Revisions to Ma Lil

The following include excerpts from the novel Ma Lil .  These are revisions to earlier drafts which I posted on the blog.

Introduction

 

     The family planned a party for Lil’s ninety-seventh birthday.    Tomorrow all of the children would gather to celebrate her birthday.   They were coming to her son's home in Massachusetts to spend time with her. Each birthday was so special now and so  important. Alexandria was coming from Atlanta; Julienne was in Los Angeles, Lucy, Charles and  Steven were all in Massachusetts. Lucy came in the room to check her mother before she went to  bed for the night. Lil was resting peacefully. 

 

     Alexandria and Julienne would be arriving early tomorrow morning.  Lucy had planned everything with the help of her brothers.   Lil was vibrant full of energy.   She had promised that she would be sitting  at the dinner table tomorrow for the birthday celebration. Lil was certainly one person who gave new meaning  to the phrase you are as young as you feel . When the doorbell rang Lucy jumped. It had been a year since, she had seen her sisters.   She was so glad that it was a happy occasion and not a funeral or hospital emergency. Steven the youngest brother was coming in from a meeting.  Steven read Muslim newspapers  and literature.  He himself had not converted to Islam and had not become a political activist.

 

     The next morning the family began to arrive.

     "It's so good to see you. Come in ! Where is Katie. Why didn't she come?"Lucy asked.

      Julienne's, youngest daughter, Katie was expected to come with her mother and aunt; however, she had not.   She had decided to stay at home and participate in a protest with some of her friends. Everyone, was concerned and hoped it would remain non violent.   Today, you could not turn the television on without seeing a protest.

     "Julienne, I need to get up now. I have to get ready". Ma said.  Lil was ready to eat her breakfast and get  dressed for her party.   Everyone greeted her.

   "Happy birthday, Mama!”  Charles ran over to give her a hug.

    “Charles you need to say a blessing to thank the Lord for the blessings we have received .”  Lil paused to give Charles time to pray.

    “ How do you feel,”  Charles asked.  “Mama are you okay."

     The status of African Americans had evolved many times during Lil’s lifetime.  Through the experiences of her children and grandchildren she had experienced even more historic landmarks :   the end of slavery; reconstruction; segregation and the Civil Rights Movement.  Lil’s children and grandchildren had joined in the fight for equal rights and equal opportunities for all Americans.  Many of Lil’s children children and grandchildren had attended college.    Lil’s parents had been considered nothing more than property by their owners.  Her children and grandchildren were fighting for self respect, dignity and opportunity.  The phone rang.   

      Steven picked the phone up. " What ? Yes.  Nathaniel is my son. No, he was on his

way to my home in Boston to celebrate his grandmother’s birthday.   Yes, he is in school in Florida.

 Why is he in jail?”

       When Steven hung up the phone, he was obviously shaken.   He told Charles that they had to leave for South Georgia now. Nathaniel was in trouble and he would explain.

       Steven and Charles left the party. They called one of their good friends who was an attorney and

headed to the airport.   Charles was the oldest son and he had not been south in many years.   His family left the south when he was very young. Even when his son decided to attend school in Florida, he

did not accompany him . So, this brought up powerful emotions in him.   He had told Nathaniel many

times not to participate in any civil rights activities  in Florida, or anywhere in the South.  It

was dangerous and he believed in self defense.   He did not have the temperament to allow someone to hit him and beat him.  In his opinion,   Blacks would benefit from jobs, businesses, and redevelopment help of  their neighborhoods. How did violence or nonviolence bring equality about?

      When they reached the jail it was night. They finally reached a small town in southern Georgia that he had never heard of.   It was a town with back roads, no light.  The type of place he would never drive through except in an emergency.

      Why was Nathaniel here? "Where is my son?”  Charles asked.

      "Sir, there was an accident ."  The officer answered.

       "An accident. What do you mean an accident?"  Charles inquired.

       "Who was involved and what happened?"

       "Some of the students from nearby colleges were protesting. And they went in the drugstore to be served.  When they came out people were pushing and shoving and a gun accidentally went off."  The officer responded.

       "Where is my son? Is he dead? I mean what happened?”  Steven asked.

         “No, sir he is not dead. He is at the hospital. One student was killed but it was not your son," another officer responded.

      "Do his parents know? “  Charles was very sad.

       “  Not yet. We haven't notified them yet." The officer responded.

       "We need to ask your son a few more questions and then you can take him home."  The officers led them to a waiting area.

 

 
  

The Family

      Nathaniel was eager to return to the university. He had remained in Massachusetts with his grandmother because he did not want her to worry about him. She was the only person that Nathaniel really felt close to. His parents were too involved in their own lives to really notice or care about his problems. Steven had spent most of his life complaining about his lack of suitable employment. He had desired to attend law school but after Cindy became pregnant in their junior year in college, he had abandoned that dream.   He worked in an insurance agency in Boston.   He had provided his family with the necessities of life. But he had wanted more. And whenever he was reminded of his dream to become a lawyer, there was an argument.  Cindy was also frustrated because she had desired to work as a researcher in a science lab.   She had not worked , until she left her husband and son and moved to New York. She finally earned her college degree, but she did not find the job she desired.   When she returned to Boston and her family, it was too late.   Her marriage was ruined by then. Why hadn’t  his parents divorced?   Nathaniel did not know. They argued constantly. And Julienne ( Steven’s sister  )had accused Steven of having an affair at a  family gathering.   Still the couple remained married. Perhaps, it was the social clubs, friends or just a sense of habit.   Nathaniel had overheard his mother say she was old and no one else would want her.   Because of the tension in his home, Nathaniel and Lil were very close.  Lil was more of a mother to Nathaniel than Cindy.  He knew Lil was getting older but what would he do without her.

       When his mother went to New York, Lil had moved in with his father and raised him.  She had remained in Steven’s home after Cindy returned.  Cindy had  found a job at a research lab when she returned to Boston.  However,  the family was under a tremendous  financial strain. Steven, had been laid off of his job for many months.  They had a mortgage, a car and a son in college. Nathaniel had older siblings.  He felt that when he finished college, his parents would divorce.   Things really did not look good for their relationship.  

      Nathaniel was studying to enter law school. He spent most of his days and nights preparing for law school. He did not have much time to socialize.    As he walked into the campus library he went to the study room and prepared for a long night of study. His father had begged him not to return to Florida. Steven wanted Nathaniel to transfer to a campus in Boston.   Nathaniel just wanted to put the civil rights  riot behind him and attend law school next year. His father wanted to have charges pressed against the officer who shot his friend.  He wanted the incident investigated by the NAACP and he wanted his son to return to Boston. Cindy agreed with her son. There was only four weeks left for the school year.  It was not practical for Nathaniel to transfer schools.   Cindy was worried about Nathaniel’s safety also.  But Nathaniel had promised to be careful and not to attend any more protests .      They would have to trust Nathaniel.  His entrance exam was this weekend and his future seemed pretty clear.   He would be attending law school. His girl friend was planning to become a nurse .   The couple planned to marry this summer.   Vicki’s (Nathaniel’s girlfriends) would support the family with her nurse’s  salary.  His parents were not aware of his marriage plans.   Nathaniel had not told his father because Steven overreacted to everything.  Cindy would be fine but Steven  could not handle any type of changes in his youngest child’s life.

       Steven had been  a dreamer in his youth before life made him bitter.  His family did not understand him.    He had dreamed of being an attorney who would win civil rights cases for the NAACP. He had wanted to fight the injustices and inequities that blacks were struggling to overcome.  He felt that the responsibility and leadership for these efforts  would have to be undertaken  by the churches, the teachers, the families and neighborhoods.   In his opinion,  these resources would need to organize blacks to mobilize and he had intended to  be a leader in  this movement as an attorney. Once he left college and began attempting to support his young family, he lost his dreams and his way. He became bitter and he resented his young wife and the children. He hated his boss and he did not like the agency. He had been a  handsome young man with an outgoing personality.  Through the years he acquired  many clients and much success with the company.   However, he saw the neighborhood deteriorating. Drugs and crime were infiltrating the neighborhood. Instead of using their profits to reinvest in the neighborhood, the company was looking for  new offices in the suburbs. This meant taking jobs from the community and turning their backs on their loyal customers. Even worse, Steven had talked with Cindy about starting his own company.  She had not been very supportive because she had recently been accepted at a university in New York.  She was leaving for New York as soon as possible to finally complete her college studies.

      Finally, Steven talked with  his mother,Lil.   “Ma what should I do.”

     “Son, family is the most important thing in life.” Lil had told him.

     “Yes, I know Mom .  Cindy has not supported my dreams. I could not attend law school because of the babies and her dependence on me.  Now, she has saved enough  money  to go to school. She said her father loaned her the money.  Why didn’t  they  loan me  the money to go to law school.     She is selfish. Everything is about her.” Steven tried to reason with Lil.

      “Steven, Cindy is not only your wife and your children’s mother, she is a woman.  She still has her own dreams. She is very smart. Try to understand her. You have to think about her and not just yourself.”   Lil said with great logic.

      Lil had never attended school. She could not read. She knew her letters and she had memorized bible verses. But she had lots of common sense and wisdom. Lil continued,  “Don’t lose your wife, Steven. Love her and forgive her. She has been through as much as you.  Her family would not speak to her for years after she became pregnant.  They would not even visit Nat for the longest.  Try to understand.  She was hurt.   She is still hurt.    Don’t make it worse.  Support her in her studies.  She needs you now.”    

 

       While Cindy was in New York, Lil moved into their home. Lil remembered when she moved into  a home with   Buck.  Buc k had asked Lil to marry him when she was sixteen. He had walked ten miles down a dirt dusty road to her families cabin  and asked her father for permission to marry her. Lil’s dad was not certain.  He wanted Lil to marry a man with a trade.  Lil , however was certain.   She wanted to move out of the cabin with her nine sisters and brothers. Finally, Lil’s father agreed to the marriage. 

     And that was it. With her parents blessing they were married and moved into a cabin at the end of town. One day Buck announced that he wanted to move to town to learn a trade or something. Lil said that’s great because I’m going to have a baby.