As the teacher prepared to give back the graded papers from our last Algebra quiz, I gave Ray a worried look. It was safe to say we had both tried our best but who was to say it was good enough. I didn't have a good feeling about it at all. I was expecting a low, low "D" but the nothing could have prepped me for the big, fat red "F"! I nearly fell out of the seat and tears welled my eyes. Math had never been a real strong point for me but I wasn't used to getting failing grades. After class was over and all the other students were long gone, I sat in my chair staring through teary eyes at the "F". "Hey you, why the long face?"
"Oh hey Rev", I tried to smile.
"Everything okay? You looking mighty down."
"I'll be okay", I sniffed.
"You sure?" he asked again, handing me a tissue. "How did you do on the test?"
"Awful", I sighed. "I'm too ashamed to even tell you what the grade was. How did you do?"
"A-."
"Wow. Gosh Rev, I'm not surprised. You're like a genius."
"Thanks for the compliments, Mary-Courtney but I wouldn't go that far. I understand math but more than that I really try to focus and I study hard. Let me ask you something. You study, right?"
"Yeah."
"What method works best for you? Alone? In a group? Do you have to read the material over and over again?"
"I don't know. I guess I like studying with other people. It helps but not like a big group or anything. And it helps sometimes if I use flash cards."
"Sounds good. Look, I've got an idea."
"What's that?"
"Three times a week Louie Lastik and I get together and study algebra after school. I tutor him. How would you like to join us? Every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday in the library."
"Really Rev? You don't mind? I mean, you'd do that for me?"
"Sure. You're a nice girl and you're my friend. Of course I want to help you if I can. It'll be good for you. We'll have those test scores up in no time. Heck, Louie got a C on this quiz."
"Thanks, Rev, I really appreciate it. Sounds like a plan. I'll meet you guys tomorrow at the library after practice lets out."
After cheering practice I nearly skipped home I was so happy. Rev was such a nice person offering to help me like that. I was in such a great mood that I hummed all the while setting the dinner table.
"What's for supper, Mama?"
"Meat loaf and no lip please, Mary-Courtney."
"No lip from me, Mama. I love your meat loaf. It's the best in the county", I grinned kissing her.
Mama and Daddy shot each other skeptical glances as we sat down to eat. Just before grace the doorbell rang.
"Who could that be?" Mama wondered aloud as she rose to answer it.
A few minutes later she returned to the table with Ray following close behind.
"Ray, what are you doing here?" I asked.
"You invited me, remember? We were supposed to have supper together before studying."
"Oh", I said in a flat voice.
An extra place was sat and Ray joined my parents in conversation, parents who absolutely adored him.
"Ray, I think it's wonderful that you and Mary-Courtney are studying together", my mother smiled. "Math isn't her greatest subject."
"It's not mine either, ma'am but Mary-Courtney is smart as a whip. We help each other."
He gave that choirboy grin that melted my mother's heart. Actually it annoyed me as he went on and on talking about the perks of our studying Algebra together. I couldn't remember the last time we'd actually gotten any homework done. Usually it ended with our clothes in a heap on the floor.
"Well you can stay for dinner tonight but I've got another study partner, Ray", I blurted out.
"Oh?" Mama questioned.
"Who?" Ray asked.
"Mama, he's a boy in my class. He's real smart too. He's tutored some other kids and he helped this one guy who usually gets F's on the test to get a C today."
"Well he sounds like a real smart young man. Maybe he can help both you and Ray."
"His name is Rev."
"Rev?" my mother asked with a wrinkled nose.
"What kind of name is Rev?" my father added.
"It's just a nickname because he goes to church a lot and he's always praying. His real name is Jerry. Jerry Harris."
"You're letting the Rev tutor you?" Ray asked as he set down his fork.
"Yeah", I shrugged. "Maybe he can help you too like he's helping Louie. Rev is a total brainiac and he's real nice too."
"I don't believe you", Ray mumbled.
"Don't start, Ray", I warned.
"Now Mary-Courtney, what's the sense in getting all salty with your company? Ray is a guest in our home, a guest you invited. Use your manners, girl", my father scolded.
"May I be excused?"
"You may certainly not. Mary-Courtney, what has gotten into you?"
"It's my fault", Ray said. "Maybe I should go. Mr. Davis, Mrs. Davis, thank you for having me. Supper was delicious as usual."
"Nonsense Ray. Have a seat, dear", my mother insisted.
"Mama if he wants to leave then let him."
"Mary-Courtney Davis!"
"It's okay", Ray sighed.
"No her behavior is not okay! Mary-Courtney, you ought to be ashamed of yourself. Apologize at once." "Why? So Ray can sit here and bad mouth Rev?"
"Ray, is there something we should know about this Rev character?" my father asked.
"No sir, I guess not. I mean, he's nice enough but I don't know if it'll look right."
"What?"
"Mary-Courtney spending so much time with a colored boy and all."
"So this Rev person is colored."
"So?" I mumbled. "Who cares?"
I knew I was really pushing my luck.
"We care", my mother chimed in. "Oh dear. Mary-Courtney that doesn't sound like a good idea at all. Maybe you should find someone else to help you after school."
"Why?"
"Because we're your parents and we said so and because no daughter of mine will be seen off cavorting with the coloreds", my father boomed.
I threw my fork down and gave Ray a scathing look. It was all his fault this mess had started in the first place.
"He's a nice boy", I protested in Rev's defense. "He's polite and kind and courteous and respectful to everyone. And he's smart too. Rev was nice enough to offer me help when I really need it."
"That's all fine and good, Mary-Courtney but you have a reputation to uphold in this town. If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times, there is nothing more important than a young lady's reputation. I'm sure this Rev person is a very nice young man but my goodness, Mary- Courtney, how will it look, you spending all this time with a colored boy. What would the neighbors think?"
"I don't give a damn what the neighbors think!"
My mother gasped and put her hand over her heart at my little outburst. Poor Ray didn't know what to think but it was plain as day to see that my father was furious.
"That's enough!" he shouted. "Don't you raise your voice and use that foul language in my house, missy! I don't know what had gotten into you lately but I'm not putting up with it anymore, do you hear me? You say good night and apologize to Ray and I'll deal with you later. As for this Rev character, well I absolutely forbid it! Do you understand, Mary-Courtney?"
I stood from my chair tossing my napkin onto the plate of food.
"Good night, Ray", I said in a sarcastic tone. "And the only thing I'm sorry about is that you're such a close minded jerk!"
"Mary-Courtney..."
"And one more thing. If Rev wants to tutor me then I'm gonna let Rev tutor me. You guys should be happy that I care enough about my grades to want to do well. And you should be happy that someone like Rev wants to help. He's my friend and that's the end of that. I don't care what anyone says!"
And with that I bounded upstairs to my room, slamming the door so hard I tried to loosen it from its hinges. I had never had an outburst like that before and I'd certainly never used such a tone with my parents. A little part of me was afraid of what the consequences might bring but a bigger part of me didn't care at all. I was standing up for something I believed in, something that was right. For the first time in my life I had rebelled... and it felt damned good!
"Oh hey Rev", I tried to smile.
"Everything okay? You looking mighty down."
"I'll be okay", I sniffed.
"You sure?" he asked again, handing me a tissue. "How did you do on the test?"
"Awful", I sighed. "I'm too ashamed to even tell you what the grade was. How did you do?"
"A-."
"Wow. Gosh Rev, I'm not surprised. You're like a genius."
"Thanks for the compliments, Mary-Courtney but I wouldn't go that far. I understand math but more than that I really try to focus and I study hard. Let me ask you something. You study, right?"
"Yeah."
"What method works best for you? Alone? In a group? Do you have to read the material over and over again?"
"I don't know. I guess I like studying with other people. It helps but not like a big group or anything. And it helps sometimes if I use flash cards."
"Sounds good. Look, I've got an idea."
"What's that?"
"Three times a week Louie Lastik and I get together and study algebra after school. I tutor him. How would you like to join us? Every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday in the library."
"Really Rev? You don't mind? I mean, you'd do that for me?"
"Sure. You're a nice girl and you're my friend. Of course I want to help you if I can. It'll be good for you. We'll have those test scores up in no time. Heck, Louie got a C on this quiz."
"Thanks, Rev, I really appreciate it. Sounds like a plan. I'll meet you guys tomorrow at the library after practice lets out."
After cheering practice I nearly skipped home I was so happy. Rev was such a nice person offering to help me like that. I was in such a great mood that I hummed all the while setting the dinner table.
"What's for supper, Mama?"
"Meat loaf and no lip please, Mary-Courtney."
"No lip from me, Mama. I love your meat loaf. It's the best in the county", I grinned kissing her.
Mama and Daddy shot each other skeptical glances as we sat down to eat. Just before grace the doorbell rang.
"Who could that be?" Mama wondered aloud as she rose to answer it.
A few minutes later she returned to the table with Ray following close behind.
"Ray, what are you doing here?" I asked.
"You invited me, remember? We were supposed to have supper together before studying."
"Oh", I said in a flat voice.
An extra place was sat and Ray joined my parents in conversation, parents who absolutely adored him.
"Ray, I think it's wonderful that you and Mary-Courtney are studying together", my mother smiled. "Math isn't her greatest subject."
"It's not mine either, ma'am but Mary-Courtney is smart as a whip. We help each other."
He gave that choirboy grin that melted my mother's heart. Actually it annoyed me as he went on and on talking about the perks of our studying Algebra together. I couldn't remember the last time we'd actually gotten any homework done. Usually it ended with our clothes in a heap on the floor.
"Well you can stay for dinner tonight but I've got another study partner, Ray", I blurted out.
"Oh?" Mama questioned.
"Who?" Ray asked.
"Mama, he's a boy in my class. He's real smart too. He's tutored some other kids and he helped this one guy who usually gets F's on the test to get a C today."
"Well he sounds like a real smart young man. Maybe he can help both you and Ray."
"His name is Rev."
"Rev?" my mother asked with a wrinkled nose.
"What kind of name is Rev?" my father added.
"It's just a nickname because he goes to church a lot and he's always praying. His real name is Jerry. Jerry Harris."
"You're letting the Rev tutor you?" Ray asked as he set down his fork.
"Yeah", I shrugged. "Maybe he can help you too like he's helping Louie. Rev is a total brainiac and he's real nice too."
"I don't believe you", Ray mumbled.
"Don't start, Ray", I warned.
"Now Mary-Courtney, what's the sense in getting all salty with your company? Ray is a guest in our home, a guest you invited. Use your manners, girl", my father scolded.
"May I be excused?"
"You may certainly not. Mary-Courtney, what has gotten into you?"
"It's my fault", Ray said. "Maybe I should go. Mr. Davis, Mrs. Davis, thank you for having me. Supper was delicious as usual."
"Nonsense Ray. Have a seat, dear", my mother insisted.
"Mama if he wants to leave then let him."
"Mary-Courtney Davis!"
"It's okay", Ray sighed.
"No her behavior is not okay! Mary-Courtney, you ought to be ashamed of yourself. Apologize at once." "Why? So Ray can sit here and bad mouth Rev?"
"Ray, is there something we should know about this Rev character?" my father asked.
"No sir, I guess not. I mean, he's nice enough but I don't know if it'll look right."
"What?"
"Mary-Courtney spending so much time with a colored boy and all."
"So this Rev person is colored."
"So?" I mumbled. "Who cares?"
I knew I was really pushing my luck.
"We care", my mother chimed in. "Oh dear. Mary-Courtney that doesn't sound like a good idea at all. Maybe you should find someone else to help you after school."
"Why?"
"Because we're your parents and we said so and because no daughter of mine will be seen off cavorting with the coloreds", my father boomed.
I threw my fork down and gave Ray a scathing look. It was all his fault this mess had started in the first place.
"He's a nice boy", I protested in Rev's defense. "He's polite and kind and courteous and respectful to everyone. And he's smart too. Rev was nice enough to offer me help when I really need it."
"That's all fine and good, Mary-Courtney but you have a reputation to uphold in this town. If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times, there is nothing more important than a young lady's reputation. I'm sure this Rev person is a very nice young man but my goodness, Mary- Courtney, how will it look, you spending all this time with a colored boy. What would the neighbors think?"
"I don't give a damn what the neighbors think!"
My mother gasped and put her hand over her heart at my little outburst. Poor Ray didn't know what to think but it was plain as day to see that my father was furious.
"That's enough!" he shouted. "Don't you raise your voice and use that foul language in my house, missy! I don't know what had gotten into you lately but I'm not putting up with it anymore, do you hear me? You say good night and apologize to Ray and I'll deal with you later. As for this Rev character, well I absolutely forbid it! Do you understand, Mary-Courtney?"
I stood from my chair tossing my napkin onto the plate of food.
"Good night, Ray", I said in a sarcastic tone. "And the only thing I'm sorry about is that you're such a close minded jerk!"
"Mary-Courtney..."
"And one more thing. If Rev wants to tutor me then I'm gonna let Rev tutor me. You guys should be happy that I care enough about my grades to want to do well. And you should be happy that someone like Rev wants to help. He's my friend and that's the end of that. I don't care what anyone says!"
And with that I bounded upstairs to my room, slamming the door so hard I tried to loosen it from its hinges. I had never had an outburst like that before and I'd certainly never used such a tone with my parents. A little part of me was afraid of what the consequences might bring but a bigger part of me didn't care at all. I was standing up for something I believed in, something that was right. For the first time in my life I had rebelled... and it felt damned good!