Not so race relations

A few words to describe my great aunt first: She was born in 1918. She was the youngest child of 8 children. She grew up in the great depression and times were tough. This has had an enormous affect on her and still to this day influences her. She always lived with a family member such as my great grandfather, her brother, or her sister. She never married and never once dated. These last few years since her sister died is the first time she has ever lived alone. She also has a lot of out dated, prejudiced, and old school beliefs that were characteristic of the lower class Deep South from her generation. I always have to keep this in mind with dealing with her.

Lately, she has had an older black man coming around to do odd jobs for her around the house. Mainly outside work such as raking leaves and trimming the shrubs. She pays him in the odd dollar amount or through homemade canned items or preserves. She calls him “that little nigger boy, Jerry” even though Jerry is in his fifties and quite a bit older than me. I cringe when she says this but there is not much I can do.

Yesterday, as I was sitting in the back parlor reading a book, I heard a knock on the door. It was Jerry. I opened the door but he would not come in so I stepped outside.

Jerry was dressed in some heavy denim over alls over a white long sleeve t-shirt and wore heavy worn work boots. He had graying hair and a two and three day unshaven stubble on his face. His eyes were the yellow color of old, worn ivory.

“Hey Jerry.” I said as I shook his hand.

“Ya got some work for me to do round here today?” He asked.

“I will ask my Aunt, Jerry. Hold on a second.” I replied.

My great aunt came shuffling slowly to the door. I stood to the side and listened.

“Mrs. Myrtis, I need a few dollars and was wondering if you would let me do an odd job around the house.” Jerry asked.

“I don’t have any money.” My great aunt said and she was lying. “I will pay you in 4 jars of peach preserves.”

Jerry looked forlorn and this was not the answer he wanted to hear.

“Mrs. Mrytis, I need some cash so I will walk on over to Chuck’s house and see if he needs some work done.” Jerry said.

My great aunt recapitulated and gave in. Her little bargaining strategy didn’t work.

“Alright, Jerry, I will pay you ten dollars to get up all the leaves around the fruit trees. I don’t want no nigger man taking advantage of me so you get up the leaves and I will pay you ten dollars afterwards.” She said.

I sighed loudly when my great aunt said this and Jerry looked at me with a smile. Jerry accepted the offer and headed out across to the barn to get a rake and drop cloth. I walked out with him to have a talk with him for a few moments.

“Jerry, don’t you let her talk to you like that and use you. She will if you let her.” I said.

“I know Mrs. Myrtis and she don’t bother me. Everyone in town knows how she be.” Jerry said.

I slipped Jerry another ten dollars and he graciously accepted.

“Jerry, you are a better man than me and twenty dollars should be what you get paid to get up all those leaves. Just don’t tell my great aunt I did this.” I said.

A little while later, I got out and helped Jerry finish up. I knew if my great aunt saw me helping Jerry then she would not want to pay him. Luckily, she was taking a nap.