Big Bangs, Prohibition, and a Sugar Daddy

Books, Staff, and a Picture

I sighed in relief. Getting to work on the receipts. My mind had been distracted. Luke had worn a cologne. When he got close to me I could smell the spicy scent. When Luke placed his hand on the small of my back, I was keenly aware of that touch. I don't know why these things bothered, distracted me. As I worked through the receipts, pulling a black unused account book, using black ink for the credit or incoming income, red for debt or outgoing expenses.

At present I could only record in red ink. I had no idea of what the income for the household was. I took for granted that accounts were paid, but I had no idea if any of the receipts were outstanding.

By the time I was done my fountain pen was nearly out of red ink. I opened a bottle of red ink to fill it. I noticed that I had stained my fingers with red ink. I knew that I'd have to use medical alcohol to remove it. I decided I'd keep some in my writing desk.

I put my account book on the top shelf of my writing desk. Not knowing where Luke went, I went to the typewriter. I decided to test the rather new looking machine. Placing a sheet of blank paper into the machine rolling it in until I could type on it. I began to type.

A quick red fox jumped over the sleeping brown dog. Then typed the z to make sure all of the keys worked. Throwing the paper into the trash can next to Luke's desk. The typewriter needed oil. I didn't think it was that old, but it had been sitting for a while unused. I looked around and found the oil that I needed.

Once the machine was oiled I put a new piece of paper into the machine. Typing a memo to Luke that I needed to know what sort of budget I was working with. How many of the receipts were paid. I placed the typewritten memo on Luke's desk.

I wondered the house noting that the maids were busy with their tasks. Two of them dusting and cleaning the main rooms. Clara was in the kitchen helping Sara prepare what must be lunch. When I wandered into the kitchen, I noted that Sara was chopping while Clara was sitting a table in a room connected to the kitchen that I took to be the staff dining room.

"Will you be eating with the other staff?" Clara asked me when I came into the kitchen.

"Of course she won't, silly girl." Sara chided.

"Why wouldn't I? I am staff, even if I am in charge of you." I didn't see myself as anything, but staff. Although I knew that Luke wanted me, that didn't change my status.

Sara gave me a hard look. She had stopped chopping vegetables. "You can't be seen eating with us." Sara stated this matter of factly. With no malice, but some concern.

"Why on earth wouldn't I be able to eat with you." I said.

"I misspoke Miss Ellen." Clara said. "I shouldn't have asked if you would eat with us. White women and Negroes don't eat together."

"That might be true in the South, Clara, but this is the North. We think differently up here." I replied.

"No, Miss Cross. They don't. It's no different up North, than down South." Sara informed me. "White people don't associate with Negroes. They don't talk to us, they don't sit with us, and they don't eat with us."

"Sara, you fix our food, the other girls who work here clean our house. There are no Negroes employed here who does not touch what we touch, prepare what we eat, or do something we depend on. If we can allow Negroes to do all this, what does it matter if we eat at the same table they do." I explained. "I will eat with the rest of the staff."

"I'll set a place for you, then, Miss Ellen." Clara removed a very expensive plate from the cupboard.

I looked at the other plates. They were plain white porcelain plates, not the fancier designed china. "I'll eat from the same set of plates that the rest of the staff does."