A Bronzeville Story
Elementary: Grades 3–4
Story
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"That was you two making all that racket?" she said.
"Yeah, Lurlene, sorry," Cleet said, ducking his head. "I guess it's a little late."
Surprisingly, Lurlene's mouth curved into a half-smile. "No, it's okay," she replied, folding her arms across her chest. "You two didn't sound half bad—for a couple of alley cats."
Penny could see right off it was Lurlene's mixed-up way of trying to make some peace among them. And neither she nor Cleet could help chuckling at Lurlene's comment.
"Yeah, but just don't try it on a street corner, right?" Penny said.
Now Lurlene genuinely grinned. "You learn fast, cousin. Now what about fuzzy sweaters?"
Penny, embarrassed, felt the heat come to her cheeks. "I like it is all. Your sweater's nice."
"For real?" Lurlene sat down on a step. Her voice sounded slightly surprised. Then that half-smile crawled across her face again. "Maybe I'll let you wear it sometime." She paused. "If you two country folk don't embarrass me to death right off the bat."
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Now Penny felt surprised. Maybe once you got under her hard shell, Lurlene wasn't such a hornet after all. Penny figured she'd have to wait and see about this, too.
"Don't worry, Lurlene," Cleet said right back at her. "Like you said, we learn fast."
"You got that right," Penny agreed. Another old blues song came to her then, and she lifted her voice, singing low and sweet. Cleet chimed in with the harmonica. After a few minutes, Lurlene picked up the lyrics and, almost shyly, began to sing, too. Her voice nearly fit right in, almost perfect.
Okay, Penny thought, yeah. I've got a ways to go. We all do. But at least we're in Chicago.
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