Sleep Over

1n 1972 in the small southern city I lived, there was a unique river that was spring fed and wound its way to the Gulf of Mexico.  Weeki Wachee river, the spring of live mermaids, also provided opportunities for recreation and second homes.  My parents bought a lot and moved an ancient home to the banks of the river and as a teen ager,I  hosted a few unsanctioned parties after football games.

One such party, was attended by your high school quarterback, and this would not be unusual except he was the only black young man in the house.  Our parties included alcohol and always included a sleep over and for the white’s in the group, it was not unusual.  For a young black male to spend the night in bunks in a house, with other young men, not of his race, it must have been an experience.  That particular night, the buzzards had chosen to roost on the top of our house, and you could hear them on the tin roof.  Of course, he survived the night, and we all went on with our lives and lived through a period of transition from segregated schools into fully integrated schools. 

It seemed normal and natural to invite the entire team to the sleep over, and it also seemed normal and natural to include the blacks.  Looking back, I am guessing it wasn’t so normal and natural.  It pains my soul that in 2020, young black males experience what they do.  The simple act of including everyone in an invitation was not so simple. 

Young high school aged males have always found ways to push against the rules whether good or bad. Of course, unsupervised sleep overs that include illegally purchased alcohol is not such a good idea.  However, unsupervised sleep overs that included everyone on our football team, especially the blacks were a good thing.

I often wonder what it would have been like, if I was the minority and had been invited to a sleep over in a home filled with young black males.  I will never know, because my race has the privilege of being in the majority.  In this season of protest, my stance is to listen and learn.  For me, it is good to not be in charge, and listen to black voices speaking.  May we all have ears that we can hear.