Chapter 27 #2
“Yeah, Ma. I did. Do you think they would lose any sleep if someone mugged me and left me for dead? No,” he said, answering his own question.
“Just another nigger who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. And if they catch the perpetrator, he wouldn’t get as much prison time for assaulting his own folks than he would if he assaulted some White CEO riding around in a limo whose company’s profits include laundering drug money for the mob. ”
“Where is all this talk coming from?” Justine asked.
“It’s reality, Mom. It’s the same with politicians who look out for their fat-cat friends at the expense of working-class chumps who applaud when they’re given tax breaks that are pittance when compared to the corporations and millionaires who use scams to hide their money from the taxman.”
“It’s apparent you still haven’t gotten over that fake-ass activist girl who left you because you weren’t militant enough for her. What she was going to do was get you killed with all that rhetoric she was spouting.”
Slowly leaning back in his chair, Kenny stared at his mother until she dropped her eyes.
They’d argued ad nauseum about the girl who had become the love of his life.
He knew his mother would never accept her as her daughter-in-law the first time she laid eyes on her.
But that hadn’t mattered, because she was going to marry him, not his mother.
“You just had to bring her up, didn’t you?”
“Yes, I did,” Justine retorted, “because she turned you into someone I don’t know or recognize, because now you are always so angry.”
“Maybe as a Black man in America, I have a lot to be angry about. It’s 1973, and we still have to fight for equality.
How much more blood do we have to shed to become equal citizens in a country where our ancestors were used as free labor to enrich those in power?
Are you aware that twelve presidents owned slaves?
Did you also know that even Benjamin Franklin owned slaves? ”
Justine closed her eyes and clutched her chest. “Enough, Kenny.”
He sat up straight. “Are you all right?”
She opened her eyes and smiled. “Yes. It’s just a little indigestion. I shouldn’t have put those onions in last night’s salad.”
“Are you certain it’s only indigestion? Maybe you should go for a checkup?”
“Have you forgotten that I work in a hospital, and I get a complete physical every year.”
“Just checking.”
“There’s no need to check on me. I know you’re worried about Ramon, but if he’s made it this far considering his injuries, he’s going to be okay.”
“When I spoke to him the other day, he was talking about going into the priesthood.”
Justine smiled. “Do you think he would be a good priest?”
“I do, because whenever Frankie and I had a problem, we would go to Ray. He would listen without saying anything, then whatever he would tell us is what we needed to hear.”
“How long will it take him to become an ordained priest?” Justine asked.
“Almost as long as it takes to become a doctor. He already has a Bachelor of Science degree, so he’ll have to study another two years for a Bachelor of Philosophy.
After that, there’s another three or four years of instruction, then six months of becoming a deacon, then after that, he can become ordained. ”
“That’s a lot of schooling.”
“It is,” Kenny agreed.
Once Ray had made up his mind about becoming a priest, Kenny knew his friend would put in the time and effort to accomplish it. Ray wasn’t only smart, he was a genius, and would’ve become an exceptional doctor.
“I was thinking about taking a few summer courses, then changed my mind,” Justine said, sighing.
“Who or what made you change your mind?”
“It’s not a who, mister busybody.”
Kenny smiled. “Did I mention his name?”
“No, but I know who you’re thinking about.”
“Since when did you become a mind reader?” Kenny asked, teasing his mother.
Justine massaged her neck before rolling her head from one side to the other. “My decision not to take summer classes has nothing to do with Francis D’Allesandro.”
Kenny pointed at Justine. “Gotcha! You said his name.”
She smiled. “Frank is like an old shoe. Not only is it a perfect fit, but it’s also very comfortable.”
He wanted to ask his mother if Frank was a perfect fit when they made love, but he knew she would shut him down and not speak to him for days, because she’d accuse him of crossing the line; that despite his being an adult, he wasn’t her equal.
Not only did he love his mother, but he also worried about her.
She still was spending too much time alone, and it was only when Frank came to see her that she would turn into a younger version of herself and laugh and tease him like an adolescent girl.
And he hadn’t missed the longing looks Frank gave his mother, and his love for her was as obvious as the nose on his face.
They were good for each other, even if they vehemently denied wanting to marry or live together. Social mores had relaxed where couples were sharing free love, living together without the benefit of marriage, and women opting to become single mothers.
He didn’t think of Frank and Justine as dinosaurs, but it was as if they weren’t willing to let go of the rules of the prior generation, when women had to remain virgins until they married, or if a boy got a girl pregnant, they were forced into shotgun marriages.
Pushing off the sofa, Kenny stood up. “Do you plan on going out this afternoon?” he asked his mother.
“No. Why?”
“Because if anyone calls about setting up an interview, could you please take the message?”
“Of course.”
“I’m going out for a walk. I’m getting cabin fever cooped up in this apartment.”
“Do you want me to wait on you for dinner?”
“No thanks, Mom. I’ll grab something outside.” Kenny went into his bedroom to get his driver’s license, keys, and a small amount of cash. It was as if his life was in limbo, knowing everything would change once he secured employment.