My mama said we needed to get away from the river, but it was hard. There were lots of low-hanging tree limbs and brush to climb through. I was too little to go quick. Mama tried to get me to move faster, but I was tired. I could see the water was moving now filling in where it had no business being. Mama had me sit a while to rest and we waited. We decided to go back the way we came.
We walked for a while and I started crying. I was so tired, cold, and hungry. And then right there in front of us was a big stag. I remember he was looking straight at us with beautiful brown eyes. He just stood there for the longest time. Then he tipped his antlers, turned, and moved away from the river. Mama said, “Come, Maizie, the stag will lead us.” We followed the animal as best we could. Every once in a while, he’d turn to see, if we were behind him. My mama smiled at me and grabbed my hand and said, “Maizie, that stag is our guardian angel.” I remember hugging my mama really tight. ’Cause I knew guardian angels were good.
Soon we came to a road. It was muddy for sure, but all right for walking. But I was so tired, I wanted Mama to stop. So we rested, tired and hungry but safe from the river. Then along came a man sitting in a wagon drawn by donkeys. He stopped and told us he could get us to town. He took us to a church to let us dry our clothes and warm up. He got us some food, old clothes, and permission for us to rest. So Mama turned to me and said, “You see, Maizie, sometimes guardian angels work in pairs.”
I think my guardian angels here at Glidewell are all people, not animals. And I think there are more than a pair.
Bonne nuit, mon ami,
Maizie Sunday Freedman
Chapter 32
A Parting
As the afternoon sun reached the three-o’clock position, Billy Wood left the mess hall to climb the incline to the ranch house. He had a lot on his mind, wasn’t good with words, but for once in his marriage he felt the strength to express what he knew was right.
James stood when Billy entered his office, shook his hand, and asked him to take a seat. “Thank you for seeing me, sir, Mr. Glidewell. It’s about Thelma.”
“What happened? She all right?”
“Well, I ain’t much for talkin’, but I just have to say that Thelma ain’t doing too good since Corky came on board. She don’t like not being the boss. She’s just used to doin’ things her way. I don’t mind, but Thelma, she’s madder than a hornet.”
“I see. Why doesn’t she come talk to us?”
“She’s too mad. Says she’ll make it worse by talkin’ to you. She’s leaving the ranch. Goin’ back to Iowa. She’s got a sister there.”
“We would wish her well. She can come and resign.”
“No, she ain’t gonna do that. She thinks Mrs. Glidewell is out to get her. She thinks this whole thing about signin’ a contract to be nice to folks who are different just don’t make sense.”
“Truth is, Billy, we’ve given Thelma a chance, but it sounds like she isn’t planning on changing.”
“She’s always been that way. She was raised to believe that some folks are just inferior.”
“Well, we here at Glidewell hold dear the premise that all men are created equal in the eyes of God, regardless of race, creed, or religion.”
“I believe that too. But poor Thelma, she just has hate in her heart. I think going back to Iowa is for the best. Our son is getting out of prison in two years and maybe that’ll help. Though he’s just like her, I’m ’shamed to say.”
“Your son is in prison?”
“Yep, for eight years, two more to go. He killed a man. Beat a colored man to death.”
“Billy, that’s awful.”
“Now I ain’t proud of this. He was convicted and charged by a judge. Thelma couldn’t understand why our son got convicted. You see, Thelma didn’t see the wrong in it.”
James stood and moved away from his desk and looked pensively out his office window. “Billy, Mrs. Glidewell and I appreciate you coming in. Do you both need any help to get back to Iowa?” Billy looked past James, trying to find a way to say what he had come to say.
“Well, that’s just it. Ain’t no jobs for someone like me anywhere. Folks like me are movin’ to California to pick fruit. Thelma can go to her sister, but that sister has no likin’ for me. I was thinkin’ I would stay and work with Corky, since I get room and board here. I could send my pay to Thelma to help her and her sister out. I like workin’ here.”
“You want to stay for the summer and then go to Iowa?”
“No sir, I want to stay here for as long as you want me. I really got those ‘new rules’ of yours. I knew what you were tryin’ to do, but Thelma just don’t understand.”
“Have you talked with her about you staying here?”
“Yes, she wants to leave and me to stay and work. Thelma will need the money. We sure don’t know what lies ahead, but I have a job—a lot of folks don’t.”
“I understand. Mrs. Glidewell and I will discuss financing Thelma’s return to Iowa. Leon will take her to the train depot. We’ll help. Rest assured.”
Billy stood slowly from his chair and reached to shake James’s hand. “I do think you understood what I was tryin’ to say.”
“I did, Billy.”
“I sure am grateful. Thelma wants to leave tomorrow.”
“I’ll make all the arrangements from this
