but he was my leader...elected and a sitting President. I had respect for him and supported him as my duty as an American compels me to do.

What bothers me is that... is it because he is a Democrat, or because he is BLACK?

Don't EVEN start the
Socialism card with me...we are just trying to find the easiest way for EVERY ONE!!

As one of the people that currently have NO health insurance at this time, I would truly like to hear the options and see what we could do about making the whole thing more reasonable for every one involved.

Of course I am one person...one voice.

But I am also 'ONE VOTE'.

If you do not question the way that African Americans were treated when we first dragged them over here on their first 'Big Boat Ride' and expected them to sit idly by while we humiliated and sometimes tortured them for decades...WOULDN'T YOU BE PISSED TOO?

Although there are blacks that act like 'Ganstas' , there are Latinos just as bad or worse. There are the White Supremacy groups and just stupid "Bullies" looking for an easy way out of their demise.

Take time in your life to look around. How can you help a person that needs it? We are a melting pot...like it or not.

There are people that need help, and there are people that are sucking us dry.

There are people that if you just take the time to ask if they need help... there may be one thing that you can do...one act of kindness or a gesture that can make a difference and impact on a "HUMAN BEING".

I know that I could not live with myself if I was not comfortable with the President of the United State's picture being in my house.

Could you? SHOULD YOU?
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1 comment:

Auto'Blog'raphy of a Waitress & Mom said...

Dear Kelly,

I was reading your piece this morning, and I saw your mention of
Carrie and "Peg."

I remember them all too well. Carrie was the African-American lady
who worked for a long time for Bigmama and Bigdaddy. They also had a
"maid" named Helen Mae who worked for them and for Mom and Dad as well.

Peg was J. B Benton, and he was a long time employee of Bigdaddy's.
As long as I can remember, Peg was at the shop on Milledge. He would
often drive us places, such as to our house on Jefferson Avenue or up
to 706 N. Main Street. I think I recall Aunt Tillie remarking that
Uncle Pont was the only white person at Peg's funeral.

Bigdaddy also had another African-American mechanic named George
Johnson. George was bad to miss work on Mondays, and always claimed
that his Auntie had died over the weekend. Bigdaddy said he never
knew anyone who had as many aunts as George. I got to know most of
the folks that worked for Bigdaddy over the years, particularly when
I worked in the shop for a while as a teenager.

You are correct about the hiring of African-American women to work as
"maids" and nannies. As a very young child, I was looked after by a
dear old soul named Anna. Anna not only looked after me, but had Mom
and dad's dinner ready when they came home from work. I never smell
or taste yeast rolls without remembering Anna. The lady could cook!
Over the years, Lynn and I were looked after by several black maids
while Mom was at work, away from home during the day.

Thankfully, attitudes have changed since the forties and fifties. My
Dad's mother, who I called Grandma, had a small grocery store on the
front of her house on N. Victoria Street in College Park. Lynn and I
share a lot of memories of spending time with Grandma at her home/
store which was about two blocks from what was referred to as
"colored town." Many of her patrons were African-Americans, who most
well meaning white folks living at that time would refer to as
colored folks. Grandma would sell to most anyone on credit, and she
kept tabs in a small Blue Horse notebook. She sold soft drinks,
bread, milk, meats, canned goods, candy, cookies, kerosene, etc. Lynn
and I got to know many black people from spending so much time in
Grandma's store. I had some interesting and revealing talks about the
inequality of the races with my Grandma. She was a dear person and a
truly remarkable woman, the mother of ten children, raising many of
them as a widow. Still, we could never agree on the issue of race.
She would never treat anyone in a mean or hurtful way and would not
cheat anyone either, but she did not see African-Americans as our
equals. I wonder what she would make of our new president? It would
be interesting to talk to her now and to so many of those who have
left us way too soon.

Best wishes,

Cuz'n Neal

June 3, 2009 at 9:56 PM

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