Part Two: A Small Change
‘I’m trying to think to myself what all I need to do today at Ms. Janey’s house, well first I need to run by the store and get a few items- Cracker Jacks for the kid, and a carton of orange juice. I’m getting to be too old, Lordy, Clairebel Gray, you nearly eighty, to ride this bus out this far. And all these young people trying to start trouble. They not thinking. about what could happen. It’s dangerous—and all I want to do is make enough money to get that prom dress for Sarah and some new high heel shoes to match. She’s such a good child, she made the best grades in her class. She deserves this little send off before
college, if she can get into college. They say University of Alabama is gonna be accepting black students again this year. Come September, Sarah could be one of the new students; Arthurine Lucy was long enough ago; it’s time to try again.’
‘What’s that white girl trying to do? Dragging that big ole suitcase on to this bus? It looks like there ain’t no room at the front of the bus! She looks like she coming back here. I won’t look at her. She looking for a seat; she heading this way. What she thinking? Now she’s gone and done it. Maybe she’ll go away....Now she’s done it; she gone over the color line.... She gone too far. She gonna start trouble. I knew today was gonna be a mess. I should have called in sick today. But I felt bad what with Miss Janey trying to get ready for little Tommy’s birthday party this weekend.. Maybe if I ignore her. She’ll get up and move. No, she’s really some fool kid, sitting in the back of the bus where she don’t belong.
Nobody gonna let this go unnoticed. Already people watching her and watching me, wondering what I gonna do. I’m gonna pretend it’s not happening. Maybe she get up and get off the bus real quick. What did she tell the driver? She said “Center Point”. Well that be just a couple more stops, so I could get up and just stand by the door til we get there, but why should I have to be inconvenienced for some white girl. I’m having some trouble with the asthma already today. I tired and my day just beginning and that Rosa Parks talking about bus boycotts, I don’t have no other way to get to work. Why she wanting to cause trouble? What’s to be gained? This girl sittin next to me about the same age as Corley but if she thinks she can just walk to the back of the bus and sit down, she better have another think acoming. She just some fool kid. Maybe she never rode the bus afore and maybe she don’t know no better. Oh, I see, there no seats in the front. She took this seat cause it’s the only one left. It not my problem. I could get off and get on the next un —but that would make me late for work on the one day I need to be on time. I guess I should sit here and see what happens. Maybe she get off before anything happens. I’ll look straight ahead. It will be okay if there no KKK on the bus. I jest need to take a deep breath (but my asthma actin up). There’s not enough air on this bus. She gettin up, maybe she’s gettin off... The driver jest call Center Point. She’s gettin off. What a relief I don’t have to do anything. I can jest get on with my day. But the problems between blacks and whites didn’t get solved. Nope, but maybe a little change is how things are done, could make things better. I think I better listen to this Rosa Parks and see what she got to say before I ride the bus again.’
Rita Ayral
4-19-18
college, if she can get into college. They say University of Alabama is gonna be accepting black students again this year. Come September, Sarah could be one of the new students; Arthurine Lucy was long enough ago; it’s time to try again.’
‘What’s that white girl trying to do? Dragging that big ole suitcase on to this bus? It looks like there ain’t no room at the front of the bus! She looks like she coming back here. I won’t look at her. She looking for a seat; she heading this way. What she thinking? Now she’s gone and done it. Maybe she’ll go away....Now she’s done it; she gone over the color line.... She gone too far. She gonna start trouble. I knew today was gonna be a mess. I should have called in sick today. But I felt bad what with Miss Janey trying to get ready for little Tommy’s birthday party this weekend.. Maybe if I ignore her. She’ll get up and move. No, she’s really some fool kid, sitting in the back of the bus where she don’t belong.
Nobody gonna let this go unnoticed. Already people watching her and watching me, wondering what I gonna do. I’m gonna pretend it’s not happening. Maybe she get up and get off the bus real quick. What did she tell the driver? She said “Center Point”. Well that be just a couple more stops, so I could get up and just stand by the door til we get there, but why should I have to be inconvenienced for some white girl. I’m having some trouble with the asthma already today. I tired and my day just beginning and that Rosa Parks talking about bus boycotts, I don’t have no other way to get to work. Why she wanting to cause trouble? What’s to be gained? This girl sittin next to me about the same age as Corley but if she thinks she can just walk to the back of the bus and sit down, she better have another think acoming. She just some fool kid. Maybe she never rode the bus afore and maybe she don’t know no better. Oh, I see, there no seats in the front. She took this seat cause it’s the only one left. It not my problem. I could get off and get on the next un —but that would make me late for work on the one day I need to be on time. I guess I should sit here and see what happens. Maybe she get off before anything happens. I’ll look straight ahead. It will be okay if there no KKK on the bus. I jest need to take a deep breath (but my asthma actin up). There’s not enough air on this bus. She gettin up, maybe she’s gettin off... The driver jest call Center Point. She’s gettin off. What a relief I don’t have to do anything. I can jest get on with my day. But the problems between blacks and whites didn’t get solved. Nope, but maybe a little change is how things are done, could make things better. I think I better listen to this Rosa Parks and see what she got to say before I ride the bus again.’
Rita Ayral
4-19-18