O Happy Day

By Joee Davis

In Savannah, Georgia, in 1969, segregation was coming to an end. Butternut chocolate bars was the number one candy. The Ford Falcon was a family car. Neighbors were really neighbors. Children stayed in a child's place. School bullies took the weaker kids' lunch money and beat them up, but often, the bully and the bullied became best friends. God was the focal point of everything in 1969. O Happy Day! follows its hero, Zeric Washington, a nine-year-old African American. Zeric is not the traditional hero. He's not strong and unusually brave. He's not the stud of all boys. He's often called "sissy." He's often picked on. He's often threatened because he is different. God has smiled on him though. Through his unexpected anointing, he changes the heart of a bully. He restores his parents' disintegrating marriage. He brings a playboy producer closer to God. Through his lovely singing voice, which was the reason he was picked on and bullied, he is taken to unforeseen adventures and lives change along the way. First-time love, brotherly love, fear of the unknown, the pain a child feels when a parent is caught cheating, the tragic demise of a onetime-enemy-turned great friend-all and much more are examined through the eyes of a nine-year-old innocent chosen-by-God in O Happy Day!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Aug 7, 2018
• ISBN: 9781641408165

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Joee Davis

O Happy Day!

ISBN 978-1-64140-815-8 (paperback)

ISBN 978-1-64140-816-5 (digital)

Copyright © 2018 by Joee Davis

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

To my mother, Mrs. Ellen R. Davis and my father, Mr. Joe N. Davis

Chapter 1

Zeric

Sitting on the floor in the den along with his older brother, Antonio, watching Saturday afternoon cartoons, nine-year-old Zeric Washington could hear the mailman truck humming through the neighborhood. Both he and Antonio simultaneously got up from the floor racing through the house trying to beat each other out the front door and be the first to retrieve the mail. As usual, Antonio was the winner. Why not? Zeric reasoned to himself. Antonio was eleven years old, two years older than Zeric. Antonio was the athlete of the family, and he was thicker and taller than small-framed, skinny Zeric. An older brother should at least every now and then allow his younger brother to win , Zeric thought to himself.

There were several pieces of mail. One was a very large manila envelope that Zeric couldn’t see too well as Antonio sprinted back inside the house with Zeric trying to remain hard on his heels. Both boys ran to the kitchen and went straight for the refrigerator. It was August in Savannah, Georgia, the hottest month of the year. Even a short trot to and from the mailbox, not even twenty feet from the front door, can leave one in dryer thirst.

Antonio then reached up to the freezer to get out an ice tray. Their mother, Maude Washington, often made ice thrills. She would make a pitcher of Kool-Aid and then pour it into the ice tray to freeze, turning them into cubes of frozen Kool-Aid. Antonio placed the mail on the kitchen table as he prepared both Zeric and himself their favorite summer treat. As Antonio prepared the treat, Zeric as usual broke into song. He has an amazing voice. He would sing opera. It was noise to his family, especially to Antonio and their father, Andre. However, Maude would often, while entertaining guests, call Zeric to the room to display his vocal talent. Zeric would do as his mother said; however, he was extremely shy and hated singing in front of people outside of the immediate family.

Maude was so proud of his singing that she had him sing for their pastor. The pastor said this was a gift from God and that if a person does not use the gifts that God gave him, he will eventually lose the gift. The pastor continued that God gives us gifts to use for himself and scheduled Zeric to sing a song for the church. Tomorrow being that day, for the past two weeks, Maude had Zeric rehearsing from the moment she walked in from work until it was time for him to go to bed. He hated this but loved his mother and would never disappoint her.

Treats all prepared, the boys went back to the den to enjoy their delectables as they watched television—a habit they formed from their father. It was 1969, and during one of the commercial breaks from the cartoons, a very young Michael Jackson along with his four older brothers graced the ear and the eyes in a commercial. Zeric jumped up as if struck by a bolt of lightning. He began to mimic little Michael Jackson and did so wonderfully. Antonio was engaged in his little brother’s performance. For when performing, Zeric forgot that he was a shy little boy. He was transported to another world, one which he didn’t understand but embraced. This world belonged to him.

With commercial over, it was back to the Saturday morning cartoons. Wanting to tease and bother his younger brother as he always did, Antonio started singing, I know something you don’t know. He knew that this would irk his little brother.

What? What? Zeric asked.

Antonio then started looking back at the television.

Zeric kept on and on asking, What do you know, Tony? What do you know?

Antonio ignored him.

What is it, man? What is it? Zeric demanded a response.

Nothing little brother, Antonio answered.

Zeric then got up and cut the television off and ran and jumped on Antonio’s back, who was lying on his stomach. You are gonna tell me, Tony! You are gonna tell me, man! Zeric implored.

Antonio burst out in fits of laughter. Whenever Zeric attacked him, it tickled him, and he would laugh and laugh. The boys began wrestling about the den. They could do this without care because their parents were not at home.

After a few more minutes of horseplay and both tuckered out, Antonio gave in. Okay, li’l bro, okay. Go and look at the large envelope on the kitchen table.

Zeric’s eyes widened and glistened. They wrote me back! They wrote me back! Zeric yelled in excitement as he raced for the kitchen. Besides being a very young and prolific singer, Zeric was an excellent writer too. He’d written a situation comedy in pencil and had the nerve to mail it off to CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System. He wanted to see his script turned into a thirty-minute situation comedy.

Arriving in the kitchen and almost sliding down to the floor, he grabbed for the kitchen table, which broke his fall. He really got excited when he saw the CBS eye staring back at him from the manila envelope. He snatched it up and ran back to the den to share this experience with his brother. He ripped it open.

Careful now. You don’t want to tear up the letter inside, Antonio said.

The letter advised that CBS had received Zeric Washington’s submission, and included were other documents that needed to be signed, giving permission for CBS to examine the manuscript. Zeric didn’t really understand this, and Antonio had to take the letter, read it, and explain it to Zeric. Their parents would have to sign for the materials to be examined. CBS was aware that the manuscript was submitted by a minor.

Zeric was beside himself with excitement. Antonio was equally as excited for his little brother. A wonderful thing about Zeric and Antonio’s relationship was that there really wasn’t any sibling rivalry between the two. Individually, they had their own strengths and weaknesses, and although young, they understood this. Andre and Maude were excellent parents and cultivated in each what they saw to be their individual strengths. The brothers also relied on each other when one understood the other was better at something than himself. Such as, Antonio wasn’t great with spelling and words; Zeric was a master of the English language as young as he was, and Antonio would often depend on Zeric to assist him with English homework and the correct enunciation of words. Zeric understood how to sound out a word and was a wiz at such.

Antonio was physically more imposing and physically stronger. He was always very patient with Zeric when it came to chores around the house such as lifting and such. Antonio would always perform all the strong work and was happy to be of assistance to his little brother. The two loved each other very much and were not only born of the same woman and man but were best friends as well. Andre and Maude were proud of their accomplishment at nurturing such a strong and caring bond between the two. Naturally, there were the brotherly arguments and fights, but the two felt as though they owned each other, and no one else was allowed to say or do anything to the other. Should someone say or do anything to Zeric, whom Antonio always referred to as his baby since the day he was born, Antonio would be ready to fight. Should someone do anything to Antonio, who was more than capable of defending himself, Zeric who was not a physical fighter would become extremely upset, and this would send him into screaming fits of anxiety. The two had a special place with each other that could only ever belonged to the other.

Zeric, after much excitement, finally calmed down and began thinking about what he would do with the money he felt he would receive after everything was examined, accepted, and put into production. I’m gonna buy Daddy a Cadillac and Mama a Mustang. And Mama will never have to work again. And you, Tony, I’m gonna buy you a new tape recorder and anything else you might want, Zeric beamed.

I want a car too, Antonio stated.

You can’t drive, boy! Zeric laughed.

Time to learn. I have a rich little brother, and you’ll have to go a lot of places, and I’m gonna be the one to take you there! Antonio demanded.

Zeric then stopped in his tracks with a wild idea popping in his head; he then raced to his parents’ bedroom with Antonio right behind him, catching up with him and passing him.

As they reached their parents’ bedroom, Antonio got their father’s pack of Salem cigarettes from the nightstand. He knew from past experiences that when Zeric became exhilarated and their parents were nowhere around, Zeric would sneak a cigarette.

Oh, please just one, Tony, just one! Zeric begged.

Antonio held the pack of cigarettes above his head as Zeric continued to leap upward, trying to snatch the pack.

Common, Tony, just one puff, Zeric cried.

They are no good for your singing voice, baby, Antonio scolded.

You don’t like my singing anyway, Tony. You don’t like opera, Zeric said.

Opera? I call it awful. Antonio chuckled.

Antonio finally gave in and took one cigarette from the pack and gave it to Zeric. Zeric got a book of matches from the nightstand and lit the cigarette. As he drew on the cigarette and then exhaled, Antonio began to wave his hand back and forth, pushing the smoke out of the way.

I don’t know how you can stand that thing. The smoke gets in your way, Antonio said, pushing Zeric from behind out of their parents’ bedroom.

Just then, the boys heard the white falcon pulling up in the driveway. Daddy was home, and the boys were excited to tell him the good news. But first things first, they had to get the smoke smell out of the house. Zeric ran to the bathroom and flushed the cigarette down the toilet as Antonio got a can of Lysol from the kitchen and sprayed through the house quickly.

Andre came through the side entrance nearest the kitchen. He was carrying three large plastic bags containing five pounds of large shrimp each in a plastic tub. Okay, three dollars for whoever wants to behead the shrimps, two dollars for whoever peels the shrimps, and another two dollars for whoever deveins the shrimps.

Both boys ran to greet their father, jumping up and down. They loved their father so. Making it to the kitchen after much welcome, Andre placed the plastic tub on the counter near the sink. So who is going to do my bidding? Andre asked his two adoring sons.

Both said, I am, I am. In actual, both was going to perform the task. Zeric was the better of the two at this task. He was faster at handling the shrimps than Antonio. They would split the seven dollars, three dollars and fifty cents each, regardless of whoever did the most work.

Zeric dashed to the den and came back into the kitchen thrusting the large manila envelope with the CBS logo on it at his father.

What’s this? Andre said with a smile on his face as if he didn’t already know by seeing the CBS eye.

They want to read my script, Daddy! Zeric exclaimed.

The envelope didn’t look as large in Andre’s hands. Andre was a large imposing man. He was six feet two and two hundred thirty pounds of solid muscle. To his children, he appeared to be ten feet tall. Andre would definitely be considered a hunk. He was extremely handsome as well. Antonio looked a lot like his father, features and build.

Andre studied the contents of the correspondence. He smiled with pride at his son’s achievement. He was so proud that Zeric had the motivation to excel at such a very young age. After reading the letter, Andre explained to both his eager sons that CBS wanted to read what Zeric had written but had to get permission through Maude’s and his signatures to see if this work would be something that they might want from us.

That’s what I told him, Dad, Antonio said.

You do good, Tony. Always help your baby out. You are his lawyer, Andre said with pride.

Just then, Andre began sniffing around. I smell smoke. Have you boys been smoking in here? he asked with a look of disapproval. The room fell quiet. Not a word out of either of the boys. Andre got up and started sniffing around. Tell me the truth. Remember, there is nothing that you can do that is so bad you cannot tell your mother or me, Andre said in a fatherly tone and not threatening in the least.

Zeric bowed his head in shame and said, It was me, Daddy. I’m sorry.

Andre thought about his son’s admission for a moment and then asked, Son, how long have you been smoking?

Not too long, Daddy, but don’t worry. I’m not addicted or anything. I only smoke when I get real happy about something.

Andre looked down at his son. He sat in a chair and gently pulled his son to him to look him face-to-face. Old man, I know you see me smoke, but it’s a bad habit that I got to get rid of. Smoking can give you cancer. It can kill you. I know it looks cool and all the cool cats do it, but you have a wonderful future ahead of you, and you have to be healthy to enjoy it all. I would rather you did not smoke. For me and Mama, okay? Since you are not addicted, it shouldn’t be hard to stop, right? Andre asked.

Right, Zeric answered.

Andre then looked to Antonio. Tony, you smoke too? he asked.

Never, Dad, I have never had a cigarette. They smell bad to me, Antonio stated.

Good, let’s keep it that way, Andre said as he got up to go back outside. You boys hurry up and get those shrimps beheaded, peeled, and deveined. Then I’ll take you to Mother’s house for the afternoon, Andre said as he walked out the door back to his workshop in the backyard.

Mother was Andre’s mother, the children’s grandmother that they called Nana. They, along with their cousins, would spend every Saturday afternoon at their grandparents’ house.

Nana liked spending every Saturday afternoon with all nine of her grandchildren. She looked forward to this every weekend. Poppie, the boys’ grandfather who always appeared a bit of a gruff man, looked forward to his grandchildren every Saturday afternoon as well.

Just then, the phone rang. The boys raced to the phone. Antonio answered. It was Maude, who was as usual on Saturday’s at work. She was a nurse in the hospital.

Mom! Antonio responded to the pleasant voice on the other end of the line.

Zeric began jumping up and down. It’s Mama. Give me the phone, Tony. Give me the phone!

Antonio began holding the phone up over his head. He knew that Zeric couldn’t reach it. Hold on a minute, baby. Hold on, Antonio said.

No, give me the phone, Tony. I wanna speak with Mama. Tears began to form in Zeric’s eyes.

Antonio knew how emotional Zeric would become when it came to their mother. The sun set and rose in Maude to her children. They were crazy about her. Not wanting to see his little brother cry, Antonio relinquished his speaking time to Zeric. Zeric excitedly told Maude about the letter from CBS. He also slowly told her that their father figured out that he’d been smoking.

Maude then pleasantly scolded that Zeric had better remember to ask God to help him not smoke during his noonday prayer and she reminded him that he had a lot to be thankful for and to thank God for CBS responding to his submission. She reminded him that it was twelve noon and to remind their father to come in with them and say the noonday prayer.

Okay, see you tonight. God’s willing, Mama, Zeric said.

Antonio snatched the phone and said, God’s willing, into the mouthpiece before replacing the receiver in the cradle.

God’s willing, both boys said this to their parents when parting and when going to bed at night. They also said it to each other when going to sleep or separating. This stemmed from their baby days. As their mother would put them to sleep, she would always say, I will see you when you wake up, if it’s God’s willing. As the boys grew older, they cut it down to a simple God’s willing." No one in the Washington family ever parted without saying this to the other.

Maude was not a religious fanatic or anything as such. She was a Christian. However, not a turban-wearing, long-dress-wearing woman that watered everything down with God.

She was a spiritual person and a very decent woman. She took pride first in being a child of God, a wife, and a mother and exactly in that order. Next to being an obedient child of God, her family was the most important thing to her. She never had to verbalize this; it showed in her actions. Naturally being a nurturer, this made her the perfect person to be a nurse. Afternoon prayer was something she learned from her mother back in the thirties and forties. She brought this along with her to her marriage to Andre in 1957. She passed it on to her greatest admirers, her children.

Daddy, Daddy, Zeric called out the side door to his father that was in the workshop.

Yeah, Andre could be heard responding from the workshop.

It’s time for noonday prayer! Zeric yelled.

Ya’ll go on without me, Andre responded.

Zeric wasn’t sure he heard right. What, Daddy? Zeric yelled back.

Having second thoughts about how he responded, Andre stopped his task attaching a wooden elephant to a board. He was going to place the board with the elephant on it and cement it to the brick mailbox out front. Maude loved elephants, and he wanted to surprise her with the elephant out front when she arrived home this evening. Andre stopped his task and joined his sons in the den for the noonday prayer.

It was Antonio’s turn to pray. They all knelt at the sofa. God, thank you for this day! Thank you for my mother and my father. Thank you for my little brother. Thank you for our dog Poncho and thank you for my brother’s letter that came today. Lord, thank you! In Jesus name, we pray. Amen!

Oh, and please help me to stop smoking. I’m sorry. And Daddy too, Zeric added.

Prayer finished, Andre headed back out to his workshop but, before leaving, told the boys to get started on the shrimps.

The boys began hard at work beheading, peeling, and deveining fifteen pounds of extra-large shrimps. The work went fast because of the present company. Antonio and Zeric enjoyed each other immensely. Antonio enjoyed Zeric’s sincere innocence. He believed whatever he was told. He thought his big brother to be a walking Jesus, and Antonio loved the reverence.

Theirs was a middle-class family. Maude was a nurse, and Andre was a machinist at Union Bag, a paper factory. There were hundreds of large machines at the facility, including a box plant loaded with large working machines. Andre knew how to fix every one of them when they would break down. He was a valuable employee. He was one of the few black supervisors at the plant. That was saying something, for 1969.

The subdivision the Washingtons lived in was named Liberty City. It was a very nice area. Mostly, teachers, white-collar blacks, and blue-collar supervisors. Most families were two-car families. Andre drove a white Ford Falcon and Maude a black Buick. The children attended a public school; however, they spent the first three years of their education in a Catholic school. However, the tuition rose sharply in 1969 in Savannah, Georgia, for non-Catholics attending Catholic school. And the Washingtons, being Baptist, withdrew Zeric who would be going to the fourth grade and Antonio who would be going to the sixth grade and enrolled them into a public school.

The Washingtons provided a splendid home environment for their boys. No, they were not rich, but all their needs were met, and their home was a very nice three-bedroom brick home, housed on two lots. The home was extremely neat inside and outside. They wore very nice clothes. Not always name brand but very nice all the same. The Washington boys were well-mannered, and Antonio was often the envy of other boys because of his strong and solid build, good looks, and athletic abilities. Little girls often tried to get his attentions as well. The Washingtons was a family that other families tried to emulate.

After an hour and a half of preparing the shrimps for the freezer, the boys were finished. Andre too completed his task of placing the elephant on top of the brick mailbox. The boys began to scrub their hands with soap, salt, and lemon juice to kill the seafood scent.

As Andre entered the kitchen, Zeric yelled to him, Dad, we are going to be rich, aren’t we?

Rich? Andre asked.

Yeah, Dad, rich from the TV script that I wrote, Zeric said.

Well, old man, right now we have to sign the paperwork and get it back to the network. Then once they examine your work, they have to decide if they want to use it. And if they do, I would say yes. Something like that if it’s successful, you can make a lot of money, he explained. Me, you, Mama, and Tony can make a lot of money. That’s my boy, Andre complimented.

The boys, all fresh and cleaned up, ran out the side door; they ran everywhere. At times, it was tiring for their parents to watch. Poncho, Zeric called.

Poncho also enjoyed Saturday afternoons over at Nana’s as well. Poncho, a one-hundred-thirty-five-pound Belgium shepherd, came running from behind Andre’s workshop. He jumped on Zeric, knocking Zeric down to the ground and licking all over him. Zeric was his favorite. He easily outweighed the ninety-pound Zeric. Antonio was trying to pull him off as Zeric fell into fits of laughter. Poncho then turned his overwhelming displays of love and affection on Antonio, whom he couldn’t knock down. They weighed about the same.

Zeric then ran over to the Magwoods’ property, the Washingtons’ next-door neighbor. He wanted to see if Derek was outside. Derek was Zeric’s favorite friend. Derek was indeed out in the garage shooting pool all by himself. Zeric asked Derek to come to Nana’s house with him. Derek had been to Nana’s house many times with Zeric and always enjoyed himself. He went in the house to ask his mother if it was all right, and out he came running. And while passing Zeric, he yelled, Last man to the Falcon is a rotten egg!

Zeric took out running behind him. They reached the car at almost the same time. Antonio and Poncho were already at the car, and the sight of the boys running to the car excited Poncho even further that Poncho began pouncing from both Zeric to Derek. Andre then approached the car asking if everyone was ready. All three boys and Poncho hopped into the Falcon.

Nana lived less than four miles from Liberty City. She lived in an area called Fieler’s Park. Most people in Savannah came to this area at least once a year, in the fall. The Coastal Empire Fair always made a two-week appearance at the end of October. Nana only lived one block from the fair grounds. She and Poppie had such a large backyard that during the season of the fair, the older grandchildren would park cars in the backyard and charge the drivers.

During the short ride, Zeric began telling Derek about the letter from CBS. Derek was excited for his friend. Derek told Zeric to remember that when he became famous, Derek would be his security. Who else? Zeric said, grinning at his friend.

Andre explained to Zeric that he was happy that he was positive about this but to remember that this response was a contract allowing CBS to examine his materials and that the manuscript had not been accepted yet. He didn’t want Zeric building himself up for a letdown.

Maybe they won’t accept it, Daddy, but they know my name now. This will lead to something big!

Andre was happy that Zeric didn’t let the truth dampen his spirits.

Arriving at Nana’s house, the boys jumped out of the Falcon before it came to a full rest. The afternoon was so beautiful. This was the last weekend before the 1969–1970 school year was to begin. The kids were enjoying every last moment of what had been a memorable summer vacation. Maude and Andre took the boys for a weekend at Six Flags Over Georgia. Derek went along as well. Zeric and Antonio, before Six Flags, spent two weeks with their Uncle Joseph, Maude’s brother in Cross Hill, South Carolina. It was country and a lot of land to run. There was even a large rock that cool spring water flowed from that the boys would drink. The water was even cool in the dead heat of the South Carolina summer.

There were hills made of clay that often adults would eat. There was the sour grass that the children would chew to get the juice out of. Uncle Joseph had an old country house with a wood stove. The house had a tin roof, which made for pleasant sleeping when it was raining outside. The property consisted of a church, a store, and a club. Back then called a juke joint. Uncle Joseph allowed the boys to work in the store during their two-week stay. Antonio would collect the money from the patrons, and Zeric would bag the items. The boys had a wonderful time. Uncle Joseph and Aunt Belle offered the boys to stay on another week. However, two weeks was the most time that Zeric could stay away from his mother. He worried about her when away from her. He always thought that something would happen to his mother if he wasn’t around.

Racing through the living room to the kitchen, Poncho remained outside. Although he was very much a welcomed guest, Poppie felt that a dog’s place was outside, roaming in the backyard. Nana and Poppie had two dogs themselves, Rusty and Knubbie. Poncho ran to the backyard to enjoy their company. Nana, wearing her black-wire-rimmed glasses, was hard at work making ham sandwiches on raisin bread. Zeric and Antonio’s seven cousins—Everett, Arnold, Richard, Ronald, Randy, Mark, and Yvette—were all sitting around the kitchen table awaiting their lunch. Nana and Poppie had eight grandsons and one granddaughter.

Nana greeted, Eh, boys, wash your hands, wash your hands. She then noticed their friend Derek. Hey, sweetie, when you are here, you are one of my grandchildren too, so wash your hands.

The boys did as requested to do. Everyone knew the ritual. Once you ate and drank your Kool-Aid, it was back outside for the younger grandchildren. Completing washing his hands, Zeric eagerly awaited his raisin bread sandwich. Poppie passed by behind him, patting him on his head and going to get a drink of water. Poppie drank from a dipper that hung on the wall next to the sink. Zeric was always mesmerized by this. He thought the dipper to be a small pot and had never seen anyone drink from anything other than a glass or cup. He was simply infatuated with his grandparents. He was in love with all his family. Both sides, Maude’s and Andre’s.

The boys sat down with their cousins and enjoyed their lunch. Being as this was the last weekend before school was to commence, Nana made her grandchildren a special treat, a chocolate layer cake. No one made chocolate layer cake like her. It was the kind of taste that when one bites into it, he closes his eyes as he chews. Her chocolate layer cake made one feel euphoric.

There was no place like being around all his cousins and Derek, Zeric felt. He felt so safe, so warm, and so loved when he was around them. It was a feeling of nothing can get me now; I am protected. There is nothing like family. The only thing greater than family is God! Zeric thought as he enjoyed his lunch of love.

Andre had long gone. He would always drop the boys off and visit with his parents upon his return. If Nana was having her well-loved Saturday winter specials, chili or goat meat stew for lunch, he would remain for lunch and then take his leave. After much talking among the cousins, the older four—Richard, Ronald, Randy, and Mark— especially always wanted to prolong the lunch, for they knew they were to fall victim to the dreaded cereal bowl haircut by Poppie.

Poppie would use a cereal bowl to place on the heads of the four elder grandsons and shave around the cereal bowl. He would then get his clippers and cut the top of their heads and as low and evenly as possible. He was a painter, not a barber, not even an amateur barber. He did this out of love though, and the parents of the four older grandchildren was happy to save the money. Although the four elder grandchildren did not look alike in features, one could always tell they came from the same family due to their cereal bowl haircuts. The four elder grandsons hated it. The other five younger grandchildren found it to be amusing.

Zeric and Antonio’s parents always had their haircut on Fridays at a barber shop, Everett and Arnold’s parents always had their haircut at a barber shop during the week, in spite of the fact that they lived right next door to Nana and Poppie. Yvette, being a girl, never had to worry about being subject to her grandfather’s act of kind gesture. The five younger grandchildren along with Derek cleaned up behind themselves and went out to the backyard. Richard, Ronald, Randy, and Mark all filed into the bathroom to wait for their turns of the inevitable.

Outside in the backyard, Poncho, Rusty, and Knubbie were hard at play. Zeric always loved his grandparents’ backyard. It was so large and inviting. There was a pecan tree, a plum tree, and a pear tree, and outside the fence line would grow the largest and sweetest blackberries. He would always pick as many as possible after warnings by Nana to be very careful because snakes love blackberries as well and may very well be in the vicinity. Antonio, the ever-protective older brother, would always keep a watchful eye over Zeric though.

There were actually three plum trees that bore the sweetest plums. Zeric often thought and would tell his agreeing cousins, Nana doesn’t always have to make sandwiches. We could eat lunch out of the backyard. Everyone agreed, but no one wanted to miss a Saturday of that raisin bread and home-baked ham.

The fruit trees bared overtime this summer, and the children were enjoying in the backyard filling up baskets of fruits to take home for snacks later. Zeric naturally went straight for the fence to get blackberries. Derek followed as Antonio kept a watchful eye.

He had already planned that should a snake try to sneak up on his little brother, he was going to step on its head and squash it. No one or anything ever is to hurt Zeric. This is how Antonio felt about his younger brother; it was ingrained in his spirit.

After spending nearly an hour picking fruits, the kids decided to go over to the other section of the backyard and play on what they called the monkey bars. What they called the monkey bars was a very large metal rack made into three sections. It stood seven feet tall. The elder grandchildren found it down the block, thrown out by a cola company many years ago, and drug it to their grandparents’ backyard. They have long since passed the age of playing on the monkey bars; however, the younger Washington grandchildren were grateful to the older ones for supplying them with something that brought them so much amusement.

Many Saturdays were spent sitting around the monkey bars, doing turns and flips hanging onto the bars and many times sitting in one position having serious children conversations. It was the place to talk about your dreams for the future. It was the place to tell secrets. It was a special place for all the children. Each of them had their own individual story about the beloved monkey bars.

While they were all back at the monkey bars, there were separate conversations going on. Everyone was at the same party but doing his own thing. Derek, who was smitten with Yvette, began playing back and forth with her. Everett, Arnold, and Antonio were engaged in conversation about the last time they played the game, Come and Get Your Supper. This was a game where all but one person goes out of a room, and the person remaining hides a certain object. Once everyone is admitted back to the room, while searching for the object, the hider tells them if they are hot, meaning they are near the object or cold, meaning they are far away from the object. The one who finds the object is the winner; therefore, he or she gets to be the one to hide it this time.

Zeric was spinning over and over one of the rails and singing, Young, Gifted, and Black. Antonio enjoyed his brother’s songs that were not opera. All the other kids enjoyed Zeric’s voice too. Yvette often commented that her aunt Maude and uncle Andre should just put Zeric in a room and let him sing into a microphone at night so that everyone could hear him and sleep peacefully.

The remainder of the afternoon was spent playing dodge ball, running from house to house in the West Sixtieth Street, Fieler’s Park neighborhood. Everyone knew one another in the 600 block of West Sixtieth Street. It was not unusual for children to be on the property playing with one of the neighbors that wasn’t at home. Everyone was friendly with one another. No one had to worry about property damage or anyone stealing. It was a kinder, gentler time back at the end of the sixties.

One by one, Nana and Poppie’s children would arrive to claim their couple of children that was left to their care for the day. First, Emma arrived to pick up her three—Randy, Mark, and Yvette. When she arrived, Yvette and Zeric were on the floor playing jackstones. Zeric was the only one that would play jackstones with Yvette. The other boys thought it to be a girls’ game. Second, Frank and Alicia arrived to retrieve Richard and Ronald. Brenda, Everett, and Arnold’s mother lived just right next door, and when they saw her car pull into the driveway, they would hug their grandparents goodbye and slap their remaining cousins and Derek who was just like a cousin on the head and excused themselves.

Zeric was a bit beyond playing now. He was quiet, watching the television but not looking at the story. He clutched tightly to his bag of blackberries and plums. Nana observed this and hunched Poppie and whispered, Missing his mama now.

Just like his daddy used to be back in the day, Poppie said.

Antonio reached over and pulled his little brother into him and said, Dad will be here soon, and then we’ll be going home to meet Mom.

Zeric nodded his head in silence. His entire demeanor had changed. This was nothing new. After being away from Maude more than eight hours, he would always suffer separation anxieties. No one could really console him either when this depression came down on him. The only cure was to be with his mother.

Antonio continued to hold his baby throughout the rest of the visit. Derek sat mesmerized by the television. Antonio was speaking back and forth to Nana and Poppie about going to the new public school, but Zeric just held on to his brother.

At long last, Andre arrived at the front door. He came in greeting everyone and giving his mother a peck on the cheek.

Are you hungry, Dre? Nana asked.

Yes, Mom, but I’m taking Maude and the kids out to the Ponderosa Steak House for dinner tonight.

Antonio released his little brother and jumped up, hollering hooray. He loved steak, medium rare. Zeric by now was beginning to come around a little, first from the sight of his father and second from the news of going to the Ponderosa but mostly from the anticipation of being with his mother.

Zeric went over and gave his grandmother a huge hug and kiss on the cheek. She hugged him back and sweetly said, My sweet boy. He then went over to his grandfather and did the same. Antonio hugged his grandparents goodbye.

Andre then looked at his father and said, Dad, why don’t you and Mother come with us? Treat’s on me.

Before Poppie could respond, Nana said, Not tonight, Dre. I have two bunches of collards to clean, and I got to start my pot meat. Pot meat being the smoked neck bones and smoked pigtails she had to boil until they were tender and then place the cleaned collard greens in the seasoned pot.

Well, maybe next time, folks Andre said as he ushered his boys out the front door and calling Poncho from the yard.

Derek thanked Nana and Poppie for having him over for the afternoon. As they were going out the door, Zeric could be heard yelling back, Love you!

Maude was all a dither at the surprise sight of the large elephant cemented onto the top of the mailbox. She loved elephants. She was not a member of a sorority or anything. She just simply thought of elephants as being the most beautiful animal in the world. She had over two hundred elephants throughout her residence. It never appeared overly crowded or anything as such. The house was quite a large house, and she had strategically placed them all about the house. Some small, some medium, and some extremely tiny. Maude had a flair for decorating. Often, visitors to their home would comment that had she not been a nurse, she could have very well been an interior decorator.

As Andre and the boys drove into the driveway at 1420 Arcadian Street, their Liberty City address, the first thing Zeric saw was the black Buick in the driveway. He was rejuvenated; he knew that Mama was home.

Don’t open that door until this car is parked, Andre demanded. He knew that in excitement, Zeric would jump out of the car, and Antonio, ever the protector, would jump out behind him. Derek would just follow because of being one of the boys. Once the car came to a halt, the boys jumped out.

See you tomorrow, Derek! Zeric yelled.

Bye, Derek responded as he ran across the lawn to his house.

Once inside the house, Zeric went from room to room, yelling, Mama, Mama!

Where is she at? Antonio asked in bewilderment.

An idea popped into Zeric’s head. I know. He then ran back to the side kitchen door, running right into his father as Andre was entering the door.

Hold on, hold on. What are you doing? Andre asked.

Looking for Mom, Antonio responded.

Well, I don’t think she is outside, Andre answered.

Running back through the house with his renewed energy, Zeric began calling for his mother once again, passing his own room and going into his parents’ room.

Maude appeared from behind the door of the boys’ room. Antonio and Andre saw her; however, Zeric was already inside his parents’ room looking around for his mother. They all waited for Zeric to return from his parents’ room and see the surprise on his face once he saw his mother.

Exasperated, Zeric returned to the doorway of his parents’ room, saying, I don’t see her anywhere. His eyes then keyed in on his beautiful mother standing in the doorway of his bedroom. Mama! he said, rushing into her inviting arms. He held her for a long time.

Maude relished in the love of her family. Backing away, she produced three pecan-covered caramel logs. Andre and the boys loved pecan-covered caramel logs that she would get from the gift shop at the hospital. Antonio then hugged his mother, and Andre had his chance now to smooch with his wife.

Everyone, get freshened up. We are going to the Ponderosa for dinner, Andre announced.

Hold on! Zeric demanded. He raced to fetch the large manila envelope with the CBS logo to give to his mother.

She kissed him on the mouth, saying, I am so proud of you!

Now go and get ready, Andre demanded.

Once inside their bedroom, Andre and Maude embraced again. So we got a writer on our hands, Maude said, proudly waving the envelope at her husband.

Looks like it, huh? Andre responded.

Maude then came up to Andre and stood on the tip of her toes to reach him for a kiss, for she was only five feet tall and he six feet two. She kissed him passionately.

Andre, who was bowled over, stood back and asked, And for what do I deserve this?

That wonderful elephant on the mailbox. I have the most thoughtful husband in Liberty City, she complimented.

Just in Liberty City? Andre asked.

Okay, in Savannah, Maude thanked.

Thinking for a moment, Andre shook his head and said, I guess I can live with that.

Maude was a very tidy little woman. She was extremely neat in appearance. She had the tiniest waist most people had ever seen on an adult woman. She was a real looker. Coffee brown complexion, thick shoulder-length hair, nails always manicured, and Tina Turner legs. She was the loved queen of 1420 Arcadian Street. Although tiny in stature, when it came to the defense of her family, she stood eight feet tall. She was always straight forward and didn’t bite her tongue. She said exactly what she meant.

Her children thought of her to be the perfect mother. Somehow, she held down an eight-hour job, always prepared meals for her children, taught them to iron their clothes as professionally as she does, made time to go over and spend time with her aging father, and took good care of her husband when it came to the care of his clothing, ironing them, purchasing clothes for him while shopping, and preparing his lunch to take to work. She never missed a beat. All this and never a complaint. She was thought by all to be an amazing woman.

Everyone ready to make the short trip to the Ponderosa, the family got into the black Buick. Zeric’s mouth was running a mile a minute. He was telling Maude all about the day he had at Nana’s and that he’d picked enough blackberries to feed an army. Mostly, he was talking about the letter from CBS. Every now and then, there would be a bit of conversation from Antonio. Antonio wasn’t quite the talker that Zeric was. Maude asked Zeric if he rehearsed his song for church tomorrow. Zeric said he’d been going over and over it in his head all day. Antonio added that he did hear Zeric sing Young, Gifted, and Black. Zeric said, That’s my new song, so I have to sing it out loud to get used to it.

The Ponderosa. Excellent atmosphere, splendid cuisine. The best steaks in town. The juiciest prime rib, the crispiest salads, and the number one fresh homemade lemonade. The place was crazy busy as usual; however, it wasn’t long before the Washingtons procured a seating space for the four of them. Zeric liked his steak well done and cut into squares. This is how Maude prepared it for him at home. Antonio of course preferred his medium rare, and he would cut the steak himself. Zeric would often call Antonio bloodthirst when he would see Antonio cut into his steak and blood was seeping out everywhere. Much family conversation ensued around the table.

A little girl at a neighboring table took notice of the strapping Antonio. Antonio was oblivious to his new admirer. Zeric eyed her watching Antonio and brought this to Antonio’s attention. Tony’s got a new girlfriend, Zeric would tease. Maude and Andre then took notice. Antonio nodded pleasantly on the onlooker’s direction. Caught staring, she turned her head away in embarrassment. The Washingtons laughed, all except Antonio that is.

Once the dinner salads arrived, everyone began to eat. Zeric poured mounds of salad dressing on his salad. Maude looked his way in disapproval but didn’t say a word. She was always very health conscious. Occupational hazard, she would often say. Neither of her children were overweight; however, she didn’t want them to become overweight. Both had fast metabolisms, especially Zeric; he ran all day everywhere he would go. He could never sit still for too long unless he was depressed.

The day was beginning to come down on Zeric, and after long, the fabulous steaks arrived, and Zeric was becoming quite sleepy. He finished all his salad. He loved vegetables or rabbit food as Andre would call it. However, when it came to tomatoes, Antonio would make it a point to remind everyone that tomatoes were only used as a vegetable, but in actual, it has seeds. Therefore, tomatoes are actually a fruit. With steaks and potatoes on the table, Antonio attacked his steak with his knife and fork and began chomping down. Maude looked at him in disapproval of his dinner table manners or lack of.

Zeric took one bite of one of his chunks of steak and settled back into his seat. And quietly drifted off into sleep as the rest of the family enjoyed this palate-pleasing meal.

An older couple at one of the other neighboring tables couldn’t help but look at the sleeping prince. The older woman looked at Maude and said, What an adorable little tyke.

I’m afraid he’s had a busy day, Maude responded. Maude who took her camera everywhere that she went didn’t want to forget about this precious moment. She took the camera from her large purse and snapped a picture of her cute and sleeping son. The older couple laughed at this special moment.

Zeric fast asleep and the family almost finished their meals, Maude ordered a carryout for Zeric’s mostly untouched plate. Andre reached over and lightly shook Zeric to awaken him. ’bout time to go, ole man, Andre said.

Zeric stretched and looked around the restaurant as if he didn’t know where he was. Tip left on table, the family began to take their leave. Get your baby, Tony, Maude ordered. Antonio walked directly behind Zeric, each hand on either of Zeric’s shoulders, and steered him out to the Buick.

The ride home was mostly quiet. Everyone pleasantly full and the most talkative member of the family fast asleep. Pulling into the driveway, Poncho met the family at the car. Antonio awakened Zeric, who by this time was deep in slumber. As they were getting out of the car, Poncho came to greet Zeric who was staggering with sleep. Zeric patted him on the head and grabbed for his mother, holding her by the waist as they walked into the house. Zeric was just a little shorter than Maude. Antonio already stood over her. They are growing so very fast, she said to Andre.

We have the clothing bills to remind us if we forget, he responded.

As the boys entered their room, Maude could be heard reminding them, Don’t forget to brush your teeth.

We won’t, the boys replied in unison. The boys had their own private bathroom in their room as did their parents. The boys had bunk beds, Antonio on top.

Maude was always afraid that Zeric would fall off the top. He is just too spirited to sleep in one spot, she would say.

Zeric and Antonio bid their task of brushing their teeth as requested and got into their nightclothes. Antonio helping Zeric from time to time, sleep was so on him, and he would almost tip over from time to time. It was as though he was drunk. Poncho brushed up outside their door, and Antonio let him in. The boys then knelt side by side to say their night prayers. Poncho jumped into Zeric’s bed, positioning himself nearest the wall. Prayers completed