Here's an interesting chapter…you will be surprised. A letter by someone changes Crystal's view of dance competitions.
Chapter seven: The Letter and The ChoiceI assumed that what has happened to me since the first day in Baltimore happened for a reason. Including those few days I was sent to Montrose. I, of course, didn't want to be there-because of the fact of innocence.
But I didn't expect a piece of last year to come back to me.
Right after city championship, I received a letter from there. I saw the envelope and it said,
"From
Mary."
Mary, was one of those girls-who was to be at Montrose
two months longer after I was released. But she was still there. Why?
She wrote:
Dear Crystal:
I have been here for eleven
months and I need your help. Can you come over here?
Sincerely,
Mary.
P.S. Congrats on winning the pageant!
Mary wasn't a mean girl, actually. She had some toughness, for self-defense. She was African-American, but she was smart to know what was wrong. Maybe she had a reason-maybe she needed a reason. Someone to back her.
I went to the Reformatory to see what Mary wanted.
The place hadn't changed a bit since I left back in September.
I said to the matron,
"Mary wrote to me.
She needs to talk to me."
"Crystal?"
"Yes, it's me."
"All right, come an' see her. Are you going to be speakin' to
her privately?"
"Yes, I am."
"All right. Follow me."
In the visiting/dining room,
The matron called,
"Mary, you have a visitor."
"Crystal? You
actually came. I guess you are different."
"Okay. You needed
to see me, right?"
"Yes, come on. Let's
go to another room privately for the conversation."
Mary and I
took a seat.
I said,
"What do you need my help with?"
"I don't belong here anymore than you did. I was supposed to serve three months and I ended up bein' here an extra eight months and then be released after next month. The owner of the Reformatory thought I was giving him a dirty look and he punished me by being here longer."
"Just for that? You didn't do anything major in the first place if you were to be here three months!"
"Exactly. The crime I
did was forced upon me. Some people said they'd kill me if I
didn't."
"You didn't tell anyone?"
"No. You're the first to hear me say this."
"Why?"
"I was scared."
"All right-let's talk some more. And you need me to do what?"
"Post bail for me."
"Oh. That'll prove I was for almost a year longer than I was supposed to."
"How much is your bail?"
"200 dollars."
"So, you don't have
the money. But even I don't that kind of money."
"Don't
you make money?"
"No. I do make just about thirty dollars a week just for workin' for my dance coach. I have saved my money somewhere safe."
"And how much?"
"I've only been a co-instructor for 'bout two months. An' that'll drain out my savings."
"Is there any other way you could make it?"
"I am entered in the regional dance competition-only my dance instructor and Amber Von Tussle knows."
"She's back?"
"Just for the summer
an' the only reason why she know 'cause she in my dance class.
She's my competition. My dance instructor made the arrangements so
she competed in my dance division."
"And how will this help
me?"
"The prize money for the winner is five hundred dollars. I could use that money to bail you out an' what else did you need?"
"My parents aren't pleased with this-but they get paid unfairly. Even if places are getting integrated, there's still unfairness. He may raise the bail. They hardly can pay their bills and rent. That's one thing and that's why they don't pay my bail-which is more than what they make in two months. All their money is taken from everything else."
"The competition
could win you the money. I'll win, if I don't, I'll try to
medal in the top three. This next won-if I win, I'd get five
hundred dollars. Second, 350, and third, two hundred. I promise you
I'll bail ya out."
"You want freedom and you have to get
out of here. This is hard, for some reason. The first step is to win
the money and then you'll be free. Last, the owner of this place
will get his 'just desserts.'"
Just then, as if on cue, he asked,
"Who are you? And what is the item you need?"
"I'm here to help a friend and stop your racism."
"You don't have anything on me. And I remember you-you're Crystal. You were the girl who was accused of stealin' the Corny Collins camera. If you don't watch it, you'll end up back here. I'll make sure of it."
"Sir, you have no respect. You're just racist."
"I'm not."
"Oh, yes, you are. I'm Crystal, the girl with all the right skill. I will ask you how much is Mary's bail?"
"Four hundred dollars."
Mary objected,
"I thought it was only two hundred!"
"Your friend just doubled it. Listen, Crystal, you have to have money to bail this girl out. No money, no release. If it were up to me, there'd be nothing on bail. That option was forced on my by the state."
"I'll get the money. I don't care what it takes. I'm a dancer. I am Miss Teenage Hairspray 1963!"
"What I want is freedom, Crystal."
"You'll get it."
