Heavy Drops:

Your grandfather invited me out to a party. Not just any party. This was a party for mostly Negros. That’s right. I was going to be the only white girl at the party. Talk about awkward. I didn’t even want to go at first. Jim pushed me to go anyway.

“Come on baby,” he coaxed me. “Don’t stand me up like that! You have to be there!”

“Are you sure?” I asked. Jim tightly held my small waist close to him. I blushed at his touch. I stared deep in his eyes in surprise. Jim nodded at me once.

“Yes,” he said. ”I would be bored without you!” I raised an eyebrow at him.

“And what does that mean?” I asked. Your grandfather gave me that goofy grin I got used to in a few minutes. He shrugged at me a little bit.

“You tell me,” Jim replied. Then, he gently kissed me on the lips. I giggled as I kissed back. We slowly pulled away. He looked right at me.

“Well,” he said. I only smirked at him.

“We’ll see,” I answered. Jim eyed me.

“So you will go?” he asked.

“We’ll see,” I said again. Your grandfather pouted at me.

“Alright,” he said. “Bout don’t do me like that!” I looked at him puzzled. I still didn’t get his slang.

“Do you like what?” I asked. Jim shook his head.

“Just show up!” he insisted.

“Maybe…” I said. Your grandfather pouted again. I gave him my own little smile. I had come to love messing with that boy. Then, the bell rang. We departed to class.

The day went by rather quickly. I kept counting down to the party this evening. I was still a bit torn on the issue. He made the offer sound so good… But yet… What would my friend think? Nah, forget about them. They were just tarts anyway. But my parents? What about them? Until I met Jim, I had always been a good girl. Hey, don’t laugh, it’s true! I was well-behaved growing up, trust me! Then, your grandfather came along. He just opened up everything wide. Once that happened, there was no turning back. Anyway, back to the story.

Six o’clock came for the night. By that time, I made up my mind. I had decided to go after all. I didn’t tell my parents, however. (They didn’t know about Jim at the time. Preferred not to tell them at all. Not just yet, anyway.” I got myself dolled up for the night. I wore a white sundress with red-flowered patterns on it. I wore a bright red hair band in my hair. I put on red, violet, and light beige make-up on my face. I looked at myself in the mirror. I smiled at my reflection. I looked good. However, I still had a problem. How to get past mom and dad without being seen? I took a moment to think about it. I put together an overview of my parents’ activities. They simply went like this:

After dinner, mom did the dishes. Dad read the paper while I did my homework. At eight, mom and dad watched Cheers. I weighed my options for a moment. I betted I could pull it off. Just out the back door, through the garden, and into the neighborhood. I could do that. I managed to pull it off rather nicely. In no time, I found myself outside in our garden. I looked all around me. Darkness covered the outside. I found myself amazed. I had never seen my own backyard at night from the outside. It was just… Oh, it was so complicated to explain then. I still can’t explain it now. However, back to the story.

I forced myself to focus on my mission. I looked around my backyard for an exit. I then remembered a secret path in our grapevines. I quietly walked down the grass-flattened space between the green budding vines. I came to our wire fence and climbed over it. (I had climbed that fence so many times before.) Once I touched the ground, I made my way into the small woods and into the neighborhood. Good, I had escaped. I pushed myself to walk down to my place of freedom and rebellion. Despite it being springtime, I still walked down the night-clad street in the cold. However, I tried my best to ignore it and keep moving. Crazy, I know. But, that boy drove me to be that way.

Earlier that day, your grandfather had slipped me the directions to the house where the party would be held. I had my doubts about it first. This place was in a shady, mostly-black neighborhood downtown. Once again Frieda, different times back then. So yes, I was a bit prejudice back in the day. Don’t blame me; I was raised that way!

The trip took much less time than I thought it would. I looked and found myself downtown in less than ten minutes. I smiled to myself a bit. Not so bad. The hardest part was over. It was just a shot away from the corner drugstore. If I could brave walking through that neighborhood and not get killed! (I was still a closed-minded girl back then, so get off me!) But, anything for Jim and the party! So, I drew in a breath and walked the rest of the way there.

At right o’clock, I made it to 278 Hawk Circle. I stood at the door for a long moment. I could hear the music pounding from outside. Rap music, if I wasn’t mistaken. No surprise there. Well, here goes! I gathered myself up and knocked on the thick red door.

1983