Passing through Perfect (Wyattsville #3)(35)

“I want an A on every one of those test papers,” Delia would warn.

When the balmy days of April finally rolled around, Isaac complained about not having time enough for playing.

“There’ll be plenty of time for playing when you’re done with college,” Delia said.

“That’s years off,” Isaac moaned. “You saying I ain’t never gonna have no fun ’til then?”

“No, I’m not saying that,” Delia answered. “If you was to get straight a’s on your next report card, I’d be willing to take you for a day of visiting with Jerome.”

“Straight a’s?” Isaac repeated, making such a feat sound impossible.

Delia nodded. “I know you ain’t thinking it now, but someday you’re gonna be mighty glad I pushed you into studying for college.” She gave a wistful sigh and said, “I was gonna go to college, but then I met your daddy and got married.”





As much as she loved Benjamin Delia couldn’t help but wonder: if she’d been a bit more patient and gone to college as her daddy wanted, would she still be living in Grinder’s Corner? If she closed her eyes, Delia could envision the pathway of her life. She had come to a fork in the road and taken one pathway without ever knowing what was down the other. Rushing blindly ahead without weighing one side against the other was the way of youth, and she was determined that Isaac would not make such a foolish mistake.





Delia





When I listen to myself telling Isaac how important it is for him to go to college, I can hear my daddy’s voice saying that exact same thing to me. When folks is young, you don’t pay no never-mind to stuff like that. Now the weather’s turned warm, the only thing Isaac wants to think about is playing.

That’s fine ’n dandy if you’re not ever leaving Grinder’s Corner. But living here’s a hard life. It’s a lot of making do and doing without. Isaac’s way smarter than Jerome, and he don’t have to settle for this life. If he puts his brain to work and studies real hard, he can go off to college and maybe be a doctor or preacher. ’Course, looking back on some of the things Daddy did I’m none too respectful of preachers, but for most folks a preacher’s just one step down from God.

I’ve got no problem with doing the sewing ’n mending Benjamin brings home. I figure every extra dollar puts Isaac that much closer to college. White folks pay good money for work they could be doing themselves, and long as I don’t have to go into Bakerstown I’m okay with doing it.

Money is money, and the only color it’s got is green.





The Last Perfect Day





On the last day of school Isaac came home glowing like a stoplight.

“I done it,” he said and handed Delia the report card with a line of a’s stacked one on top of the other.

Delia smiled and hugged her arms around the boy. For a brief moment she could already envision him walking through the front door of Morehouse College.

“I sure am proud of you,” she said.

“Good.” Isaac grinned. “Now can we go visit Jerome?”

Delia nodded. “Soon as I finish up this mending.”

“You said—”

“I know what I said,” Delia replied.

Although Delia had suggested that it would take no more than a day or two to finish mending the things Benjamin brought home, it took the better part of three days and on the fourth day it was pouring rain, which meant the visit had to again be postponed.

When Isaac stood on the front porch looking out at the downpour, Delia walked out and stood beside him.

“Woo-wee,” she said. “A day like this ain’t good for much but maybe reading.”

“Don’t I get no vacation?” he replied despondently.

“’Course you do,” she answered. “Those books I got you ain’t for studying, they’re for fun reading.”

“Yeah, well, I ain’t in the mood for fun reading. I’m in the mood for ball playing.”

“You say that ’cause you never learned to love reading. When I was a girl I could sit and read for hours. Rainy days I’d be sitting in the chair and—”

Isaac gave an exasperated sigh, turned, and went back into the house.





With first one delay and then the other, it was eight days before they finally got to go for the visit. Benjamin was barely out of the house when Delia pulled on her pink flowered dress and painted her mouth to match. She woke Isaac and told him to hurry up if he wanted to go see Jerome.

They started out early Wednesday morning and arrived at the Jackson place well before ten. Jerome was first to spot Isaac coming down the road. He let out a whoop and holler that brought Luella running from the house.

“Land sakes,” she said, hugging Delia to her chest. “Where you been keeping yourself?”

“I mostly been helping Isaac with his lessons,” Delia replied, saying nothing about the mending and ironing she’d been doing.

“Well, I sure as the devil missed seeing you,” Luella laughed.

Delia smiled. “Me too.”





The day was as perfect as any Delia had ever known with the sun warm on her back, the air fragrant with the scent of spring jasmine, and the sound of Isaac’s laughter crackling with happiness. Delia creaked back and forth in the rocker and sipped her sweet tea.