I have been friends with the Smith family for almost 50 years. One evening many years ago, I received a frantic call from Mary Smith telling me about a horrific event. The day before she had placed her baby in the high chair in the kitchen while setting the table in the dining room. Her brother, Steve, came into the room asking what she was cooking, and said it smelled like something was burning. Mary ran into the kitchen, shocked to see flames climbing up the wall behind the high chair. She snatched up baby Charlie while screaming at Steve to, “Call the fire department,” as they hurried out of the house.
How the kitchen could so rapidly be engulfed by a huge fire was frightening. The firemen were able to save most of the house, but the kitchen and the dining area were almost in ashes.
The family gathered after the fire, and the realization of this tragedy permeated their thoughts and brought up lots of questions. What should they do? Where should they go? Mary’s older brother, John, tried to retrieve items from the house, but it was still too hot and smoldering to enter. He called their insurance company and spoke to an agent expecting they’d be offered some urgently needed guidance. However, the agent set a date to meet with the family, but otherwise gave them no assistance in the immediate aftermath of the fire, in this hour of need.
The next morning Mary, along with brothers, Steve and John, met with the insurance claims agent. To their dismay, the meeting was hostile. Instead of receiving some relief, as they expected, they were met with the agent’s accusation that they had set the fire, committing arson. Mary told me she could not help but shout at the agent. How could he believe that she would endanger her baby for money? The agent insisted that every member of the Smith household submit to a lie detector test before anything further could be discussed. Although appalled, they all reluctantly agreed to do so.
My husband, Marty, and I were shocked at the insurance adjustor’s accusations. Immediately, Marty sent a letter on his attorney-at-law stationery to the insurance agent. He accused him of what appeared to be obvious racism. The agent promptly responded to Marty’s forceful letter. His demeanor was 180 degrees different with us than with the African American Smith family. He was polite and “concerned for the Smith family’s welfare.” He was apologetic for his “tired, Friday afternoon tone” claiming the race of the family had not entered his mind. Soon after this confrontation, the insurance claim was settled to everyone’s satisfaction.
The bitterness of this episode lives on today, as this is not a rare or exceptional occurrence. Racism continues to rear its ugly head in our country. How hateful that recently some of our nation’s leaders are trying to rewrite history, claiming slavery was beneficial to the “African immigrants.” How dare they attempt to diminish the courage and suffering of slaves? We Americans are capable of discerning the truth from this horrific retelling.
Let’s focus on finding ways to respect one another. Isn’t it about time that we smother the flames of racism?
Note #1: This story is true, although for confidentiality purposes the name of “Smith” is used instead of real names.
Note #2: To my Wednesday Journal reader friends …
I thank you most sincerely for your notes, calls, emails, and notices sent to the Journal on my behalf. When I am asked how I stay healthy and happy at 99 I can easily answer. It is having dear family and friends who support me. I am immensely grateful to all of you.
