High school football on a Friday night is a big deal in Virginia. Excitement filled the air. The seats were filled for our first home game and the Titan players were pumped for a victory. The cheerleaders always ran out with the players upon entrance to the field. My heart beat wildly as I straightened the red ribbons in my hair. I could feel Ray's eyes bearing a hole right through me. I did my best to ignore him and keep a straight face but I felt my cheeks burn when Ronnie and I made eye contact and he gave me a small smile.
"What time is it?" Julius "Big Ju" Campbell yelled.
"Game time!" the Titans yelled, as they began to get pumped.
We all burst onto the field to the thunderous applause of the fans. Cheerleaders took their place on the track as the guys began to warm up on the field. The game began and right away T.C. Williams began to dominate. I cheered, chanted and shook my pom poms in the air. By half time we had a sizeable lead. Titans in the front, let me hear you grunt Titans in the middle, let me hear you sizzle Titans in the back, show us where you're at Titans here Titans there Titans are everywhere Goooooooooooooo team! I did a jump then a cartwheel and from the Titan bench I could see Ronnie still smiling at me. Looking in those pretty blue eyes I almost missed the captain signal the next cheer. Be aggressive B-e aggressive B-e-a-g-g-r-e-s-s-i-v-e Aggressive B-e aggressive I was so in to staring at Ronnie stare at me that I was all off beat on the clapping and stomping. I'd messed up pretty bad but all I could do was laugh and Ronnie grinned and winked at me. I remained slightly more focused through the rest of the game cheering T.C. Williams to the Titan's first win of the season. It was pretty much a given that the team usually partied after a victory to celebrate but I was in no mood. I just wanted to get my things and go home.
"Be aggressive, b-e aggressive, b-e-a-g-g..."
I turned around to see Petey doing his best cheerleader imitation. I laughed as I threw my pom poms at him.
"You're almost as good on the side as you are on the field."
"Thank you, thank you", he said as he took his mock bow.
"Great game tonight. You guys were awesome, Petey. Congratulations!"
"Thanks. You coming out to celebrate?"
"Nah not tonight. You guys go ahead. I'm kind of tired, I think I'll just head home."
"Home? What? On a Friday night after a win, a home game, very first of the season when your boys kicked ass on the field and you fine ladies did your thing on the sides! And you don't want to party? What's up with that? Nope, Petey ain't having that! You better turn that frown upside down and get your stuff because you're partying tonight Titan style!"
And how could I resist when Petey put it like that. Reluctantly I followed him to where a familiar group of guys were waiting.
"Alright y'all let's go paint the town! And be on your best behavior because we've got a lady joining us for the evening."
Alan, Gerry, Rev, Julius, Blue, Louie and Ronnie all smiled. Why did my heart instantly flutter everytime Ronnie Bass smiled at me? I wanted to know if he truly meant to smile at me the way he did. I wondered if he knew how truly beautiful he was?
"Don't worry", Blue grinned. "We'll take real good care of you. You're in Titan hands, little lady."
I smiled and joined the gang as we figured out what to do. There was a café on the corner with great food my family used to frequent when I was younger. The delicious smell of hamburgers, hot dogs and French fries greeted us on the street.
"Damn that smells good", Ronnie sniffed. "Let's go get some grub guys."
I traded a knowing glance with Petey who stepped in to explain the situation to our new friend.
"Sorry man. Let's find somewhere else."
"Why? What's wrong with here?" Ronnie inquired.
"Look Sunshine, this here is Alexandria. This ain't California. They ain't cool with us black folks eating in there."
"What man? Come on, it's cool. Burgers on me. It's cool, Petey."
Ronnie opened the door and the rest of the Titans reluctantly filed in. It was a quiet September night with just a few of the regulars sipping their coffee in the corner. A snaggle tooth redneck manager greeted us at the door. I was standing in back and couldn't make out most of the conversation but from the looks of the body language, it was plain to see what was happening, something Petey and I both sadly could have predicted.
"Dude, you're not full, it's like three people in here. Look at all these tables", Ronnie protested.
"This is a private establishment and I reserve the right to refuse service to anyone. Now if you colored boys want to eat, there is a window around the back...that goes for you too, hippie boy."
And with that we were right back on the street, right where we started. It had begun as a magic night where there was no separation of black and white. The Titans were a team, a band of brothers who had won their game together. And now the dream was over and reality once again had taken over. We were back in the real world where color did matter. Sometimes it seemed like color was the only thing that did matter. Petey was furious! I looked into his brown eyes and it pained me to see the sheer frustration, anger, humiliation and hurt.
"Petey, dude, I'm sorry man", Ronnie apologized over and over. "I didn't know"
"What do you mean you didn't know?" Petey asked, his voice beginning to rise.
"I didn't know, man. I'm sorry."
"What do you mean you didn't know, I just told you! Damn, Sunshine did you think I was playing?"
Rebuffing Ronnie's apologies Petey stalked off into the night, Blue, Julius, and Rev behind him. And once again we were separated by race.
"I'm sorry", Ronnie repeated softly over and over again.
He looked so sad and I knew he didn't understand it all. I wanted to touch him, to hug him. I put a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. He looked at me with real tears in those eyes and for a split second it was our moment. Then it was over as a car pulled up towards us honking loudly. It was a few cheerleaders and some of the white members of the football team. Ray and Emma sat in the backseat.
"Where have you two been all night? We're going down to the Waterfront, do you want to come?" Emma smiled.
I looked at her, then at Gerry, then at Ray.
"No thanks", I muttered.
Gerry had already hopped in the back of the convertible . "Aw come on, Mary-Courtney, it'll be fun", Emma pleaded.
I looked at Ray's sad and lonely expression.
"Please Mary-Courtney?" he asked. "It would mean a lot if you'd come. It'll be fun. Besides, it'll give us a chance to talk and all. I...I'm really sorry, sugar."
I looked at my friends then sighed. What the hell, I thought. I climbed into the back of the convertible where Ray put his arm around me and gave me a sheepish grin. I looked away as the cool night breeze blew through my hair. As the car pulled away, I looked to my right and there was Ronnie. He looked like a lost little boy at that moment so much so that I wanted to jump out of the car and run to him. Instead I stared and he stared right back watching as the car drove off into the distance and we could no longer see each other.
"What time is it?" Julius "Big Ju" Campbell yelled.
"Game time!" the Titans yelled, as they began to get pumped.
We all burst onto the field to the thunderous applause of the fans. Cheerleaders took their place on the track as the guys began to warm up on the field. The game began and right away T.C. Williams began to dominate. I cheered, chanted and shook my pom poms in the air. By half time we had a sizeable lead. Titans in the front, let me hear you grunt Titans in the middle, let me hear you sizzle Titans in the back, show us where you're at Titans here Titans there Titans are everywhere Goooooooooooooo team! I did a jump then a cartwheel and from the Titan bench I could see Ronnie still smiling at me. Looking in those pretty blue eyes I almost missed the captain signal the next cheer. Be aggressive B-e aggressive B-e-a-g-g-r-e-s-s-i-v-e Aggressive B-e aggressive I was so in to staring at Ronnie stare at me that I was all off beat on the clapping and stomping. I'd messed up pretty bad but all I could do was laugh and Ronnie grinned and winked at me. I remained slightly more focused through the rest of the game cheering T.C. Williams to the Titan's first win of the season. It was pretty much a given that the team usually partied after a victory to celebrate but I was in no mood. I just wanted to get my things and go home.
"Be aggressive, b-e aggressive, b-e-a-g-g..."
I turned around to see Petey doing his best cheerleader imitation. I laughed as I threw my pom poms at him.
"You're almost as good on the side as you are on the field."
"Thank you, thank you", he said as he took his mock bow.
"Great game tonight. You guys were awesome, Petey. Congratulations!"
"Thanks. You coming out to celebrate?"
"Nah not tonight. You guys go ahead. I'm kind of tired, I think I'll just head home."
"Home? What? On a Friday night after a win, a home game, very first of the season when your boys kicked ass on the field and you fine ladies did your thing on the sides! And you don't want to party? What's up with that? Nope, Petey ain't having that! You better turn that frown upside down and get your stuff because you're partying tonight Titan style!"
And how could I resist when Petey put it like that. Reluctantly I followed him to where a familiar group of guys were waiting.
"Alright y'all let's go paint the town! And be on your best behavior because we've got a lady joining us for the evening."
Alan, Gerry, Rev, Julius, Blue, Louie and Ronnie all smiled. Why did my heart instantly flutter everytime Ronnie Bass smiled at me? I wanted to know if he truly meant to smile at me the way he did. I wondered if he knew how truly beautiful he was?
"Don't worry", Blue grinned. "We'll take real good care of you. You're in Titan hands, little lady."
I smiled and joined the gang as we figured out what to do. There was a café on the corner with great food my family used to frequent when I was younger. The delicious smell of hamburgers, hot dogs and French fries greeted us on the street.
"Damn that smells good", Ronnie sniffed. "Let's go get some grub guys."
I traded a knowing glance with Petey who stepped in to explain the situation to our new friend.
"Sorry man. Let's find somewhere else."
"Why? What's wrong with here?" Ronnie inquired.
"Look Sunshine, this here is Alexandria. This ain't California. They ain't cool with us black folks eating in there."
"What man? Come on, it's cool. Burgers on me. It's cool, Petey."
Ronnie opened the door and the rest of the Titans reluctantly filed in. It was a quiet September night with just a few of the regulars sipping their coffee in the corner. A snaggle tooth redneck manager greeted us at the door. I was standing in back and couldn't make out most of the conversation but from the looks of the body language, it was plain to see what was happening, something Petey and I both sadly could have predicted.
"Dude, you're not full, it's like three people in here. Look at all these tables", Ronnie protested.
"This is a private establishment and I reserve the right to refuse service to anyone. Now if you colored boys want to eat, there is a window around the back...that goes for you too, hippie boy."
And with that we were right back on the street, right where we started. It had begun as a magic night where there was no separation of black and white. The Titans were a team, a band of brothers who had won their game together. And now the dream was over and reality once again had taken over. We were back in the real world where color did matter. Sometimes it seemed like color was the only thing that did matter. Petey was furious! I looked into his brown eyes and it pained me to see the sheer frustration, anger, humiliation and hurt.
"Petey, dude, I'm sorry man", Ronnie apologized over and over. "I didn't know"
"What do you mean you didn't know?" Petey asked, his voice beginning to rise.
"I didn't know, man. I'm sorry."
"What do you mean you didn't know, I just told you! Damn, Sunshine did you think I was playing?"
Rebuffing Ronnie's apologies Petey stalked off into the night, Blue, Julius, and Rev behind him. And once again we were separated by race.
"I'm sorry", Ronnie repeated softly over and over again.
He looked so sad and I knew he didn't understand it all. I wanted to touch him, to hug him. I put a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. He looked at me with real tears in those eyes and for a split second it was our moment. Then it was over as a car pulled up towards us honking loudly. It was a few cheerleaders and some of the white members of the football team. Ray and Emma sat in the backseat.
"Where have you two been all night? We're going down to the Waterfront, do you want to come?" Emma smiled.
I looked at her, then at Gerry, then at Ray.
"No thanks", I muttered.
Gerry had already hopped in the back of the convertible . "Aw come on, Mary-Courtney, it'll be fun", Emma pleaded.
I looked at Ray's sad and lonely expression.
"Please Mary-Courtney?" he asked. "It would mean a lot if you'd come. It'll be fun. Besides, it'll give us a chance to talk and all. I...I'm really sorry, sugar."
I looked at my friends then sighed. What the hell, I thought. I climbed into the back of the convertible where Ray put his arm around me and gave me a sheepish grin. I looked away as the cool night breeze blew through my hair. As the car pulled away, I looked to my right and there was Ronnie. He looked like a lost little boy at that moment so much so that I wanted to jump out of the car and run to him. Instead I stared and he stared right back watching as the car drove off into the distance and we could no longer see each other.