Читать книгу The Evolution of Crimson - Jerry Aldridge - Страница 12

June 11, 1963

When Frances, Winifred, and Trisha arrived home from Winifred’s long day of registration, Odelle Baker was already inside cleaning the house. Odelle had worked for the Dodd family since Winifred was born. She came once a week, on Tuesday afternoons, to dust and mop the Dodd house and do the ironing. Odelle had her own key and let herself in if the family was not home. She worked from 1:00 to 7:00 pm every Tuesday on her day off from the Killarney family who lived just two doors down.

On the way home from Tuscaloosa, Winifred had explained that two Negro students had come to register for summer school at the University and that was what kept her so long at registration. That was, in fact, true. She didn’t mention, however, that she had already registered and stayed so she could see everything that happened. She mentioned George Wallace standing in the door of Foster Auditorium and the news crews that were outside, but didn’t tell Frances or Trisha any more. She did suggest they should watch the six o’clock news that night to see it on TV.

Odelle occasionally cooked for the Dodd’s but usually just cleaned and ironed so Frances went immediately into the kitchen and started cooking supper. It was already 4:30 and she wanted to have dinner prepared, eaten, and the dishes put up before the 6:00 o’clock news came on. She heard what Winifred said, something about Wallace standing in the door when Colored people tried to register, but that was about it.

That night Frances prepared a country dinner that included her specialty, fried okra. She fixed a pot of purple hull peas with a few bean sprouts thrown in, fried chicken, corn on the cob, and egg custard cups for dessert. A pitcher of sweet iced tea was served at every meal. Frances enjoyed cooking during the summer months when she wasn’t teaching. Winifred and Trisha enjoyed it too. They set the table and dinner was served at the dining room table at 5:20. Odelle ate in the kitchen like she always did. After dinner Frances suggested her daughters put the dishes in the sink. They could wash them after the news. By 5:58, everyone was in the living room, including Odelle, waiting for the news to begin. Odelle’s last chore for the day was ironing which she did standing up, using the ironing board that was placed in the corner of the living room.

That night it didn’t matter if they watched NBC, CBS, or ABC. Every channel focused on the same story—the integration of the University of Alabama. The family and Odelle watched it all on NBC. Winifred had been there when Wallace stood in front of Foster Auditorium and she had eaten lunch with Vivian Malone. When the announcer reported Vivian Malone and James Hood had registered for classes in Foster Auditorium, everyone was silent. Everyone, that is, except Odelle.

“Why that girl want to go where she ain’t wanted?” asked Odelle.

Winifred was stunned. She thought Odelle would be elated. Winifred believed this was a major victory for Civil Rights, but did not say anything. She began to realize Nana and Daddy Mims’ and Odelle’s generation would have to pass before beliefs and opinions about integration would change in Alabama.

The next day summer school began for Frances and Winifred. They would drive to Tuscaloosa, drop Trisha at Helen’s home in Alberta City, and park the blue and white Bel-Air at a strip mall next to the University because automobiles were still not allowed on campus. Mother and daughter would attend their respective classes, meet at the Union Building, walk to the strip mall, pick up Trisha and go home. This would become their daily ritual that fateful summer of 1963.