Stormy Weather:

Ah, New Orleans. Back then, it wasn’t easy. Two Texans in Louisiana. Really fish out of water. Your grandfather adjusted just fine. New Orleans was right up his alley. He fit in just fine the minute we pulled into the campus. Jim tapped me on the arm.

“Hey,” he whispered. “Wake up, we’re here.” I woke up and looked out the window.

“We’re here already?” I asked.

“Yeah,” he said. “Get out of the car.” I nodded once as I complied. We made the walk to the register’s office. I got a good look at the campus on the way. Pretty nice place, so far. Nothing like Texas University. I sneered as I remembered how Daddy to get me to go there.

“This would be good for you,” he told me. I didn’t buy it, of course. It was just part of his plan to “fix” me. Lucky that I didn’t buy into it. I tried to push it out of my head and focus on my future in New Orleans. Jim pushed open the glass doors.

The heat from the inside swallowed us up immediately. The outside was bad enough. If I had like I was melting before, it felt like Hell in that building. I fanned myself with my shirt.

“Damn,” I mumbled. “Where’s the air conditioning?”

“Broken, honey,” I heard someone say. I looked up to see two black ladies sitting at a wooden table. One looked to be in her forties while the other looked a bit older than us. I took a step back as I noticed that they stared me down intently.

“Oh,” I mumbled. Jim stepped forward.

“We have come for registration,” he said. The older woman narrowed her eyes at us.

“Is that right?” she asked. We nodded at her. She sat back in her chair.

“Fine,” she said. She turned to the younger woman.

“Emily,” the older one said. “The forms.” The younger woman opened the folder and pulled out two blank forms.

“Here,” Emily said. Your grandfather and I took the papers. She then gave us pens. I could feel them staring at us as we filled out our information.

“You’re not from around here, are you?” the older woman asked.

“Nope,” Jim said.

“Where are you from?” Emily asked.

“Texas,” I replied. My ears caught laughter. I looked up at the ladies.

“What?” I asked. They looked away from me. I lowered my pen.

“I heard you laughing,” I said. “Now, what’s so funny?” Emily suppressed another laugh. The older woman smirked.

“Texas, huh?” she asked.

“Yeah,” I said.

“Oh,” she said. I did not like her tone.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked.

“Nothing,” the older woman said. “Nothing at all.” I forced myself to smile politely.

“And I suppose that you think Texas is garbage?” I asked. “Is that it? Texas is trash. Huh? Huh?!?” She shook her head.

“I didn’t say that,” that lady said.

“Then, what do you mean?” I asked. Your grandfather tapped me on the shoulder. I turned to him. He shook his head at me. I drew my mouth closed. He and I finished the forms and turned them in without a word. The older woman looked them over.

“Very well,” she said. She handed us a set of keys each.

“Here you are,” she said. “Enjoy your stay.” I faked a smile on my face.

“Oh, I will!” I said. “I sure will!” Jim had to walk me away with him before I caused a fight.

“What was that for?” your grandfather asked. I frowned at him.

“She insulted us,” I said. “She said Texans were trash.”

“Well, she didn’t exactly say that.”

“Her tone told us as much.” I pouted as I folded my arms across my chest. Jim chuckled as he put his arms around me. I looked up at him. He gave me that goofy grin that annoyed me so much.

“Come on, girl,” he said. “Not everyone will be like that.” I looked at him with an eyebrow raised.

“You mean it?” I asked. Your grandfather nodded at me.

“Just give New Orleans a try, okay?” he said. I pressed my together and nodded. He smiled and kissed my cheek.

“You won’t regret it,” he said. I still faked a smile for him. He only hugged me around the waist.

I couldn’t… no. I refused to complain. I kicked myself out of my family and embarked on this new life. I can’t go back to Daddy now. No, I was my own woman then. I needed to grow up anyway. Besides, I probably would grow to love New Orleans. Might as well give it a try; I was already there anyway.

1984