"Watch it boy!" the man spit in my face as he pulled his young daughter's hand and dragged her away. Giving me one evil glare before entering his house.
"What did I do top deserve this?" I mumbled and kept walking. I looked up at the afternoon sky and groaned. If I didn't hurry it up I'd be late for work.
"Hey Seth," Lola, a woman from first purchase, said with a faint smile, "tell your mama I said hello."
I nodded and said, "Nice to see ya ma'am."
She giggled and walked off.
I took my sweet time as I walked over to Mr. Deas' farm. He was a pitying man and I knew he wouldn't mind me being a little late.
"What do you think you're doing boy?" Miss Crawford said as I walked by her house.
"Heading to work ma'am," I said as politely as possible, praying she'd let me go without harassing me for once.
"Did you just talk back at me?" she put a hand over her heart and looking shocked.
"No ma'am," I said, "I'm sorry if it sounded that way."
"Good," she said pulling back her shoulders, "no little coloured boy talks back to a lady like me. If you did I'm sure the sheriff would have something to say about it."
"Yes ma'am," I said trying to seem polite but she didn't seem convinced.
"Seth!" at the mention of my name I spun around to face my little brother running over to me. When he reached me he leapt up, I caught him and he buried his head into my chest, "Seth why is everyone treating me so badly? I was never mean to them."
"Just the way things are Tommy," I said moving on my way again with the shaking four year old in my arms.
"Why?" he asked.
"Do you say that for everything?" I asked.
"Why?" he said giggling and I had to smile to. Tommy always had a way of doing that. He made everyone smile at the oddest times.
"Well," I said, "as an answer to your first question, we're different Tommy." I looked both ways to make sure no one was in ear shot before whispering, "I think they're afraid Tommy. For your second question, because I was just wondering."
"Why?" he asked with a foolish grin.
"OK Tommy," I said with a smile, "now you're just getting annoying."
"Good morning boys," Mr. Finch was a few feet away with his daughter Jean Louise beside him.
I had to admit, she'd grown into a fine young woman. She was tougher than the other ladies. A quality I had to admire.
"Good morning Mr. Finch," I said, "Jean Louise, may I say you look beautiful today."
"I'm wearing overalls and an old shirt," she said with a smile.
"A unique look for someone as unique as you," I said and Mr. Finch gave me a slight smile.
Tommy squirmed out of my grip and stood facing me with his hands on his hips. "You're just as bad as mamma when she sees a nice young man walking around.
I bit my lip like I usually did when I was embarrassed
"Jeez," he said, "sometimes I think I'm more grown up than you."
"You're pushing buttons today Tommy," I said ruffling his hair, "I've really got to get going so… see you around Jean Louise, Mr. Finch."
"Please," she said and I felt my cheeks get hot as she said the last part, "just call me Scout."
Tommy tugged at my hand and we walked on.
My mind wandered as he pulled me toward Mr. Deas farm. All I could see was Scout's pretty face and all I could hear was her voice.
Snap out of it, I said in my head, there's no way you could be with a pretty little white girl like her.
Still I stuck to the thought of her, of us.