Black to the Past

Chapter 42

"What if they don't use common sense and meet us at the church," Halle asked Jalen and Wilson.
    "They will," Wilson reassured her.
    "What if-" Halle began again.
    "Listen, you have to calm down. We're out of place as it is. We look like we don't belong here. I don't know why but we do. So calm down. Try to fit in. Here's our stop," Wilson told her.
    He grabbed her hand and pulled her up. He hoped that by holding her hand he could keep her steady. The bus driver looked at them through his rearview mirror as they began to leave the bus.
    "Y'all going to hear Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.?"
    "Yes," Wilson said.
    "Yes sir," Jalen responded.
    "Y'all be careful. Your young. The police don't like that man," the bus driver told them.
    "We will, sir," Wilson said remembering to add the word sir. "Thank you, sir."
    Wilson had never ridden the bus before. He'd never used any type of public transportation so he didn't know what to do or say. He silently thanked Jalen with a nod of the head.
    Hopping off the bus, they walked in the direction of the church. There were hordes of people standing around. Some protesting. But those entering the church were mostly all white. "Why are there so many white people here?" Jalen asked Wilson in his ear.
    "I don't know," Wilson said quietly.
    They walked to stand by a group of young black people who were just standing quietly looking towards the church doors. At this point most people just wanted a chance to see Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
    "Do you think we can get in," Halle asked as she tugged on Wilson's arm for his attention.
    "I doubt it. Let's just hang back here for a minute. Wait and see if Michael and Meredith show up. Maybe they'll be able to get in."
    After about half an hour the doors to the church swung open. Wilson, Jalen, and Halle had inched their way through the crowd so they could hear whatever Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. might tell the group of reporters or to see if he was handed a message of any sort. That way they would know that it was okay to leave. They'd done the exact right thing. They were standing near to a reporter who asked Dr. King to speak about the threats to his life. Dr. King's response was, "I am committed to nonviolence as a way of life. However, I am not unmindful of people who are mixed up and think they would be doing the will of God by doing away with Martin Luther King."
    The reported then said, "I think you should read this."
    The reported handed him a slip of paper. If it were possible, Dr. King's face turned white. He handed the piece of paper over to a man who was clearly serving as his bodyguard.
"What do you think about the threats on your life now, Dr. King," the reporter asked again.
The man told the reporter, no comment and he ushered Dr. King through  the crowd and into the car awaiting him.
    "Huh," Jalen and Wilson said at the same time.
    "Do you think that was it?"
    "It had to be," Wilson responded still a bit dumbfounded.
    He boldly tapped the reporter.
    "Yes, son," the reporter said.
    "What did that paper say," Wilson asked boldly.
    "It was a warning. A warning that Dr. King will be murdered while his children are young and he will not remain alive to see them become adults if he continues in his ministry."
    The kids all stared at each other. The reporter shrugged his shoulders and packed up his belongings. He'd try to catch Dr. King at the next stop. Little did he know, he'd never get the opportunity to speak with Dr. King ever again.