Part 6: HITTIN' TOO CLOSE TO HOME
At that moment grandpa William hobbled into the room supporting his weight on a walker and wearing his housecoat and slippers. His hair was fully gray and disheveled and he had a growing beard and mustache. He was 75.
"WHAT'S GOING ON IN HERE. AN OLD SICK MAN CAN'T GET ANY PEACE LYING IN HIS OWN BED. WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?" Grandpa William's speech was slurred because he didn't have in teeth in and he seemed to chew on something as he reached for the chair near the entryway. He flopped down in the chair then picked up the trashcan and spit a hard lump of chewed up tobacco in the can.
"Dad, you should go back to bed. Sean and I were just having a friendly discussion." Phillip did not want to upset his father knowing his health condition so he hoped that the old man would retreat to another room so that he and Sean could continue this discussion.
"Didn't sound too friendly like to me. You disturbed my Abbott & Costello show. I figured there was more action going on in here so I've come to watch. Don't let and old man keep you from dealing with problems. I need some excitement around here anyway..."
It was obvious to Sean and Phillip that grandpa William was not leaving so they decided to tone down their conversation.
"Now Sean, I'm not saying we are prejudice, but how do you think it would look if our board members found out that my son is dating George Power's daughter?' Phillip was trying to use code words so as not to cause his father a heart attack.
"George Powers is a colored man ain't he?" Grandpa William asked
"Now dad what would you know about George Powers?" Phillip retorted
"Cause, he's the colored man who gives donations to the Winthrop campaign for governor. He sold the governor's mansion to the state, then forked over $250,000 to the campaign last month. Never saw no colored man donate so much money to politics. I keep up with politics, you know because my grandpa was going to run for governor at one time. Why when I was..." grandpa was interrupted by Phillip
"OK, OK dad. I hear you." Phillip then returned to talking to his son.
"Dad, it's really none of your board members business who I date or do anything else with"
"You're wrong son. You forget that one day you'll be running the company and their son's will be on the board and what people think in our business is very important and can make or break us."
"Who --- you -- and George Powers'. You runnin' after a colored gal boy?" Grandpa had just got his thoughts about him and gathered the information he heard to figure out what was going on. Now addressing Phillip he blurted, "You letting your boy go after a colored gal!" Now grandpa was excited and they both could feel the increased tension in the room.
"Grandpa maybe you should get some rest or something." Sean suggested and then turning to his father he said, "Dad can't you make him go back to his room?"
Averting his attention to his father, Phillip helped him up and began to escort him back to his room. "Dad, don't you worry about this I'll take care of it"
Grandpa was shouting as he was literally being put out of the living room. "CAN'T BE COURTIN' NO COLORED GALS IN THE OPEN. THEY'LL RUIN YOU, BOY. YOU HERE WHAT I SAY! THEY'LL JUST RUIN YOU!!!"
Sean was hurt by his grandfather's reference to Elana. 'Old man. Doesn't know what he's talking about. Why would he say that? He's still living in the 1930's.' Sean thought to himself. He began to realize that this whole thing would not be easy and that his father and grandfather were not amicable to his wanting a close relationship with someone outside his race. Regardless of that he had to try to see Elana before he had to go back to Cambridge.
Left alone in the living room, Sean decided to take advantage of this break and slip out while his father was dealing with grandpa William. He got up and ran out of the door before his father would notice that he had gone.
He slipped into his red 1964 mustang and sped out of the driveway. Looking in his rearview mirror, he noticed his father in the doorway and knew that the conversation would be continued whenever he returned home.
At that moment grandpa William hobbled into the room supporting his weight on a walker and wearing his housecoat and slippers. His hair was fully gray and disheveled and he had a growing beard and mustache. He was 75.
"WHAT'S GOING ON IN HERE. AN OLD SICK MAN CAN'T GET ANY PEACE LYING IN HIS OWN BED. WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?" Grandpa William's speech was slurred because he didn't have in teeth in and he seemed to chew on something as he reached for the chair near the entryway. He flopped down in the chair then picked up the trashcan and spit a hard lump of chewed up tobacco in the can.
"Dad, you should go back to bed. Sean and I were just having a friendly discussion." Phillip did not want to upset his father knowing his health condition so he hoped that the old man would retreat to another room so that he and Sean could continue this discussion.
"Didn't sound too friendly like to me. You disturbed my Abbott & Costello show. I figured there was more action going on in here so I've come to watch. Don't let and old man keep you from dealing with problems. I need some excitement around here anyway..."
It was obvious to Sean and Phillip that grandpa William was not leaving so they decided to tone down their conversation.
"Now Sean, I'm not saying we are prejudice, but how do you think it would look if our board members found out that my son is dating George Power's daughter?' Phillip was trying to use code words so as not to cause his father a heart attack.
"George Powers is a colored man ain't he?" Grandpa William asked
"Now dad what would you know about George Powers?" Phillip retorted
"Cause, he's the colored man who gives donations to the Winthrop campaign for governor. He sold the governor's mansion to the state, then forked over $250,000 to the campaign last month. Never saw no colored man donate so much money to politics. I keep up with politics, you know because my grandpa was going to run for governor at one time. Why when I was..." grandpa was interrupted by Phillip
"OK, OK dad. I hear you." Phillip then returned to talking to his son.
"Dad, it's really none of your board members business who I date or do anything else with"
"You're wrong son. You forget that one day you'll be running the company and their son's will be on the board and what people think in our business is very important and can make or break us."
"Who --- you -- and George Powers'. You runnin' after a colored gal boy?" Grandpa had just got his thoughts about him and gathered the information he heard to figure out what was going on. Now addressing Phillip he blurted, "You letting your boy go after a colored gal!" Now grandpa was excited and they both could feel the increased tension in the room.
"Grandpa maybe you should get some rest or something." Sean suggested and then turning to his father he said, "Dad can't you make him go back to his room?"
Averting his attention to his father, Phillip helped him up and began to escort him back to his room. "Dad, don't you worry about this I'll take care of it"
Grandpa was shouting as he was literally being put out of the living room. "CAN'T BE COURTIN' NO COLORED GALS IN THE OPEN. THEY'LL RUIN YOU, BOY. YOU HERE WHAT I SAY! THEY'LL JUST RUIN YOU!!!"
Sean was hurt by his grandfather's reference to Elana. 'Old man. Doesn't know what he's talking about. Why would he say that? He's still living in the 1930's.' Sean thought to himself. He began to realize that this whole thing would not be easy and that his father and grandfather were not amicable to his wanting a close relationship with someone outside his race. Regardless of that he had to try to see Elana before he had to go back to Cambridge.
Left alone in the living room, Sean decided to take advantage of this break and slip out while his father was dealing with grandpa William. He got up and ran out of the door before his father would notice that he had gone.
He slipped into his red 1964 mustang and sped out of the driveway. Looking in his rearview mirror, he noticed his father in the doorway and knew that the conversation would be continued whenever he returned home.