Tenderness (35 page)

“We won’t get married for a while. He says he really loves me. But—”

“He does. I know he does. He had a crush on you the first time he saw you.”

“I told him about The Looker,” Pauline said in a soft, miserable voice. “I thought it might make a… difference in the way
he felt about me.”

“Did you think he might not want to marry you? Oh, Pauline—”

“He said it didn’t matter. But I had to tell him.”

“It’s grand the way things have turned out for you.”

“Oh, Jesse, I wish… I know Wade’ll come back. He doesn’t want to see you hurt—”

“I don’t want to talk about it, Pauline.” Jesse got up and moved out of the room, telling herself that her father, Susan and
Todd were happy now that Mrs. Lindstrom was gone and there was no longer a reason why she should stay in Harpersville and
serve the people who had ruined her life by being so bigoted. When she was fully recovered she would speak to her father about
finding a position in Knoxville or some other nearby town.

Later, sitting in the porch swing, waiting to see the foot race that would finish a short distance from the house, Jesse watched
Ethan come up the walk. He was a handsome, strong-minded man and she was happy for Pauline. Of course, Wade was handsomer
and smarter and dearer, she thought, and swallowed the sobs that came up in her throat.

“You’re looking fit today, Miss Jesse.”

“Thank you. Pauline is in the kitchen, Ethan, guarding the deviled eggs.”

“She just might need some help with that,” he said and headed for the door.

Jesse had told Todd to tell Jody about the picnic on the porch. Todd was hoping he’d come. Susan and Mary Sue were waiting
to cheer Jeff on. He was running in the race that brought the best runners from miles around, all vying for the silver dollar
that went to the winner.

At that moment, Todd came tearing around the house and sank down on the porch steps to catch his breath. His face was covered
with sweat, as was the back of his shirt.

“Where’s Jody, Todd?” Jesse asked.

“He’s… he’s… he’ll be along. I g-g-gotta go.”

“Todd, wait and get something to drink.”

“Can’t.”

He heaved himself off the porch steps and ran up the street to where a crowd had gathered around a small platform draped with
the American flag. A paper ribbon had been stretched between two poles to mark the end of the race. Todd sank down on the
grass to rest.

“He’s been so excited today,” Jesse said to Pauline and Ethan, who had come out onto the porch. “He wants to be in on the
end of the race. He can hardly wait until he’s old enough to enter some of the contests.”

They heard the sound of the shot that started the race.

“I’ll get chairs and you girls can sit in the shade of that chestnut tree.” Ethan indicated the tree close to the street.

“And bring a chair for yourself unless you want to sit on the ground,” Pauline called.

“I thought you’d sit on my lap, honeybun,” he replied.

Instead of bristling, Pauline blushed prettily and turned her face away.

Being in love and having her love returned had completely changed her friend from a withdrawn, unhappy girl to one who glowed
with happiness. Jesse wondered if her own joy had been so obvious during the weeks, she and Wade.… Sternly, she cut off her
thoughts. It didn’t pay to dwell on what might have been, she told herself.

Minutes later they were seated and watched as people streamed from town to see the end of the race. Several neighbors passed
and some stopped to chat with Jesse. It was hard for her to be civil with the ones who had stood by and watched as Ethan and
Wade had fought the four men the day after the ball game.

“Godamighty! That kid is the limit. You never know what he’ll do next.”

Jesse followed Ethan’s gaze and saw one runner well ahead of all the others. It was Jody, shirtless and running barefoot.
She heard a cheer from Susan and Mary Sue. Then Todd was on his feet shouting, “Come on, Jody. Come on.” And he wasn’t even
stammering.

The little toad, Jesse thought. Todd had known that Jody was going to run in the race when he sank down on the steps after
running from the starting line.

With sweat streaming down his face, his arms and legs pumping, Jody passed the house without a glance. He broke the paper
streamer to the cheers of Todd, Susan and Mary Sue. The rest of the crowd was silent. Fifty feet behind Jody came the man
from Grover who had won the race two years in a row. The rest of the pack followed.

Jody stood well back from the crowd.

“You showed ’em, Jody. You beat ’em all.” Todd was dancing with excitement.

“I’m afraid there’s going to be trouble. I don’t suppose Wade is anywhere around.” Ethan got to his feet and walked rapidly
up the walk to where Todd, Susan and Mary Sue were congratulating Jody.

After all the runners had crossed the finish line, Boyd Harper began to speak from the platform at the side of the street.

“Ladies and gentlemen. Once again I want to welcome you to Harpersville’s celebration. My granddaddy, Julius Harper, the founder
of Harpersville, was one of the first to hold an Independence Day celebration in eastern Tennessee. I’m proud to keep the
tradition alive. We have a grand turnout today. People have come from a great distance to enjoy our hospitality. This mile
race is the first contest of the day. It is my pleasure to present this silver dollar to the runner from Grover who has won
this race for three years in a row. Come up here, young fellow.”

“No!” Susan shouted as she, Mary Sue and Todd worked their way through the crowd to the platform. “Jody won the race fair
and square.”

“You’re being m-mean ’cause he’s a darkie.” Anger made Todd’s voice shrill.

“Young man, watch your mouth or I’ll speak to your father.”

Susan waved a piece of paper. “You said the race was open to anyone. You never said whites only. Jody won.”

“In all the years since my granddaddy founded this town, niggers have not been allowed to enter the contest.” Boyd’s face
was red and his fat jaws quivered. He had not been challenged before and it was humiliating.

“Why not?” Susan demanded.

“Well, it’s just not decent, is what it is. We’ve got to keep our celebration… clean for white foiks.”

“You think that Jody dirtied it?” Mary Sue asked.

The tall mustached man from Grover elbowed Susan aside. “Hell, yes, he dirtied it. Want to make something of it?”

Jeff stepped up beside Susan. He looked young and small beside the Grover man, whom he ignored.

“Mr. Harper,” he said, looking up at the banker, “Jody was more than fifty feet behind the starting line when the race started.
He overtook us. This man tried to trip him, but Jody jumped over his foot and took the lead. He won the race and deserves
the prize.”

“That’s right,” one of the men who ran the race called out. “The nigger won. I ain’t never seen anyone move that fast. It
was pure pleasure to see him run.”

“Jeff Stealy,” Boyd Harper looked sternly at the boy, “Your daddy will thrash you good when he hears that you’re interfering
in this.”

“I don’t think so, Mr. Harper. My daddy is a fair man.”

Mary Sue clung to Jeff’s arm. “My daddy is too.” She flung the words up at Boyd Harper.

Jody circled the crowd and came to the side of the platform.

“Keep your dollar, Mr. Harper. I didn’t run in order to get your prize. I ran because I knew I was the fastest runner in this
county. I challenge any man here to stay with me in a
five-mile race.”

The crowd was quiet for a moment; surprised by the boy’s dignity and the intelligent way he spoke.

“Well, what’er you goin’ to do?” the Grover man broke the silence. “Do I get the dollar, or are you going to give it to that
nigger?”

“Jody won fair and square, Mr. Harper,” Susan said and held out her hand. “I’ll give him the dollar if you can’t bring yourself
to do it.”

“All right. But next year the billboard will clearly state, ‘no darkies.’”

“You’re givin’ it to him?” the Grover man said angrily. “You’re chicken shit, but I’m not.”

He began to elbow his way through the crowd to where Jody stood with Susan, Todd, Mary Sue and Jeff. Ethan stood a small distance
away, watching. Jody had a frown on his face as Susan held out the silver dollar.

“Take it, Jody. You earned it.”

“I knew you could do it, Jody,” Jeff said. “I just entered to keep an eye on you. I knew I didn’t have a chance of winning.”

“Yeah. Jody, you’re the b-best runner in the whole w-world.”

The Grover man reached them. He put out both arms and shoved the children away from Jody.

“Where you from, nigger?”

“Leave him alone,” Susan said.

The man ignored her. “If you enter another one of my races, I’ll break both your legs.”

“You touch him and I’ll have Marshal Wright on you. He hasn’t bothered anyone and he broke no rules. You’re just a sore loser.”

“What do you know? We got us a white girl here cozy with a nigger.” The man looked at Susan with an insulting leer.

“That’s what bothers you, isn’t it? A colored man beat you. Let me tell you something, mister. Jody is going to run in the
Olympics someday. What do you think of that?”

“I think it’s a pile of horse shit. They’ll not let this black bastard even try out.”

“That’s enough.” Ethan spoke from behind Susan, then stepped around to stand beside Jody. “Spout any more insults and you’ll
get more than you bargained for, mister. If you’re smart you’ll mosey on.”

“You a nigger-lover too? Shit, this town’s gone straight to hell.” As he spoke he doubled up his fist and swung. Ethan caught
his wrist easily and at the same time stamped his heeled boot down hard on the man’s moccasined foot and held it there.

“E-E-E-ow! Hell and damnation! Get off my foot! You’re breakin’ it.”

“I don’t think so. Maybe just a toe or two,” Ethan said calmly. “When you get ready to bully someone, pick on someone other
than kids. If you as much as speak to them again, you’ll leave town with more than a broken toe. Understand?”

The man ducked his head and looked back to see that his friends were heading for town. Swearing at the pain in his foot, he
hobbled after them.

Ethan rubbed his knuckles over Jody’s head and grinned at him affectionately.

“You didn’t do bad for a skinny, ugly kid.”

“I showed them, didn’t I, Mr. Bredlow? I wish Wade—”

“He was here. Standing over there by the bridal wreath. He didn’t interfere because he knew I would.”

Jody’s head swiveled around. “Where is he?”

“He took off when the Grover man left. It was great to see you run, Jody, and to see the look of irritation on Harper’s face.
How is this going to sit with your folks, Jeff?”

“As I told Mr. Harper, my daddy is a fair man.”

“Well, let’s get back to the house and eat that picnic dinner the women have been fussing over. I know they are eager to hear
all the details.”

On Monday after the Fourth, Pauline and Ethan stood on the platform with Wade and Jody as they waited for the train to take
them to Tuskegee. The boy fidgeted in the shoes Wade had insisted that he wear. On the way they would stop in Chattanooga
and buy a complete wardrobe for Jody to take to school.

It was the first time Pauline had seen Wade since he had so abruptly broken off with Jesse. She was somewhat cool to him.

“Hello, Miss Anthony. Thank you for coming to see Jody off.”

“Why wouldn’t I? He was my student.”

“How… is Jesse?”

“Miserable.”

“She’s recovering from the… wound?”

“Oh, yes. And she’ll recover from her broken heart too. It’ll just take time.” She turned her back on him and spoke to Jody.

“I know you’re going to do just fine.” She tried to reassure the boy. “You’re one of the brightest students I’ve ever taught.”

“I ain’t… I’m not worried so much about the learning part, Miss Pauline. It’s the other. I can’t hardly remember what it was
like not being with Wade.”

“He’ll be here if you need him. So will Ethan, Jesse and I. You’ll always be important to us. But if you want to help your
people, you’ll need an education.”

“I’m not sure why I want to help them. I’ve not seen one that knew much of anything.”

“You’ll meet plenty of smart ones where you’re going.” The train whistle sounded. Pauline held out her hand. “Good luck, Jody.
Write to us.”

Jody clasped her hand. “Tell Todd and Susan and Miss Jesse good-bye.”

Pauline, touched by the tears in the boy’s eyes, turned a hostile glare at Wade. “He’s… scared,” she snapped.

The train screeched to a stop; the wind blew the thick smoke back toward them. Wade picked up his suitcase.

“Bye, Ethan, Miss Pauline. Thank you for coming.”

Wade and Jody walked back toward the end of the train where people of color were hanging out the windows and standing on the
coach steps. Pauline and Ethan were still standing there when the coach passed. Wade and Jody were sitting on a seat together.

Wade was the only white man in the “Colored Only” coach.

S
everal weeks of lonely days passed slowly. Jesse, fully recovered, had taken up her duties in the surgery. The renewed friendliness
of the people who had shunned her when she was walking out with Wade irritated her. She worked hard and seldom left the house.
She wanted to leave Harpersville soon, but she could not bring herself to tell her father and kept putting it off.

She was lancing a large boil beneath a drayman’s arm and wondering how he had managed to drive the team all the way from Fredrick
when a boy came to the surgery with a sealed note from Dick Efthim, the postmaster, asking her to come to the store. His wife
had had a shock, he said, and he was worried about her and the baby she carried.

Jesse finished with the drayman and went to find Mrs. Klein to tell her that she was leaving for a while. She looked for her
straw hat and, not finding it on the hall tree, picked up her parasol, left the house and walked quickly up the street toward
town.