Be Civil

I'm just a housemaid. How would I know that I would be in the movement like I was? My Momma told me to stay low and humble and to cause no trouble. She did what I was doing. How was I suppose to know that I would be who I am now? And my father worked for the church. He loved that job. And he was devoted and loved by church folks. What would he think of me now? It all started as I got my two boys ready for school. And made my husband breakfast as well as myself. That I went to work on the bus as usual. As we had to stay in the back and pay in the front. I was a little irritated and tried of this racist trend. How come White people get to be free more than us? And I was wondering and thinking about a world where we all could be free. But it probably would be in Heaven. As I went to my job as usual, I overheard Mr. Bumsch and Mrs. Bumsch arguing unlike usual. And as I rung the doorbell and knock on their door, they acted kinda of funny. They were strange. They asked me to see this news on TV. I saw the man they called Dr. King and that famous gospel singer Mahalia Jackson. Mahalia Jackson was singing Jericho and shouting in beautiful harmony. I love Mahalia Jackson because she was pretty and could sing good child and she worked just like me when she first started her career. And I pretended not to notice and not to like. Then I heard Dr. King and he was strong like a lion and he spoke so clearly and powerfully. I had to stop watching. He was convicting me for taking in and accepting society as racist. He made me think and I thought hard. But I was trying to keep my job for my family. And so Mr. and Mrs. Bumsch noticed that I was not influenced by what I saw on TV. And they allowed me to do my work. I worked almost late that day hoping to keep my job. Then I noticed people were not riding the bus anymore. They were boycotting. And even my church was boycotting and doing sit-ins. They called me Mrs. Annie Womback and they explained that Dr. King called a boycott. I was excited and worried at the same time. And thought God could an end to racism be? Could we really free the buses and then the nation and then the world? And I quietly said that I would join in. And I told them about my bosses how they don't like the movement and I had to be discreet. And the church invited me to ride with one of their members. And so I rode with one of their members for many days and complained that my doctors prescribed that I ride this way instead of the bus. And they bye it for the whole month of the boycott. But then one day at work, Mrs. Bumsch got the call from those people who wanted to stop the boycott days before it was a month. And they had bad mouth me and the all the people involved and they said that I should be fired or my pay should be reduced. And she held me at my job until Mr. Bumsch came in. And they both sat me down and asked What is more important to you? Is your job important? They went on and said Annie these people are Communists and they are unAmerican and unDemocratic. They want to destroy our country. What are you doing marching with them? What are doing lying to us about your health? And I got tired of the questions. I got tired of accusations. I got tired of them being privilege. I got tired of them totally. And I got up and walked right out the door. And Mr. Bumsch warned me that he would fired me as soon as I leave his house. And I walked out after saying All these years I worked with you, little pay, not much benefits, not many raises, raise your family, care for your children, and clean your house. And you treat me like this. May God have mercy on your souls. And it's Mrs. Annie I am just as respectable as you. Bye. And i was crying as I walked out of the house. And walking home with no job and John my husband heard and came looking for me. And he calmed me down and said I could work for the church as a secretary. And we won that boycott and I am no longer a maid for injustice but a servant for justice. Thank God Almighty we are gonna be freed one day, my people, my boys, my husband and me Mrs. Annie.