Harlem, New York, 1929.
Kenneth Barker was an African American businessman, working a high position for a clothing company. Unfortunately for him, when the stock market crashed, so did his benefits, and his company was put out of business. This cau...
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"What do you mean you offered him a job here?!" Josephine's boss slammed his hand down on his desk, causing her to flinch slightly from the loud impact.
"Hear me out here. The boy lost his job, okay? Edwin is going on ninety years old, and has an accident every weekend. It's about darn time he retires, don't ya' think? But this boy, he's young. Twenty-seven, eager to work, and he agreed to buy a drink every Friday night. Please, this could be a good for the both of you."
Mr. Milton contemplated on it for a moment. "I don't know, Jo'. I don't want that negro boy to come in here and we start losing business..." He rubbed his chin, shaking his head.
"Well, I'm not exactly a porcelain doll either." She rolled her neck, giving him the eye. "You're gonna really lose business if that old bag of prunes in there keeps spilling drinks and leaving tables a mess." She leaned her elbows against the desk.
After a moment of hesitation, he sighed deeply and gave in. "Fine. But this is the one and only time I will do somethin' like this for you, Josephine. Savvy?" He pointed his finger at her in a foreboding way.
"Oh, thank you, thank you! I'll let him know when I see him tonight!" She threw her fur piece over her arms and grabbed her clutch, hurrying out of the room.
"Whoa, what's the rush?" Delilah chuckled as she stopped Josephine in her tracks.
"You know that eye candy I caught here on Tuesday? Well, I just got him a job! He's gonna take Eddie's place."
Delilah's face screwed up. "You got him a job? But isn't he negro? How did you convince Milton to do that?"
"You know Milton is a weak sister, it doesn't take much to please him." Josephine chuckled. It put her in such a better mood to know that she was doing right by her people. Times were rough, and she felt awful that she was still sitting pretty when many people were losing their jobs. She wanted to help as much as possible, even if she had to do it one person at a time.
"Well you go girl. Does he like white women?" She nudged Josephine's shoulder.
Her face twisted up. "You're tooting the wrong ringer. I don't know if he fancies white women and frankly, I don't care. 'Cause the boy is mine." She stuck her tongue out at Delilah.
"I surely won't object. You headin' home?" She asked as she reapplied her lipstick.
"Yes, I have to go to the market and pick up a few things, but I'll still be here tonight."
"Alrighty, tonight is when I'll see you then." She smiled at her then walked away.
Josephine left the club and walked out into the cool, November air, shivering slightly from the lack of warm covering over her exposed arms. She cleared her throat and stepped down into her car, starting up the vehicle. She rubbed her hands together, pushing a loose strand of her short, curly hair out of the way. She pulled out of the lot and drove off.
