I met a very interesting couple last night. He and his wife came to our house to look at my vaseline glass collection in the hopes of buying it. He obviously loved old depression type glassware, and held each piece lovingly as he looked at it. His wife called him Ray, and he was an elderly black man in his 80's. As he sat at my kitchen table discussing glassware he also began to talk about himself. He is a veteran of the army, and told us a story about trying to get back to base after a leave. They would not allow him on the bus back to base because of his color. Needless to say he was late getting back and subsequently was punished by the military. He also told of living in Lebanon, Tennessee, where his house was set on fire while he was working. His baby daughter died in that fire. He had more stories to tell, but time was short because he wanted to get home in time for Monday night football. As he left, he commented about wanting to write a book. I would be more than happy to do that for him. If he can talk about it, I can type about it. I want to hear more from this old man.
Ray is just one of the multitudes who lived through a time of racism and hate in this country. I hope, that with Barack Obama's election to the White House, it will end. These people did not deserve the crimes that were committed against them and their families. I hope our nation is one step closer to being more unified. Peace.
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