Chapter 13
VIVIAN JEAN
Harlem, New York City
Katherine and I are scheduled to meet some of her artist friends for dinner this evening, but I need to get out and insist she join me. I drag her toward the exit, but she ushers me into the lounge, wanting a cup of coffee before we leave.
“I’m exhausted.” She sits beside me in a chair in the YMCA’s ladies’ lounge. However, the tension in her angular jaw suggests that something other than weariness is on her mind.
“I am tired, too,” I say. “But it’s barely three o’clock, and if we stay in our rooms until it’s time for dinner, we’ll fall asleep, and after dinner, we’ll be up all night. And I want to be alert for the first day of our cruise, and besides, I need to do some shopping.”
“Shopping for what? I thought Maxi had it all organized.”
“She has. She did. I just want to do some of it myself, and she gave me a shopping list.” I reach into my handbag and remove a sheet of paper with Maxi’s handwriting.
Katherine frowns. “How much of this trip is Maxi’s idea?”
“Why would you ask that? You know I want to go to Jamaica to study the Maroon people and bring their history into academia.”
“That sounds like an appropriate reason. But I only care about academia as a means to explore African culture and dance. I want to do more than study it. I want to experience the Maroon people and their traditions, rituals, and beliefs. …” She pauses, and a sternness comes over her.
“Including Obeah. I know Maxi has talked to you about Obeah.”
A woman peeks into the lounge, delaying my response.
I immediately think of Maxi’s cautionary tale about how talking publicly about Obeah can be dangerous.
The Brits made the practice illegal in 1898.
Obeah men and women in her village had to hide their identities.
If discovered, the punishment was imprisonment or seventy-five lashes.
“Yes, Maxi often mentioned it to me.” I wait for the woman to depart. “But I also learned about Obeah with you when I attended the University of Chicago.”
“But did you really? Our professors treated it like superstition or a spectacle.”
“That wasn’t the case with all our professors.”
“Other than Professor Herskovits, no one else actually gave a lecture on the significance of Obeah.”
Melville Herskovits, a highly regarded anthropologist, is one of Katherine’s mentors, but we’d end up sitting in this lounge for hours if we began discussing his teachings.
“Let’s not get into that conversation now.
We’ll have time on the ship to discuss it in more detail.
Remember, I want to go shopping before dinner. ”
“I remember, but I’m stalling. I invited our newest protégé to meet us.”
She isn’t speaking about Robbie Barnes. Tully invited him to meet the Black Yankees. “Othella?”
“Your father caught me off guard by adding two extra assistants to the expedition,” Katherine confesses. “I won’t have time for them. They’ll be your responsibility, and I’ll have my hands full getting acquainted with the locals. I plan to stay in Accompong for a month, not a whole year.”
“I am sorry about my father. He has a way of getting in the way.”
“Or getting his way. Honestly, they both seem nice enough, but that’s not the point.”
I feel compelled to add, “Robbie Barnes is an up-and-coming scientist. His work in tropical botany is supposedly stellar.”
“We’ll see about that, or I should say you’ll see about that. I don’t want them near me.”
“Then why’d you invite Othella to join us—”
“Miss Katherine.” Othella rushes into the lounge, out of breath. “I’ve been waiting for you in the lobby.”
“Oh, sorry, dear,” Katherine says. “Vivian Jean pulled me into the lounge and I forgot to mention I invited you to join us.”
I give Katherine a side eye. “It’s wonderful to see you,” I say to Othella. “So, you’re going to join us for shopping and dinner.”
“I am?”
“Yes, you are,” Katherine chimes in. “We’re having dinner with my friend Edna Guy, who dances with the New Negro Art Theater Dance Group. She’s elevating the Negro in modern dance in the style of Ruth St. Denis. We’re supposed to meet them at the Harlem Lafayette Theatre before dinner.”
Othella appears excited as Katherine rambles on about dance and dancers.
“We’ll chat, enjoy some wine, and feast on a platter of fried catfish.”
“That sounds divine.” Othella’s smile beams with happiness.
“Let’s start our shopping spree at Ray’s Department Store.” Katherine stands. “It sells the right gear for our expedition.”
Rising to my feet, I glance at Maxi’s list. “Right, we need shoes, thick socks, and hiking boots.”
“It’s located on 125th Street, but we can enter from around the corner on Eighth Avenue.”
Othella frowns. “What’s the matter?”
“Major Thomas has only given us a small budget for personal items, and Robbie, who keeps track of our funds, is quite stingy.”
“Stingy, huh? Well, don’t worry.” I place my hand on her shoulder. “I’ve got plenty of cash, so this shopping spree is on me.”
“Oh my, ma’am, I really need some new clothes because I only have this dress, one other, my Oxfords, two pairs of pumps, and two ball gowns. I don’t know how long they’d last in the jungle.”
The walk to Ray’s is quick, and as soon as the three of us step inside, the shopping frenzy begins.
“We need wide-brimmed hats for sun protection,” Katherine explains after walking around the store for almost an hour. “A pith helmet or a broad-brimmed straw hat would work, too. If we can’t find them here, we’ll surely be able to pick them up at the market in Kingston.”
“We’ll also want lightweight, long-sleeved blouses, cotton calf-length skirts, and riding pants,” I mention.
“That’s a good start, but I don’t need a list. It feels like I’ve been preparing for this expedition for years.” Katherine smiles. “There’s plenty of rocky terrain that requires sturdy hiking shoes with thick soles and cotton socks to help reduce the risk of blisters or insect bites.”
“What kind of insects?” Othella asks. “Like cockroaches, flies, or mosquitoes?”
“Mr. Barnes should be able to specify the types of insects we’re likely to encounter in Jamaica. But Maxi mentioned doctor flies or horseflies.
“Because they’re as big as horses?”
“Honestly, Othella, I don’t know. You should ask Mr. Barnes. He’s our bug expert.”
Othella trots behind us. “I thought he liked plants.”
“If you like plants, you’ve got to know a thing or two about bugs.” I continue reading. “We’ll need lightweight field coats with deep pockets for storage, a few cotton scarves, and several pairs of gloves.” I hold up a bag of thick wool socks. “This is the last item on the list.”
“But what will we do with everything you bought?” Othella asks.
“I’ve already made arrangements,” Katherine replies. “The store manager will load our things into a steamer trunk for delivery directly to the dock in the morning.”
I sigh. “That sounds great. Now, can we go meet Edna Guy and get something to eat? I’m starving.”