September 1967 – Orangeburg, SC
Alonzo followed in the shadows of Delano. He trailed close enough to mirror his movements down Myers Road. While crouching behind the bushes, Alonzo matched each step.
Delano’s shoes strode “spap! spap! Spap! Spap!”.
Alonzo’s shoes replied “spss spss spss spss”
Delano froze, squinted his face, turned in the opposite direction and searched into the distance. He then exclaimed “Lonzo! Lonzo! Is that you?! Don’t be following me Lonzo!” Delano peered into the distance and after he saw nobody he shook his head and sighed out loud “Kiiid!”.
Several seconds later a crouched Alonzo peeked his head around the large tree stump.He dove behind the dead Pine when Delano looked in his direction. Like a chase scene from Bonanza he trailed his uncle as if he was on the hunt.
Delano regained his composure and continued bouncing down Myers Road. As he walked a noise faded in towards his direction. He then paused and leaned in as if he was trying to hear. A voice emerged, “Fifty Two! Fifty Two! Fifty Two!” In response to the voice, Delano laughed and stood upright and said, “Twenty Five!!! What’s happening Twenty Five?!” Delano responded as he greeted a neighbor that could have been a cousin or brother.
The young man walked to Delano and the two greeted each other with a fist bump. The young man inquired of Delano “Fifty Two! Are you ready to run that 33X today?” Delano replied “No, are you ready to run that 33X?! I just gotta block on it.” “Twenty Five” retorted “Well you know the trap don’t work if you don’t run in front of it. You set the tone big fella”. “True, true…I’m just happy to be able to play a game today. Practice is good but I want to play.”
“Me too, I’m ready to see how we will match up with some real competition.I bet we are probably as good as anyone in the state. Do you think any college scouts will be there?”
Upon hearing this Delano chuckled and shared “Not sure but the coach from Kansas State came around and asked some questions.”
“Kansas State?!”
“Kansas State…” punctuated Delano “…and after he talked to me I told him to talk to you. I mean you are the speed man. I told him that you need to talk to you Robert”
“Man, Bump that’s big I appreciate that bro!”
“tsk….Negro please!!!” Delano fanned his friend while sucking his teeth.
Robert shook his head in glad disbelief.
“The way I see it, college is about helping someone reach their purpose.”
“What do you mean?”
“I want to go to college because I want to build something. I want to own land. I want to have a wife and kids, and I want to do something about the way the world is especially for blacks. I think college will help me do that. Don’t get me wrong I love sports but one day I’ll be like CJ or Duerwood and my playing days will be over.”
“No that’s good, you’re right about that Bump. Purpose, that’s deep man…” Robert reiterated as he digested Delano’s words. “..For me college is the next step. You know you leave high school and if you’re fortunate you go to college, if not you work. But purpose, that’s good man. But tell the truth man what if the great James Summers himself came to you and said ‘Herman Delano Middleton, I have been sent by Michigan State to recruit you. You mean to tell me you would care more about purpose or following in James Summers footsteps?”
Delano leaned sideways, adjusted his broad shoulders, smiled a toothy grin and said “Weellll!!!
Robert and Delano laughed in response for several seconds.
Their laughs caused a middle aged neighbor that was planting rutabagas to look up. She waved and said “I hope you boys win tonight. Y’all look good by the way, I like the suits! Veeery professional!!” She danced on her knees as she spoke.
“Thank you maam” the boys chorused. Robert offered “Our coach makes sure that we wear suits on game day”. “Well, its a nice touch! Delano, how is your mother Reather Bell?” she replied.
Delano declared “She’s good, you know her she’s busy working on the campus. She is doing double duty as a nurse and in the cafeteria.”
“Oh wow you know those students had some issues in the cafeteria awhile ago please tell her I said hello!…” she responded “And Robert is your mother still working in Senator Williams’ house?”
“Yes maam working hard as usual” answered Robert. The morning gardener met Robert’s words with hers “Well I am sooo glad your mothers have raised you boys the right way. Those Jackson kids just ran through here and they didn’t even speak. You know I am about to call their mother and father. They know Mr. Jackson will wear them out for not speaking. Them kids done lost their minds!!! As soon as I get out of this garden I will call their parents.”
Robert turned to look at Delano scrunched up his face, shook his head and let out a sound “Woooohoooo, that’s not gonna be pretty!!!”. Delano put up his hands as if to plead their case “Mrs. Mary, forgive them they know not what they were doing”
“Well they need to learn QUICK!!” Mrs. Mary’s voice rose in volume as she retorted.
In the distance Alonzo stood behind a tree out of the sight Robert and Delano. At the sound of Mrs. Mary’s plan for discipline Alonzo contorted his face in sync with Mrs. Mary’s “QUICK!!” and mouthed a silent laugh
Delano pivoted the conversation by saying “Well Mrs. Mary, we need to be getting to school. We don’t want to be late. You have a good day maam.”
Mrs. Mary replied “Yall have a good day also and I hope yall win today. Oh and by the way I think yall got a little shadow following yall.”
“A shadow?!” Delano inquired. “What do you mean by that?”
Mrs. Mary did a silent yet confident point to the young boy’s shadow a few paces behind them.
Delano looked at Robert, twisted his mouth and performed a muted point in the direction of the shadow with his thumb.. He then turned and bellowed “Lonzo come from behind that tree, boy!!!”
Alonzo froze and closed his eyes.
“Lonzo you hear me calling you, come here!” reiterated Delano.
With that Alonzo peered around the tree in a way where only his eyes were revealed. He placed his hands on the side of the tree as he smirked.
“Lonzo you know I can see you right!” said Delano as he folded his arms. “You are supposed to be at home getting ready for school. Does Mother Bell even know that you are gone. Boy what’s wrong with you?!” Bemoaned Delano.
Robert interjected as he raised his hand as if to plead his case “Bump! He is just a kid man. Let the kid tag along, it’s not a big dea…”
“No! He needs to stop following me. I can’t go nowhere without him tagging along.”said an annoyed Delano “Go home Alonzo!!”
“No, I’m going with yall” returned Alonzo.
“No you not!!!..” replied Delano.
Robert interjected “Man leave that boy alone he was just like us at that age.” “That boy better go to school!..” Delano countered. “…And Alonzo where are your books?!
“I left them on the porch, right there by your number fifty two jersey it was drying on the rail by the washboard.”
In that moment Delano let out a sigh of disgust while palming his face “Ahh the jersey. I forgot!!!”
“Ah man Bump, you need that jersey to play. It’s a good thing Alonzo tagged along after all” inserted Robert with a chuckle.
“Ok, little man, this is what I need you to do, are you listening?” Delano inquired as he shifted his tone of voice.
“Yes!” Alonzo stood at attention like a first day soldier.
“We all need to get to school on time, we only get a few minutes before the tardy bell rings. However, after school Whitaker gets out a lot earlier than Wilkinson. You should have more than enough time to grab the jersey and bring to me before the bus leaves for Columbia. We leave right after school for the game. Alonzo I am counting on you. Can you do that?!”
“I won’t be late!! I will be there with it.” Alonzo blurted out.
“Alright well I’m counting on you. Love you boy, get out of here!” Delano said as he playfully mushed the head of his nephew.
Alonzo let the momentum of the push lead him into a full sprint into the direction of his homeroom class.
The Broken Frames 