“Mama, you want me to cook you some eggs?”

“I want to sleep.”

“Jason has to go to his probation officer at nine o’clock or he’s coming for him.”

“Remind me of that at eight o’clock, not six o’clock in the morning.”

But it was 6:50 am and after waking Jason, she was next on my list to wake up. I didn’t want her to oversleep this morning. With my fingers crossed and prayers, I wanted her up, washed, dressed and hopefully eagerly awaiting the time to leave for the interview.

I had arranged for the interview with Miss Crumb. I wanted Mama to get the job as the receptionist and office helper in Miss Crumb’s insurance broker agency. I had pulled strings so to speak. While selling ad space in this year’s yearbook, I came upon Miss Crumb’s agency. Right in the middle of the community. I approached Miss Crumb to buy an ad and she had difficulty finding her agency’s checkbook. Her telephone rang constantly. She talked to me and had to stop to answer the telephone several times. Two clients entered who wanted to take out car insurance. She told me to come back later. I continued down the block to other community stores: the grocery store, cleaners and drug store. I only made two sales after telling the cleaners and grocery how important it was to help the youth. Their combined feeling was the youth of today was not worth helping. The Black youth caused them hardship and aggravation and they ushered me out of their doors swearing I was just going to take their money and buy drugs. But I did do well at the other stores. They shook my hand and told me how proud they were to help with the yearbook. Each saying, “The Black youth is the future of the community.”

With a smiling face because I could hear the music from the new CD Walkman I was going to win for selling the most ad space, I went back to Miss Crumb. Her lined Black regal face greeted me and I knew I had a big sale when she found her checkbook. But first I had to hear the story of her and her husband’s beginnings over twenty-five years ago. He had died five years ago and yes, no checkbook, but lots of pictures. Old people seem to think that young people are dying to hear the story of their lives and are interested in seeing old, fading photographs of their wedding, their parents, their best friend during their youth, their children and grandchildren. And of course there is always a picture of the family member that finished high school or has gone to college or who is a doctor or lawyer. I listened to Miss Crumb ramble on until she came to this year’s family reunion. She never had children of her own.

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Genre – Young Adult

Rating – PG

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