Bedford Falls, South Carolina

Bonnie turned to Bill "Well hello Billy I didn't know you run the store now, shows you how much I keep up with what goin on in town huh. Today was my first day and it was just to set up for a party for Evie Fontaine's seems she's home from New York. Not that I know much about all that fancy stuff. Anyways my maw left me a note sayin you had a tool that my daddy ordered for the farm and she wanted to me to pick it up". She had always thought Billy was a handsome fella, who was one of those true blue men that were taught well by their mamas and treated everyone with the respect they deserved.

"I admit I do the same thing with my mother," Sebastian commented about her tuning out her mom.

"I have been done for about 3 months now with school, but have been traveling, trying to see if maybe I can bring some new industries here. I just don't have the head for business like my father did though. So I think I need to start from the ground up...or something like that."

He hadn't even admitted that much to himself, because well Sebastian was stubborn, he didn't want to be seen as a failure. His father left him with just enough guilt that he wouldn't abandon Bedford Falls, even if he had same thoughts that Evie did. He wanted to move, more out to California then Hawaii, but out there there was still room enough for a man to make a name for himself without having to sit in the shadow of someone else.

"And you don't go moving to Hawaii anytime soon, or I'd be a might lonely without you or your brother here."

She had brought back some good memories with just her smile, but she wasn't that pipsqueak of a girl anymore. So he took a slight step back, as people passing by could have been getting the wrong idea and you know how people in small town's like to talk. No she wasn't a pipsqueak in the least, and that thought scared him a little bit.

"

"G'd afta'noon, sir." Henry replied to Bill as the chiseled son of Frank Duvick made his way behind the counter and set down a box down. Unlike most of the townsfolk in the area Bill was an equal opportunity businessman who saw beyond what people were and into who they were in true entrepreneurial spirit. Bill had always treated Henry fairly, unlike some of the other shopkeepers in town. Bill didn't jack up the prices on his wares because he was selling to a negro and he didn't deny him any of his selection for the same reason. He was a fair, honest man, Henry respected that and hoped that more townsfolk would follow his example.

Henry waited patiently while the lovely Ms.Pheldman did business with Mr.Duvick. Henry had grown accustomed to waiting more than most, being black and all in a white man's town. Plus it was just common human decency to wait one's turn. Henry shifted his gaze about the hardware shop until he settled back upon the windows, or rather what was beyond them. Henry swallowed hard as he saw a figure, a very distinct figure of a man approaching the hardware store. The half-limping, slightly overweight, middle-aged figure of Sheriff Crawley strapped in his ever so prim uniform.

Had one of the townsfolk told the sheriff they saw a black man in town? Or was Henry just plain unlucky? Henry quickly pretended to focus on something else as the door creaked open and the bell jingled.

"Well, well, what hav' we'a'here? What'cha doin' in town, boy?" the sheriff croaked in an oily voice filled with haughty scorn.

Henry gulped and said, "Sir, I was ju-"

"You look at me when I'm a talkin' to you, ya' hear me boy?!" Crawley interrupted.

Henry turned to face the sheriff in as neutral of a manner possible, made eye contact and-

"Now di' I say you could look me in the eye, boy?" the sheriff cracked.

Henry dropped his head to his chest, focused on his dusty shoes and continued with his explanation. "Sir, I mean no trouble. I-I jus' was here to pick up some matches."

The sheriff guffawed and said, "So ya' can go commit arson? Not on my watch, boy. Ain't no matches here for you, ain't that right, Bill?"

Bonnie stated her business, and Bill quickly recalled an order for Mr. Pheldman arriving a few days earlier. "Yep, I remember a package arriving for him just the other day." Bill said, stepping back and looking at the shelves under the counter. He spotted it and bent to withdraw it. In that moment, the jingle of the bell above the door jingled. Bill stood with the package in hand, about to say a greeting to whomever had stepped in. That is, until he saw who it was as a spew of self righteous, racist garbage came from his mouth. Sheriff Crawley, local law-man and typical fat bigot.

Henry explained his business, at which the sheriff sputtered or laughed, maybe both. Bill wasn't sure, but in that same instant Crawley was staring at him. "Ain't that right, Bill?"

Bill set the package down on the counter and scooted it to his left. He set both his hands on the counter, about shoulder width apart, and leaned forward slightly. Just enough to insinuate a firm stance for the law-man. "Well, with all due respect Sheriff, I'd say I do have big ol' boxes of matches back here. And I'd have to say, that any man or woman with enough money to pay for a book or two can buy some. Anything else in the store, same story. So, with all due respect, Sheriff Crawley, unless you'd care to purchase something, door's that way." Bill paused and grinned, taking a final drag of the dying cigarette he'd left. "I'm sure there's a empty chair at the barber shop, if you're just looking to shoot the breeze."

Bill pulled out a box from beneath the counter, full of match boxes. He turned his eyes from Crawley to Henry. He slowly turned his eyes back on Crawley. He wasn't about to let this kind of crap happen on his watch, not in his family's store. No matter his Grandfather's or father's views, even they'd considered everyone equal when it came to business. William himself believed in a bigger equality, a full equality. And, in true Irish fashion, Bill wasn't one to budge on his beliefs for anyone. Or any circumstances.

Bonnie's eyes narrowed as the sheriff hassled Henry, and frankly it had her mad as a wet sett'n hen. All of this nonsense about colored folks and white folks not bein able associate with one another was just all around stupid and disrespectful. She put her hands on her hips "Well Sheriff aint it a lovely day outside shouldn't ya be enjoyin it" she said with a bit of sarcasm. Then she did somethin that she knew would just burn the sheriffs biscuits right good. She linked arms with Henry and smiled at him "Besides sheriff Henry here was bein so kind as to help me get this tool back to my daddies farm weren't yah Henry. After we get those matches to Mr Mcnair", there weren't many in town or the like that crossed her daddy. Mr Fontaine may have had influence and money, but her father was hard working and respected by everyone in Bedford Falls, despite just bein a farmer. Besides Henry was fine young man and would never think of doin anything as heinous as arson, it just made her sick that the sheriff would even say such a thing.

"Well I think it's mighty brave of you admitting that, It takes a lot to say that your wrong" she smiled, hoping that Sebastian would feel encouraged, she couldn't help but feel like she had taken the wrong path in life, yet for as long as she could remember all she wanted to be was an actress but in reality it was a cruel world, criticism came daily as did regection, she remembered people telling her just to ignore it but it was damn hard, that was for sure.

"And you don't go moving to Hawaii anytime soon, or I'd be a might lonely without you or your brother here." Hearing those words brought a laugh to her lips "No need to worry Sebastian, I wouldn't dream of leavin' you here all on your lonesome" she smirked playfully "Besides I don't think he would like his little sister spoiling his time there."

"Oh I nearly forgot are you going to ole' Gellah's sons leaving do tonight at Stork? Because I was thinking, maybe you would like to go together?" she asked shyly.

Sebastian did feel encouraged by her words, "Well thank you kindly Miss Evie," mocking a bow to her, it was the response to his second comment though that got mixed feelings going on inside of him. He had built up a wall around his heart, one that really was of someone elses making.

Maybe it was he because he was home, or maybe it was seeing Evie and just talking to someone who didn't tear him down, but he was actually sort of happy for the first time in a long while. It would probably disappear once he actually got home and faced his mother. That woman had a way of scaring the wings off a mosquito (if one had the guts to actually get near her pearly white skin.)

He closed his mind off of that thought because it was just a bridge he would have to cross when he got to it. "Ole' Gellah's son actually leaving...thought that boy would be a permanent resident or something, yes I would love to attend with you, Evie."

Damn why hadn't it crossed his mind to ask her...he knew his mother told him about the get together well he thinks she did anyways.

"I can come by and pick you up at your house around 7."

Laughing Evelyn nodded "i Know! I could scarcely believe it myself when mother told me, I hear he's joined the army, going off to training, looks like the war is finally creeping up on us huh?" she sighed not wanting to think about it too much, her brother was in the army after-all and that would mean, he would have to go and fight, feeling a shiver race through her body at the thought of anything happening to Harry "Anyway,7 will be perfect" she smiled looking forward to the prospect at spending the evening with Sebastian.

"Ev?" her youngest brother, Patrick's voice caught her attention "I really should be getting back inside, mother will think I've ran off to New York again" she laugh weakly "i'll see you tonight Sebastian" she spoke placing a light kiss on his cheek "oh and do say hello to your mother for me" she gave him one final smile before walking back towards her brother, placing an arm across his shoulders "mention a word of that to pa and I'll have your hide" she said sternly but playfully.

Patrick laughed, glancing back at the man in question he recognized him as one of Harry's friends "would I drop you in it like that sis?" he chuckled.

Evelyn raised an eyebrow at him "hmm if it benefited you, you would" she stated as the walked back inside the restaurant, clipping the back of his head playfully before smiling "Missed you the most Pat" she winked at her youngest brother "you know you really should come and visit me more up in New York."

"You serious Ev? What about if I moved up there with ya?" he asked hopefully.

Evelyn shrugged she honestly couldn't see the problem "I would love to have but you have to work on Papa first, it was hard enough convincing him to let me go!"

Henry became very interested in the styling of the hardwood floor as soon as Bill and Bonnie unleashed their verbal torrent on Crawley. Henry's eyes were filled half with panic and half with guilt. Sheriff Crawley was not a man who took insults lightly and if he decided to cause trouble for Mr.Duvick or Ms.Pheldman it would be all Henry's fault. He could take the Sheriff's lashings, he had put up with it enough times before, but if some one else got in hot water on Henry's account because they stood up for him...
Henry wasn't sure he could stomach the thought.

Suddenly Henry felt an arm slide through the gab between the crook of his elbow and his ribs. He looked up to see Ms.Pheldman's smile that glowed with equal parts warmth and defiance. "Besides sheriff, Henry here was bein' so kind as to help me get this tool back to my daddy's farm, weren't yah Henry?"

Henry cranked his head to stare at teh sheriff's hands which were quaking. Whether his hands trembled in shock or rage Henry couldn't tell. The sheriff opened his mouth to speak, closed it promptly, then exhaled as he said, "Well now. I guess that's aw'right. An honest business man has right to sell to whom, or what he wants. But," the sheriff jabbed a threatening finger at Henry, "you do so much as lay a finger on the missus here and I will have you in irons faster th'n a bell clapper in a goose's behind. You hear me, boy?"

Henry had no idea what a bell clapper was, or how it even remotely related to geese but the tone of the sheriff's voice, the context in which spoke, and the way his hand rested eagerly on the the revolver holster at his hip told Henry everything he needed to know. Not that he had at all planned on doing ill to any one, especially not Ms.Pheldman.

"You have a nice day, Mr.Duvick. Say 'ello to your father for me. I'm sure I'll be seein' him real soon down at the office for your new shop license." Crawley said with an oily chuckle as he showed himself to the door.

A relieving moment fill only with the distant calls of blue jays and the fleeting skid-step of the sheriff passed before Henry started breathing again. He had never seen the sheriff stood up like that before. Henry turned to his two rescuer's and said, "I say I ain't neva' seen Crawely laid so low in the ditch! My thanks. Now if the sheriff gives y'all any trouble though don't let no bad come t'you 'cause of me."

Henry uncoiled his arm from Bonnie's and retrieved the bills and coins from his overall's breast pocket. Mr.McNair's and his own, $3 in total. "I'd like two boxes of matches, please sir. And of course I'd be glad to help get that package fo' Ms.Pheldman."

Bonnie smiled at Henry "Henry you can call me Bonnie you know, we've known each other long enough for you to call me by my name. If I recall when you worked for my daddy he insisted you call him Dan" she said with a chuckle. "And don't you worry about the Sheriff if he tries anything with me, my daddy el make sure that shiny badge of his is yanked right of his chest quicker the snot. And like wise if he tries anything with you" she put her hand on his shoulder.

"Men like him are just scared little boys on the inside that don't have half a brain in their head" she looked at the package and picked it up. She knew she could manage the package herself but she wasn't gonna let Crawely know it "I'll give you a ride to Mr. McNair's Henry, and then when your done there you can come home with me and have supper with the family. My momma would insist you stay if you showed up at the house, so I'll just invite you now", she said with a smile.

Henry smirked at Ms.Pheldman’s comments on the maturity of the sheriff. To Henry it always felt better knowing that someone, anyone, stood with him on his opinions, even if they didn’t know it at the time. In this world where a man such as he could not freely express his opinion without persecution Henry was glad to know there were those who would say what needed to be said for him.

Although American society at large continued to array cruel prejudice against Henry and his heritage chinks in the armor of hatred founded long ago were widening. The literary works of those who ushered in the Harlem Renaissance were burning away the darkness of segregation with the light of knowledge in the north. The new Egalitarian movement forming in the west—the resurgence of the abolitionists after the failure of Reconstruction following the American Civil War—was crusading ever forward for the equality which all citizens were ensured by right. National socio-economic labor movements such as the International Workers of the World and the American Federation of Labor now insisted that neither the color of a man’s skin, nor his place of origin had any bearing on his value. The eclectic community, for so many years dominated by conservative leadership was now re-examining its reasoning on the matter of race with prominent scientists such as Franz Boas and Ashely Motagu at the epicenter of the matter. A rising number of churches in the American heartland preached ever more fervently that the Lord’s holiness is instilled within all of his children. The federal government was coming to its senses knowing full well that the country, enduring a recession that had stricken the nation after an already devastating depression, would require all available working hands to recover. Not to mention the rising military aggression of Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan which was becoming an issue the U.S could no longer afford to ignore so nonchalantly. President Franklin Roosevelt knew that the United States could not afford to discriminate anymore; not in its armies and not in its war industry and to this end he and his allies in congress were meting out a measure of success in hammering integration legislation through a generations worth of deeply entrenched bigotry.

Times were changing and in big ways. Yet for Henry, a hardly literate black boy from the shambling shelters of the segregated outcrops of a rural South Carolina town, the scale of this wave of change was far beyond his reach and comprehension. It was not the socio-political machinations of nation-wide anti-racism organizations that gave him hope for the future. It was the daily resistance of individuals against injustice.

Individuals such as Bonnie and Bill who refused to accept a status quo that was embedded in the culture they were born into by two-hundred years of inhumanity towards man. Individuals who accepted that given the environment they lived in, the stance they took against the common establishment could cost them dearly.
Bonnie had already hefted the package for her father before henry even had a chance to insist otherwise. Not that she would have it any other way as the confidence in her voice reflected. The same went for her dinner offer. Henry had some pause at that one, but not because he didn’t want to go, on the contrary Henry felt joining the Pheldmans for supper was the best way to show his gratitude for Bonnie’s actions. Plus it would be good to shake the honest, hard-working hand of Mr.Pheldman and enjoy Mrs.Pheldman’s cooking again.

Nor was the pause a result of Henry’s prior obligations. Bonnie had offered to drive Henry to Shilo to deliver the goods he just purchased. The catfish he and Darrell ahd prepared would not be available to Darrell and the rest of the Buford family; mother and father would be home soon and Jasmin would be hungry soon. The timing couldn’t possibly be better. Darrell was more than capable of cooking the meal on his own. After all, Henry had taught him everything he in turn had learned from his mother.
No, the pause was not triggered for a logical reason. It was the flash of fear response to engrained social engineering. A negro ridding in an automobile to a black community with a white woman in the driver’s seat? Henry could be lynched for that if the wrong people caught wind. Henry had also learned by now that although not all white people were racist, not all racists were white. The black community in these parts—although substantially more tolerant than their white counterparts as a matter of necessity—were also not particularly partial to interracial couples. If they saw a black man and a white woman (or vice versa) together it was often the conclusion that there was something up between the two of them. Even if that wasn’t at all the case, people had a tendency to take things out of context.

Henry frowned at the prospects. Could this innocent little outing bring harm to his family? To Bonnie and her family? Would she wake up the next morning and find her house plastered in tar and horse shit? Would he wake up in the middle of the night to smoke and flame as the Buford shack burned down around him while an angry crowd waited outside eagerly clutching cudgels and guns?

Bonnie patiently awaited Henry’s answer; he sighed and bowed to the inevitable. “Thank you ma’—Bonnie, I’d be glad to be yo’ guest. Be nice to see them kind parents o’yours too.” Henry answered in a soft yet anxious tone. Bonnie and Bill had taken a stand against prejudice for Henry’s sake. It was time he did the same for his community.