It's a Long Way from Home
High School: Grades 9–12
Story
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Robert told Louis the Lincoln Gardens was the largest dance hall on the South Side. Louis thought it was one of the most handsome buildings he had seen on the South Side. Inside there was a large crystal ball hanging over the dance floor that had small pieces of glass on it.22 There were spotlights that shone on the ball and made the whole dance floor sparkle.23
To Louis's astonishment he soon found out that "black and tan" meant blacks and whites both went to the club. While Robert and Louis took a seat in one section, there were white people their age sitting in another. There was a floorshow on the dance floor where a master of ceremonies instructed the customers to stay in their seats while black dancers stepped this way and that, showing the customers the steps to a dance. Then the dancers got faster and faster.24 All Louis could think was that Aunt Celia would definitely have not approved of how they were dancing. They were shaking their hips, twisting, and jumping. Their feet were moving as fast as their arms. 25 Then the master of ceremonies instructed people to gather on the dance floor. 26
Robert ran to the dance floor and tried to drag Louis with him. There was no way Louis felt he was going to go, but he watched as Robert and a young woman danced right next to a young white couple. Louis could not believe his eyes. Something like that would never have happened in Mississippi. If a couple was getting too close (like Robert did once) the master of ceremonies came on over and told the couple to keep it moving.27 The master of ceremonies did an OK job of keeping people in line, but Aunt Celia would have done better, Louis thought to himself.
The dance floor was packed and hopping at the same time. Finally Louis couldn't take it anymore; his foot was tapping to the beat and his body swaying to the rhythm. He had to dance. A young lady sitting at a table nearby had looked at him a few times. Louis thought she might have what Robert would call a "crush."28 Finally he got the nerve to ask her to dance. She practically jumped out of her seat and ran to the dance floor. They danced one dance, and then another. Louis made sure to keep his distance and not get too close.
After a couple of hours Louis grabbed Robert's arm. "We've got to get back before sunrise!" Robert agreed.
As they walked away from the Stroll toward the streetcar stop Robert put his arm around Louis. "Well, what do you think?"
Louis laughed and said, "Well, It's a Long Way from Home..."
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