A Bronzeville Story
Elementary: Grades 3–4
Story
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That night, back in their two-room apartment, Penny and Cleet found the fire escape. It was just outside the bedroom window. They crawled out and sat together in the dark. Cleet pulled out his harmonica and began to play.
Listening to the sad blues notes, Penny thought about earlier in the evening. Uncle Obie had taken them all on a tour of his big, fancy apartment before dinner. Everything he and Lurlene had was fine. Nice clothes and a big car. Polished wood furniture. Thick carpeting. Even big wide windows that showed them the sparkling lights of the city.
Here they were, living in the North, freer than Penny's family had ever been. But Lurlene, even Obie, had made it known they still had their share of troubles, some not much different than the ones folks had down south. Hadn't her family come up here to escape all that?
"You think things going to be all right up here, Cleet?" Penny asked. Cleet put down his harmonica and nodded.
"Sure thing, Penny," he said with a slow, easy smile. "Come on, sister. Don't worry it. Things will be real good. Already are."
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"But Lurlene isn't all that happy! What about us? We going to end up like her?"
"No sir! Trust me. Things are better already," Cleet assured Penny. "For starters, we got a place to live with electric lights and a bathroom, don't we? This city here is full of wide-open chances! No matter what, being here is a step up."
"I guess," Penny agreed. But she felt like she'd have to see how it went for a while before she could say for sure. Cleet always viewed things in a positive light. But Penny saw how she was probably more like Lurlene. The hornet.
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