Reaching more than 31,000 subscribers in 106 countries, this is…
HeroicStories #361: 25 November 2002 www.HeroicStories.com
——————————————-
Dear Readers and Friends,
I have enjoyed HeroicStories for many years because they give a true picture of what our human family is really about. HeroicStories are about us. About the small and large gestures of love, caring, kindness and compassion which we show to each other, and which are more prevalent in the human condition than we may realize. When I’m feeling in need of cheering and a cleansing tear, I read through some HeroicStories, and before I know it I’m back on track. If you want to receive these jewels of hope and wisdom, sign up for your free subscription at: http://www.HeroicStories.com
With blessings,
Rhio
With Her Head Held High
by Crystal M. Anderson
Story Editor:
Clayton Bennett
Iowa, USA
Growing up White in the Midwest with a mixture of ethnic groups, I was not used to seeing obvious racial discrimination. But when we moved to Pensacola, Florida in 1959, I got my first taste of how Blacks and Whites were treated differently: separate fountains, separate restrooms and separate lunch counters. I did not fully understand what I saw, even though it was considered normal in the southern states back then.
While living in Pensacola, I drove most places — but one day I decided a bus ride would be fun. My children, three and two years old, were excited. When we boarded the bus, they headed for the very back seat. The ride was fun for me, too; looking at the sights without worrying about driving was a treat.
The bus stopped to let an older Black woman on. The other riders became very quiet and turned to look at us. I was suddenly uncomfortable. Finally the bus driver turned in his seat and said “Ma’am, I can’t let her on the bus unless you move forward. If you don’t, I won’t open the door and let her on the bus.”
Suddenly I understood. Black riders had to sit in back, and wouldn’t be allowed on the bus if White riders were in the seats they were allotted to use. This woman clearly had somewhere to go, and the local “rules” put me ahead of her. I so desperately wanted to speak out at the injustice, to take a stand and remain seated. But the bus driver would have left her standing on the corner. I knew I had to let her on the bus.
My children and I moved forward, the driver opened the door, and the woman stepped on. As she walked down the aisle, I smiled at her and received a smile in return. Tears welled up in my throat at man’s cruelty to man. I had always impressed on my children that you like or dislike a person for what they do, never because of their skin color.
By the time we got off the bus, I was ready to take a small stand. I took my children to the back door. The driver motioned for us to move forward and I shook my head. We stayed at the back door until he opened it. As we stepped off the bus, I waved and smiled at the woman, and she waved and smiled back. That lady impressed me with her dignity, her gentleness and her pride in who she was. She was my kind of people, someone I would have been honored to call a friend.
That day, I learned that when rules are wrong you can still keep your dignity. She stood tall and proud and held her head up high — and without even speaking, taught me to do the same.
———-==========———-o———-==========———-
SUBSCRIPTIONS to HeroicStories are FREE. Just send a blank message to
join-heroicstories@lyris.net or visit http://www.HeroicStories.com
COMMENTS about stories are always welcome — please include your first
name and location: Comments@HeroicStories.com
TO SUBMIT A STORY, see our submission guidelines, tips and information
at: http://www.HeroicStories.com/submit.html
PUBLISHED BY HS & Son, Inc., PO Box 55213, Seattle, WA 98155, USA.
HeroicStories is a trademark of HS & Son, Inc. Newspapers can get
the stories as a regular feature column for FREE. For details, send
your paper’s editor to http://www.heroicstories.com/column.html
Copyright 2003
http://www.HeroicStories.com — All Rights Reserved.
All broadcast, publication, or copying to the WWW, e-mail lists, or any
other medium, online or not, is prohibited without prior written
permission from HeroicStories. However, permission is granted to
circulate this publication via manual forwarding by e-mail to friends
providing that the text is forwarded IN ITS ENTIRETY, from the “Reaching
more than” line on top through the end of this paragraph, and NO FEE is
charged. We request that you forward no more than three copies to any
one person — after that, they should get their own subscription.