Maybe that’s why only men get to attend the university. What woman would want to spend time in such an awful, damp, smelly place? No learning is worth having to endure such melancholy.
Katherine is at the large entryway, her progress blocked by a couple of rough-looking white fellows. They lean against the door, their expressions amused. As I get closer I can see they wear the felted hats and long coats of the city police. Their mustaches are patchy, and even though they look stern they’re probably only a few years older than Katherine and me.
“Miss, I’m afraid we can’t let you in without checking you for weapons,” says the shorter one. He’s got a sly look to him, like a fox promising to be good around the hens. “The mayor’s inside, and we’re tasked with keeping him safe. So, are you gonna let us pat you down or not?”
As polite as they’re being they must not realize Katherine is really a Negro. No surprise there. She’s haughty and well-dressed enough to pass as the daughter of a man of middling political success.
Katherine must have decided the same thing, because she crosses her arms and gives the guard that narrow-eyed look of hers. “I have already told you I have no weapons, and I will most definitely not let you touch me. Now, will you please let me by? The rest of my class is already inside, and I do not want to miss a moment of the esteemed professor’s lesson.”
The short one smiles, revealing a gap where his front tooth should be. “Well, how about that. The pretty little lady here doesn’t want to miss the professor’s lecture.” He gives the other copper, who has a big gap between his front teeth, a bit of side-eye before looking her up and down like a sweet in a display case. “Sweetheart, what are you really here for? You a working girl? If you’re looking for a bit of coin, you ain’t gonna find anything but disappointment in there with those grandpas.” The two of them chortle a little, and Katherine flushes.
An ugly feeling rises up in me. I may be a liar and a cheat, but I absolutely despise bullies.
“Ay, hey there! Hoo-wee, I bet dis a humdinger of a lecture if it can get old Jelly Belly out of city hall. Dey ain’t serving food, is dey?” I chuckle a little, then shuffle my feet in a little dance, and the cops stop laughing. They forget all about Katherine and push off of the doorframe and move over to me.
“What you doing here, girl? This ain’t no place for your kind.”
“That’s right.” The taller, leaner cop looms over me, and I duck my head in a pose of mock humility. Behind them, Katherine draws herself up, a huffy look coming over her, and I shake my head just a little.
“Why, I jes looking for m’lady. She’s come here for dis lecture, and shore enuff I done lost her.” I shake my head like I am the dumbest Negro to ever walk the earth. For a moment I’m afraid it’s too much. But there’s no danger of that with these two.
“Oh yeah, and who’s this lady you’re looking for?” Gap Tooth moves close enough that I can smell his foul breath and I’m wishing I had a pocket full of mint to offer him.
“Why, the mayor’s missus, of course. I brought her broach, ’cause she don’t like to go out without it. She got it from the Belle of Baltimore herself! That fool Attendant of hers forgot it, and the house girls sent me out with it.” I paw at my skirts, like I’m looking for something. “Now where did I put that fool thing?”
I keep feeling around like I’m searching for something small. There’s movement out of the corner of my eye and I look up and scream, giving it all I got. The cops stumble back a little, reaching for their billy clubs.
“It’s the dead! I just saw one, oh Jesus, oh Lordy, oh good God above, please help me. Where’s the patrol when you need them? This is why it ain’t safe in the city, no matter what those politicians would tell you. It ain’t safe!” I fall to my knees on the steps of the entryway and begin to pray, like I’m absolutely terrified. A few passersby on the street look at me and then hurry in the opposite direction of where I point. I sob and even manage to squeeze a few tears out. It’s overkill, but ain’t no sense in doing something if you ain’t going to go for broke. “Shamblers in the city! Oh what is this world coming to when even the city ain’t safe? Ain’t nothing but dead walking around in Baltimore, and we’re all gonna end up joining them.” I shake my head in denial, like this is the worst thing that’s ever happened to me.
Here’s a thing about me: I have always considered pursuing a life on the stage if this whole killing-the-dead thing doesn’t work out.
The police officers don’t know what to do, looking between me and the street where I pointed, their confusion clear. I look up from my praying and give them a look of complete alarm, widening my eyes till they near water from the effort. “What—what are you still doing here? Ain’t you gonna go catch that shambler?”
They look at each other and take off down the avenue in the direction I point. I jump to my feet and approach Katherine, who watches me with a scowl.
“What was that?”
“Now don’t go giving me that sour look. That was just a bit of acting. My momma always said the best way to get what you want from people is to give them what they think they want. They expected
