Mrs. White, the Negro librarian, handed Richie a short story that he had put on reserve, “Here you go, J.D. Salinger’s,’ “Franny and Zooey.”
Richie had used the book request as a ruse. Taking the book in his hand, he then gave White an appreciative smile as he lowered his voice and asked her if she had an essay by James Baldwin written in November of 62 in the New Yorker.
“In the New Yorker,” she asked?” At 6 feet one inch tall, Mrs. White was an imposing figure. She did not fit the role of the meek librarian portrayed in Hollywood films. Rather, she was assertive, in her early thirties, attractive, but not overly pretty, with an athletic build.
Richie, not completely sure when exploring Baldwin’s work, said, “I think so.”
“He is a provocative author,” Mrs. White stated. She was a recent addition to the school staff, an accomplished scholar who knew exactly who Richie was and his status within the undergraduate school hierarchy. Now in charge of one of the best high school libraries in the state of Pennsylvania, Mrs. White chose her words carefully before responding. “We don’t have it here, but I can get a copy of it.” Hesitating for a second, while taking in the measure of the student athlete who now stood in front of her, one who commanded the respect of both black and white students alike, she asked, “Are you interested in the movement?
Richie warily responded, “To be honest, I have to learn more about it before I commit to it. All I know is that fair is fair, regardless of the color of your skin or, for that matter, the God that you worship. If that qualifies me for a movement, then yes, I’d choose to be part of it. If you have Baldwin’s essay and want to share it, I’ll pick it up, and if not, then I’m sure that I can find another source.” Richie had gone from an insensitive, casual observer of the negro’s plight in the 60s, to one who was learning about the social injustices that were ingrained in the society he lived in. He thought again about his black teammates and classmates in the context of individual rights and opportunities and felt empathy for their situation. Being in a “relationship’ with Estelle and a teammate of Jimmy’s had certainly helped to open his eyes to a cause that was growing, and one that was about to change his country forever.
Softening the tone in her voice, Mrs. White stated, “If you come by tomorrow at the same time, I’ll have the Baldwin article that you are looking for.” A civil rights activist herself and part of the movement since it started in 1955, she observed that Richie was one of the few white students to show any intellectual curiosity about a social issue that would be dominating the news in the coming months.
Richie merely nodded his head and left the library. He knew he was travelling down a path whose outcome was yet to be determined. Walking amongst the student body, his mind drifted towards his favorite poem and the last stanza “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I---I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.’ Richie thought about the two generally accepted interpretations of ‘The Road Not Taken,’ the one readily accepted by readers, who take it that Frost was referring to the importance of not being a crowd follower, or the one that Frost himself said was his own interpretation man’s tendency to regret past decisions, even insignificant ones. Regardless of which interpretation Richie chose as the correct one, he would take the one less travelled by.
Driving home Friday night, Richie reflected on the past school week; it really went fast. He had final exams in all his core studies, participation in the Varsity H Club election, where two senior class officers had resigned their positions under the cloud of academic fraud, two home basketball games against inferior opponents, as well as the opening run of this year’s junior class play, “Our Town,” whose cast included some of Richie’s closest friends from “The Wicks’ neighborhood. Richie aced his exams and, oblivious to the Varsity Club election process, was nevertheless nominated for one of the two leadership positions. Declining to accept the nomination, he won anyway as a write-in candidate--- the unanimous choice for Varsity H Club Vice President.
On the basketball front, both games that week were blowouts, keeping the hometown team’s unbeaten streak alive. Due to the new Combo D and the continued growth and development of the starting five, they were now being touted by the local sports scribes as one of the favorites to win this year’s state title. And as far as the student-run production of Thornton Wilder's “Our Town,” Richie reveled in his classmates' performances. The actual play was unlike any other student performance that Richie had seen. With its bare bones stage set, Richie saw Grover’s Corner as a symbol for all towns. It left a lasting impression on him of the importance of one's daily activities, and why each day was important, and should be lived to its fullest. ‘No regrets’ was his new mantra.