Ty & Cinda, A Tale of Forbidden Love - S01 E02

1 week ago

Ty & Cinda, A Tale of Forbidden Love - S01 E02

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 2

Now I'm told I can't play ball just because my grandfather is a racist. Send me home...please."

"You already know you can't go back there. Your father has no way to take care of you. You belong here with me."

"Mom, I'm seventeen-almost eighteen. I'm old enough to make a lot of decisions for myself. Isn't that what you've told me God knows how many times? I think I'm capable of deciding who can be my friends and who can't." stood there my face red from the anger I felt.

"Don't make a bit of difference; there isn't a single nigger kid in your school.

"What do you mean?"

"Your grandpa has made arrangements for you to go to a prestigious private school. There won't be any black kids there."

"Am I going to be able to play ball?"

"They don't have any tearns there. The school's too small. There are only sixty four students, all from affluent white families-the kind you should be seen with instead of them niggers."

"Forget it! I won't gol refuse! I want to go to public school." Of course, they refused to listen. Two weeks later, after I'd made friends with all the kids at the park was taken into town to buy my uniform. "You don't get it, Mom. I don't want to go to this school. I won't do it."

"Don't be juvenile, Ty. You'll make new friends."

"What you mean, Mom is that I'll make new 'white' friends. You're getting to be as bad as Grandpa. Did you know that people around here think he's the biggest racist in the parish?"

"He's not, Ty. You'll understand that once you know him better."

"Mom, don't want to know him better. You need to open your eyes. and ears. He uses the N-word all the time-the same word you absolute forbade me to use...ever. I've never used that word and I never will. stopped my arguing as we entered the store, but I did tell my mother that buying these uniforms was a waste of money.

I was all dressed up in my blue blazer complete with the school

emblem and tie the following Monday-the third week in August,

for crying out loud-when Mom drove me to school. I kissed her

for crying out loud-when Mom drove me to school. I kissed her good-bye and walked dutifully into the school building. I was supposed to report to the office, but I kept walking..right out the back door. I continued to the lane behind the school where I turned right and walked slowly to the park. I sat there glumly on the bench until three in the afternoon when I walked down the road toward my grandparents' home. I stopped along the way to watch the school bus stop up ahead. Monroe and Cinda exited as I walked up. Monroe saw me and pointed to me before moving on to his home; Cinda walted. She extended her hand and I was surprised when I took it.

"Why aren't you in school, Ty?"

"I didn't go. I hate the idea of that private school. I hate what my grandfather is."

"I know, Ty. You're just about the best person I know. doubt you have a prejudiced bone in your body. Why don't you come up the lane with me? I'll bet my momma has some cold milk and cookies we can share. C'mon." She held my hand as we walked up the road. Cinda was right; was welcomed into their house. It was nothing compared to where I was living. It was old and rundown, but it was more welcoming by far. I could tell how much Cinda's momma loved her children. Between bites I looked at Cinda's textbooks. They were the same I had seen some of the eleventh graders use last year in Indiana. Reluctantly, I left around five, Cinda walking me to the comer.

"Bye, Ty-I hope you don't get into too much trouble." She reached up and kissed my cheek. I was shocked. I looked down and my head moved forward. Our lips touched. I felt the surge of electricity between us. Cinda noticed it, too. She smiled and turned away. Her gaze returned to me a few steps later. She blew me a kiss and returned home.

Well...the shit really hit the fan when I got back to my grandparents' home. "Where were you, Ty? The school called and told us you weren't there." Mom was yelling, something she had only done with my father, and grandpa was glaring at me.

"I told you that I don't want to go to that school. Look at me, I'm dressed for church, not school. I want to go to public school."

"No grandson of mine is going to school with those niggers."

I shook my head. "No wonder you have a reputation as the parish's biggest racist, Grandpa. Fine, I'll leave and find someplace else to live. I'm eighteen now."

"You don't mean that, Ty." Mom was practically in tears.

"Why, Mom don't I have any say in this? Isn't it bad enough that you and Dad couldn't make a go of it? Isn't it bad enough that I lost all my friends and my AAU and school teams? Now you want me to go to a school that doesn't even have any. I bet all those kids are just snobs." I'd had enough; I walked away, slamming the door to my room.

My mom knocked about five minutes later. "Can come in, Ty?" I opened the door and sat on the bed, my head down to hide the tears in my eyes. "Ty, you know that your grandfather just wants what's best for you."

"No, Mom...what he wants is to create another person like himself -another bigoted snob, or is it snobby bigot?"

"That's not fair, Ty"

"Fair, Mom? Is it fair that I'm even here? I didn't have a choice in that, did I? Truthfully, Mom he hasn't shown me anything I could respect or love. He didn't take me in, Mom. He took you. I have a hard time belleving you are even related to him. I don't want to be like him. I want to be like my father-a decent, honest, hard- working man. I'm sorry if that hurts you, Mom."

"That doesn't hurt me, Ty. I know your father is all of those things. Unfortunately, we didn't get along. You are right, though you shouldn't have to pay for that. I have to make dinner now. Can we talk again after we've cleaned up?" I agreed; Mom hugged me and kissed me then closed the door.

Dinner was like being in a morgue. We ate in total silence although Grandpa did comment once about eating "nigger food" when Mom put a big platter of fried chicken on the table. She knew it was my favorite. I gave my grandfather a look that would cut through steel at that remark, but said nothing. What would I say in response to that? What could I say? He may have been my mother's father, but I had no love or respect for him. If he weren't kin I'd cross the street to avoid him.

I helped Mom clear the table and put the dirty dishes into the dishwasher. After wiping down the table I took the trash out to the street. Then I retreated again to my room. I had my own computer and printer, my own TV and stereo. I had a smart phone and everything else a rich kid could have. What I didn't have was a feeling of being wanted or loved. I knew my mom loved me, but my grandparents would have been happier if had stayed in Indiana.