Red White and Black

Chapter Sixteen - Part A

Sadie

"Land 'o Goshen," exclaimed Sadie. "What kinda mess has you gotten into?"

Markus had just told her about his run in with Mr. Morris. What trouble a young man'll get into over a pretty girl! I hoped he was smarter than that.

"I'm tellin' you Aunt Sadie, that man is crazy!"

She reached out and grabbed both his shoulders. "Crazy, huh? Who's the one that done tore up them rose bushes? Or did they just fling theyselves out of the dirt commitin' rose-acide?"

Markus lowered his head and she knew she had made her point. She hated to be so hard on him, but he was nearly an adult and had to learn to start acting like one, even when it became difficult. Even when the other adults ain't actin' like they oughta.

"Look here," she said, gently lifting his chin so he could see her, "you gonna have to get over there and apologize to the man. You ain't ever gonna get anywhere in this world by actin' like you did, you hearin' me?"

"Oh Aunt Sadie, com' on!" Markus said. "If I go over there, he's just crazy enough he might do somethin' stupid, I don't know. I mean, let's face it, he is a racist bigot and he ain't never gonna change. He can't stand anything different then his own white self and heaven forbid a black man even think about talkin' to his precious little daughter. You know as well as I do, I could be apologizin' all day long but it ain't gonna make a bit a difference. He was a racist today and he's gonna be one tomorrow."

"Well, you may be right," she conceded, "you may very well be right. And if you're right and the man don't ever change, one day he's gonna have to answer for it. But let me ask you one thing. Does all that mean that folk are supposed to give up on each other? Does all that mean hope is dead? Just 'cause one man remains in the wrong, what are we supposed to do? Does that mean that 'cause he is in the wrong that we should treat him wrong just to stay even?"

Markus sat quiet. Sadie felt he knew the answer she was looking for. After all, she had been preaching this message to him since he was in diapers.

"Let me tell you Lil'M, as far as Mr. Morris goes, or anybody else, they ain't nobody ever walked so far down a road that they can't turn back."

"Maybe so, Aunt Sadie. But this man is evil, everything he sees is colored by hatred for us. How can a man turn back from that road when they ain't a bit a good in him?"

She smiled and hugged him, pulling him close. He was so big and strong these days, but it seemed like only yesterday when he was a little boy.

"Oh, Lil'M, they's good in everybody. Sometimes you just gotta scrape away all the bad stuff afore you can get to it."

She watched as he went to the refrigerator and poured a large glass of milk. That boy could go through a gallon every other day it seemed. As he sat at the table, she pulled out a couple of cookies from a batch she had baked the night before. A cold glass 'o milk just has to have some cookies. She watched as he reached for them and began eating, almost as though he had expected her to produce cookies in an automatic response to his pouring the milk. The thought crossed her mind she might be getting a bit too predictable these days.

"I'll tell you what," she said after thinking about it for a moment, "I'll go over there and have a talk with the man first. Maybe I can get him calmed down and he might listen a bit. How's that sound?"

"Pfff! Good luck. It wouldn't surprise me at all if his head sprouted horns and his feet grew into hooves, but you go ahead."

She shot him a disapproving look and walked out the back door. She knew if she put off this task it would grow more and more difficult until it reached the point where she would think it impossible. Best to tackle these kind of things right away. You let 'em fester and they get outta hand.

The steps up to the front door of the Morris house seemed especially steep, but she trudged up them with resolve. She reached to knock on the door--forgetting about trying the bell since her own had not worked for so long--when it swung open. A pretty teenage girl stood there with a surprised look on her face.

"Oh," she said. "Hi. I didn't hear you knock."

"Well, you beat me to the draw," said Sadie with a smile on her face. "You must be Abbie. I'm Sadie, Markus's aunt. He done told me all about you."

Sadie watched as a faint smile crept onto her face, one she tried to keep hidden but couldn't quite accomplish. "Oh, did he now? I hope it was all good stuff." She stepped back and held the door wide. "How about coming in and telling me just exactly what he's been saying and then let me set you straight."

Sadie decided right then she liked this Abbie, and she could see why Markus did too. It wasn't just because she was cuter than a bug's ear, there was some feistiness lurking inside that made her attractive.

Sadie slipped in the door with her earlier wariness only partially alleviated by Abbie's welcome. "Actually, Abbie, I got to talk to your father. That's really why I'm here."

A knowing look crossed Abbie's face. "Oh, and I bet I know why," she said. "I'll bet it has something to do with that ridiculous scuffle they got into this morning, doesn't it?"

Sadie nodded while biting her upper lip.

Abbie directed her to the sofa in the front living room. "Why don't you have a seat and Daddy'll be sure to be out here before long. I think he's helping Grandma right now but in the meantime, I just have to say how sorry I am about that whole incident. I was so embarrassed about how the two of them acted. You'd have thought they were a couple of kids fighting over a toy if it weren't so serious."

"I am glad you feel that way," said Sadie. And she was. She wanted only the best for Markus and was relieved Abbie seemed nothing like her father. "As always, it takes a woman to bring a little common sense to the party, and this time ain't no different."

Abbie laughed. "Oh, don't you let my Daddy hear that. He still lives in the stone age as far as women go. And as far as other things too, I suppose."

Sadie gave a knowing look and cleared her throat. "That would be exactly what I want to talk with him about."

At that moment, Sammy walked into the living room, the expression on his face clearly indicating he was both surprised and irritated at her presence in his house. Sadie steeled herself. She had to be strong, both for herself and for her nephew. If nothing else, she wanted to be an example. She knew what to do and how to do it, but whenever confronted with issues and people like this, she had to pray for the resolve to carry through.

"So what's this all about?" he began. His tone was anything but friendly.

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