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