CoCo, that was beautiful, and so you!
Here's a little something from my collection.
Much More Than a Seat Warmer
That December day in Montgomery, Alabama, USA, was like any other day in the Deep South - cold, blustery, and dreary.
Rosa Parks had fitted and altered evening gown after evening gown, party dress after party dress, and mink coat after mink coat for the fashionable women who frequented the department store where she was the head seamstress. She'd smiled and nodded and hurried until she felt ready to drop. Would 5 o'clock never arrive?
Finally the clock's hand crept around to 4:45, now she could begin to tidy her work area and, finishing that, go down into the basement to the restroom to freshen up a bit before heading to the bus stop.
As she exited the store, the cold winter wind caused her to clutch her overcoat tightly to her petite body and walk briskly down the street. The bus pulled to the curb almost as soon as she arrived; Rosa stepped on board carefully, paid her fare, stepped off even more carefully, and made her way to the side entrance.
She settled gratefully into the first seat, sighing deeply as she at last allowed the stifled weariness to seep into her bones. Her head ached, her eyes ached, her back ached, her feet ached, her fingers were almost numb. Yet, Rosa breathed a prayer of thanksgiving because she knew many who would give an arm and a leg to have the type of job with which she'd been blessed.
"You there, girl, git and up move on to the back!"
Rosa blinked and stared into the red, hostile face of the bus driver. Lost in her reverie, she hadn't noticed that the seats in the front of the bus had filled to capacity, leaving one man standing.
The driver was now demanding that Rosa move farther back so that the man could have her seat.
Rosa made as if to rise, but SOMETHING wouldn't allow her to do it. Her expressive brown eyes looked directly into those of the driver as she said quietly and distinctly, "NO."
It was now the driver's turn to stare. He asked, "What did you say, girl?"
Rosa answered in the same quiet voice, "I said, 'NO.'"
"I am not going to move."
"Why do you people treat us this way?"
The driver, nonplussed and sweating, though the temperature was in the 30's, tried to intimidate Rosa by threatening to call the police. Rosa advised him to do just that and sat calmly, awaiting the arrival of the Capitol's finest. By now, an unreal quietness had permeated the bus. Even the Christmas music that, heretofore, had pealed so joyously, seemed jarring and discordant.
Two police officers arrived and looked at Rosa in consternation. This sweet, nice-looking lady was causing a commotion? Surely there was a mixup somewhere? However, after speaking with her and getting the same answer, they had no choice but to escort her to the police cruiser, sans handcuffs, and take her downtown.
The driver, smugly satisfied, returned to his seat to continue his route. The man, for whom the driver had demanded Rosa's seat, sat down in her place, looking sheepish. The seat was still warm.
Syl