At that time I was just a child第三节.docx
- 文档编号:3280863
- 上传时间:2022-11-21
- 格式:DOCX
- 页数:20
- 大小:41.62KB
At that time I was just a child第三节.docx
《At that time I was just a child第三节.docx》由会员分享,可在线阅读,更多相关《At that time I was just a child第三节.docx(20页珍藏版)》请在冰豆网上搜索。
AtthattimeIwasjustachild第三节
Chapter3Homeboy
IlookedlikeLi'lAbner.Mason,Michigan,waswrittenalloverme.Mykinky,reddishhairwascuthickstyle,andIdidn'tevenusegreaseinit.Mygreensuit'scoatsleevesstoppedabovemywrists,thepantslegsshowedthreeinchesofsocks.Justashadelightergreenthanthesuitwasmynarrow-collared,three-quarterlengthLansingdepartmentstoretopcoat.MyappearancewastoomuchforevenElla.ButshetoldmelatershehadseencountrifiedmembersoftheLittlefamilycomeupfromGeorgiainevenworseshapethanIwas.
Ellahadfixedupanicelittleupstairsroomforme.AndshewastrulyaGeorgiaNegrowomanwhenshegotintothekitchenwithherpotsandpans.Shewasthekindofcookwhowouldheapupyourplatewithsuchashamhock,greens,black-eyedpeas,friedfish,cabbage,sweetpotatoes,gritsandgravy,andcornbread.Andthemoreyouputawaythebettershefelt.IworkedoutatElla'skitchentableliketherewasnotomorrow.
Ellastillseemedtobeasbig,black,outspokenandimpressiveawomanasshehadbeeninMasonandLansing.OnlyabouttwoweeksbeforeIarrived,shehadsplitupwithhersecondhusband-thesoldier,Frank,whomIhadmettheretheprevioussummer;butshewastakingitrightinstride.Icouldsee,thoughIdidn'tsay,howanyaveragemanwouldfinditalmostimpossibletoliveforverylongwithawomanwhoseeveryinstinctwastoruneverythingandeverybodyshehadanythingtodowith-includingme.AboutmyseconddaythereinRoxbury,Ellatoldmethatshedidn'twantmetostarthuntingforajobrightaway,likemostnewcomerNegroesdid.Shesaidthatshehadtoldallthoseshe'dbroughtNorthtotaketheirtime,towalkaround,totravelthebusesandthesubway,andgetthefeelofBoston,beforetheytiedthemselvesdownworkingsomewhere,becausetheywouldneveragainhavethetimetoreallyseeandgettoknowanythingaboutthecitytheywerelivingin.Ellasaidshe'dhelpmefindajobwhenitwastimeformetogotowork.
SoIwentgawkingaroundtheneighborhood-theWaumbeckandHumboldtAvenueHillsectionofRoxbury,whichissomethinglikeHarlem'sSugarHill,whereI'dlaterlive.IsawthoseRoxburyNegroesactingandlivingdifferentlyfromanyblackpeopleI'deverdreamedofinmylife.Thiswasthesnooty-blackneighborhood;theycalledthemselvesthe"FourHundred,"andlookeddowntheirnosesattheNegroesoftheblackghetto,orso-called"town"sectionwhereMary,myotherhalf-sister,lived.
WhatIthoughtIwasseeingthereinRoxburywerehigh-class,educated,importantNegroes,livingwell,workinginbigjobsandpositions.Theirquiethomessatbackintheirmowedyards.TheseNegroeswalkedalongthesidewalkslookinghaughtyanddignified,ontheirwaytowork,toshop,tovisit,tochurch.Iknownow,ofcourse,thatwhatIwasreallyseeingwasonlyabig-cityversionofthose"successful"NegrobootblacksandjanitorsbackinLansing.TheonlydifferencewasthattheonesinBostonhadbeenbrainwashedevenmorethoroughly.Theypridedthemselvesonbeingincomparablymore"cultured,""cultivated,""dignified,"andbetteroffthantheirblackbrethrendownintheghetto,whichwasnofurtherawaythanyoucouldthrowarock.Underthepitifulmisapprehensionthatitwouldmakethem"better,"theseHillNegroeswerebreakingtheirbackstryingtoimitatewhitepeople.
AnyblackfamilythathadbeenaroundBostonlongenoughtoownthehometheylivedinwasconsideredamongtheHillelite.Itdidn'tmakeanydifferencethattheyhadtorentoutroomstomakeendsmeet.Thenthenative-bornNewEnglandersamongthemlookeddownuponrecentlymigratedSouthernhome-ownerswholivednextdoor,likeElla.AndabigpercentageoftheHilldwellerswereinElla'scategory-Southernstriversandscramblers,andWestIndianNegroes,whomboththeNewEnglandersandtheSouthernerscalled"BlackJews."UsuallyitwastheSouthernersandtheWestIndianswhonotonlymanagedtoowntheplaceswheretheylived,butalsoatleastoneotherhousewhichtheyrentedasincomeproperty.ThesnootyNewEnglandersusuallyownedlessthanthey.
InthosedaysontheHill,anywhocouldclaim"professional"status-teachers,preachers,practicalnurses-alsoconsideredthemselvessuperior.ForeigndiplomatscouldhavemodeledtheirconductonthewaytheNegropostmen,Pullmanporters,anddiningcarwaitersofRoxburyacted,stridingaroundasiftheywerewearingtophatsandcutaways.
I'dguessthateightoutoftenoftheHillNegroesofRoxbury,despitetheimpressive-soundingjobtitlestheyaffected,actuallyworkedasmenialsandservants."He'sinbanking,"or"He'sinsecurities."ItsoundedasthoughtheywerediscussingaRockefelleroraMellon-andnotsomegray-headed;dignity-posturingbankjanitor,orbond-housemessenger."I'mwithanoldfamily"wastheeuphemismusedtodignifytheprofessionsofwhitefolks'cooksandmaidswhotalkedsoaffectedlyamongtheirownkindinRoxburythatyoucouldn'tevenunderstandthem.Idon'tknowhowmanyforty-andfifty-year-olderrandboyswentdowntheHilldressedlikeambassadorsinblacksuitsandwhitecollars,todowntownjobs"ingovernment,""infirnance,"or"inlaw."IthasneverceasedtoamazemehowsomanyNegroes,thenandnow,couldstandtheindignityofthatkindofself-delusion.
SoonIrangedoutofRoxburyandbegantoexploreBostonproper.HistoricbuildingseverywhereIturned,andplaquesandmarkersandstatuesforfamouseventsandmen.OnestatueintheBostonCommonsastonishedme:
aNegronamedCrispusAttucks,whohadbeenthefirstmantofallintheBostonMassacre.Ihadneverknownanythinglikethat.
Iroamedeverywhere.Inonedirection,IwalkedasfarasBostonUniversity.Anotherday,Itookmyfirstsubwayride.Whenmostofthepeoplegotoff,Ifollowed.ItwasCambridge,andIcircledallaroundintheHarvardUniversitycampus.Somewhere,IhadalreadyheardofHarvard-thoughIdidn'tknowmuchmoreaboutit.NobodythatdaycouldhavetoldmeIwouldgiveanaddressbeforetheHarvardLawSchoolForumsometwentyyearslater.
Ialsodidalotofexploringdowntown.Whyacitywouldhavetwobigrailroadstations-NorthStationandSouthStation-Icouldn'tunderstand.Atbothofthestations,Istoodaroundandwatchedpeoplearriveandleave.AndIdidthesamethingatthebusstationwhereEllahadmetme.MywanderingsevenledmedownalongthepiersanddockswhereIreadplaquestellingabouttheoldsailingshipsthatusedtoputintoportthere.
InalettertoWilfred,Hilda,Philbert,andReginaldbackinLansing,Itoldthemaboutallthis,andaboutthewinding,narrow,cobblestonedstreets,andthehousesthatjammedupagainsteachother.
DowntownBoston,Iwrotethem,hadthebiggeststoresI'deverseen,andwhitepeople'srestaurantsandhotels.ImadeupmymindthatIwasgoingtoseeeverymoviethatcametothefine,air-conditionedtheaters.
OnMassachusettsAvenue,nextdoortooneofthem,theLoew'sStateTheater,wasthehuge,excitingRoselandStateBallroom.Bigpostersoutinfrontadvertisedthenationallyfamousbands,whiteandNegro,thathadplayedthere."COMINGNEXTWEEK,"whenIwentbythatfirsttime,wasGlennMiller.Irememberthinkinghownearlythewholeevening'smusicatMasonHighSchooldanceshadbeenGlennMiller'srecords.Whatwouldn'tthatcrowdhavegiven,Iwondered,tobestandingwhereGlennMiller'sbandwasactuallygoingtoplay?
Ididn'tknowhowfamiliarwithRoselandIwasgoingtobecome.
Ellabegantogrowconcerned,becauseevenwhenIhadfinallyhadenoughsight-seeing,Ididn'tstickaroundverymuchontheHill.ShekeptdroppinghintsthatIoughttominglewiththe"niceyoungpeoplemyage"whoweretobeseenintheTownsendDrugstoretwoblocksfromherhouse,andacoupleofotherplaces.ButevenbeforeIcametoBoston,Ihadalwaysfeltandactedtowardanyonemyageasiftheywereinthe"kid"class,likemyyoungerbrotherReginald.TheyhadalwayslookeduptomeasifIwereconsiderablyolder.OnweekendsbackinLansingwhereI'dgotogetawayfromthewhitepeopleinMason,I'dhungaroundintheNegropartoftownwithWilfred'sandPhilbert'sset.Thoughallofthemwereseveralyearsolderthanme,Iwasbigger,andIactuallylookedolderthanmostofthem.
Ididn'twanttodisappointorupsetElla,butdespiteheradvice,Ibegangoingdownintothetownghettosection.Thatworldofgrocerystores,walk-upflats,cheaprestaurants,poolrooms,bars,storefrontchurches,andpawnshopsseemedtoholdanaturallureforme.
NotonlywasthispartofRoxburymuchmoreexciting,butIfeltmorerelaxedamongNegroeswhowerebeingtheirnaturalselvesandnotputtingonairs.EventhoughIdidliveontheHill,myinstinctswerenever-andstillaren't-tofeelmyselfbetterthananyotherNegro.
Ispentthefirstmonthintownwithmymouthhangingopen.Thesharp-dressedyoung"cats"whohungonthecomersandinthepoolrooms,barsandrestaurants,andwhoobviouslydidn'tworkanywhere,completelyentrancedme.Icouldn'tgetovermarvelingathowtheirhairwasstraightandshinylikewhitemen'shair;Ellatoldmethiswascalleda"conk."Ihadnevertastedasipofliquor,neverevensmokedacigarette,andhereIsawlittleblackchildren,tenandtwelveyearsold,shootingcraps,playingcards,fighting,gettinggrown-upstoputapennyoranickelontheirnumberforthem,thingslikethat.AndthesechildrenthrewaroundswearwordsI'dneverheardbefore,even,andslangexpressionsthatwerejustasnewtome,suchas"stud"and"cat"and"chick"and"cool"and"hip."EverynightasIlayinbedIturnedthesenewwordsoverinmymind.Itwasshockingtomethatintown,especiallyafterdark,you'doccasionallyseeaw
- 配套讲稿:
如PPT文件的首页显示word图标,表示该PPT已包含配套word讲稿。双击word图标可打开word文档。
- 特殊限制:
部分文档作品中含有的国旗、国徽等图片,仅作为作品整体效果示例展示,禁止商用。设计者仅对作品中独创性部分享有著作权。
- 关 键 词:
- At that time was just child第三节 child 三节