candidates who share those beliefs. Those are the people who vote in Mississippi.”
“The people who vote in Mississippi,” said Jimmy in a cool voice. “The people who have been allowed to vote in Mississippi.”
Kilbrew turned to Ted. “Mr. Mendelsohn, you know that I work for a senator who has committed his whole public career to keeping the federal government off our backs. He believes that saving this state’s integrity is a public trust.”
Ted nodded. “That’s Senator Tildon.” He stood and walked with the students to their car. “So you believe that only white Americans should vote in our elections, Timmy?”
“No,” said Kilbrew. “Just Americans who share our values.” He climbed into the driver’s seat and extended his hand to Mendelsohn. “I remember the old Wheeler farm very fondly,” he said, starting up the Ford. “It was a friendly place. I’ll tell Grandfather Oscar that I saw you at the Freedom House.”
Chapter Six
The rooster outside Mendelsohn’s window had startled him awake at sunrise, so Rennie’s call from the bedroom door came as he was already dressing. “Somebody been messing with your car I think, Ted. I couldn’t see, it was before sun up. When I went to the window, wasn’t nobody there. But I heard somethin’.”
Mendelsohn went outside and gingerly inspected the Chevy, flinching as he inched up the dusty hood and explored with his fingers under the dash. Rennie was watching from the window, so he waved reassuringly and then eased down, sliding under the car. Explosives? What the hell did he know about explosives? Nothing. And unless they were labeled EXPLOSIVES he’d probably not know them when he saw them. He crawled back into the driver’s seat and stared at the ignition key, willing himself to turn on the motor. When he closed his eyes and turned the key, the Chevy purred to life. He was wringing wet and grinning with relief when he stepped from the car. Rennie and Sharon were smiling and waving from the house. And then he saw the slashed rear tire. With a sigh, the car tilted, the last air finally escaping. By the time he’d jacked up the car and removed the damaged wheel, he was greasy and dripping with sweat.
“No place to go except Kilbrew’s,” Rennie said. “Not that they’ll be any help. Next place is seven miles away, up in Ruleville.”
He left the Williams yard, pushing the damaged wheel before him. At the Sojourner Chapel he paused for breath and then headed across Highway 49 to the Kilbrew Gas and Auto Repair. “Anybody here? Hello!”
The door opened, and a demure young woman stood at the entrance. Carrying a small linen purse and dressed in a white cotton shift, she seemed foreign to the scene and appeared uncomfortable. She stared at him and then said softly, “Good morning.”
“Good morning. Wasn’t sure anybody was here. Somebody who can help me with this tire? I’m staying across the highway and when I came out this morning somebody had—” He stopped to look around the deserted station. “Well, this tube has got to be repaired and the tire replaced.”
“My brother’s gone on a service call, and I promised to keep an eye on things till he gets back. I don’t work here. You can leave the tire if you want. Bobby Joe is pretty busy, so I can’t rightly tell you if and when it’ll get done.” She paused, cocked her head and looked hard at Mendelsohn. When she spoke again, the timidity had gone from her voice. “I don’t guess Bobby Joe is going to want to help you. You’re one of those Freedom Riders over in the Sanctified Quarter, aren’t you?”
Before he could answer, a pretty, blond, and pregnant woman emerged from the office and planted herself boldly in front of the office door. “We saw you when you first drove into the Quarter, didn’t we, Em? You had another white boy next to you and two Nigras crouching down in the back seat.” She chuckled. “Welcome to Shiloh. Population 3,107. The most vigilant
“The people who vote in Mississippi,” said Jimmy in a cool voice. “The people who have been allowed to vote in Mississippi.”
Kilbrew turned to Ted. “Mr. Mendelsohn, you know that I work for a senator who has committed his whole public career to keeping the federal government off our backs. He believes that saving this state’s integrity is a public trust.”
Ted nodded. “That’s Senator Tildon.” He stood and walked with the students to their car. “So you believe that only white Americans should vote in our elections, Timmy?”
“No,” said Kilbrew. “Just Americans who share our values.” He climbed into the driver’s seat and extended his hand to Mendelsohn. “I remember the old Wheeler farm very fondly,” he said, starting up the Ford. “It was a friendly place. I’ll tell Grandfather Oscar that I saw you at the Freedom House.”
Chapter Six
The rooster outside Mendelsohn’s window had startled him awake at sunrise, so Rennie’s call from the bedroom door came as he was already dressing. “Somebody been messing with your car I think, Ted. I couldn’t see, it was before sun up. When I went to the window, wasn’t nobody there. But I heard somethin’.”
Mendelsohn went outside and gingerly inspected the Chevy, flinching as he inched up the dusty hood and explored with his fingers under the dash. Rennie was watching from the window, so he waved reassuringly and then eased down, sliding under the car. Explosives? What the hell did he know about explosives? Nothing. And unless they were labeled EXPLOSIVES he’d probably not know them when he saw them. He crawled back into the driver’s seat and stared at the ignition key, willing himself to turn on the motor. When he closed his eyes and turned the key, the Chevy purred to life. He was wringing wet and grinning with relief when he stepped from the car. Rennie and Sharon were smiling and waving from the house. And then he saw the slashed rear tire. With a sigh, the car tilted, the last air finally escaping. By the time he’d jacked up the car and removed the damaged wheel, he was greasy and dripping with sweat.
“No place to go except Kilbrew’s,” Rennie said. “Not that they’ll be any help. Next place is seven miles away, up in Ruleville.”
He left the Williams yard, pushing the damaged wheel before him. At the Sojourner Chapel he paused for breath and then headed across Highway 49 to the Kilbrew Gas and Auto Repair. “Anybody here? Hello!”
The door opened, and a demure young woman stood at the entrance. Carrying a small linen purse and dressed in a white cotton shift, she seemed foreign to the scene and appeared uncomfortable. She stared at him and then said softly, “Good morning.”
“Good morning. Wasn’t sure anybody was here. Somebody who can help me with this tire? I’m staying across the highway and when I came out this morning somebody had—” He stopped to look around the deserted station. “Well, this tube has got to be repaired and the tire replaced.”
“My brother’s gone on a service call, and I promised to keep an eye on things till he gets back. I don’t work here. You can leave the tire if you want. Bobby Joe is pretty busy, so I can’t rightly tell you if and when it’ll get done.” She paused, cocked her head and looked hard at Mendelsohn. When she spoke again, the timidity had gone from her voice. “I don’t guess Bobby Joe is going to want to help you. You’re one of those Freedom Riders over in the Sanctified Quarter, aren’t you?”
Before he could answer, a pretty, blond, and pregnant woman emerged from the office and planted herself boldly in front of the office door. “We saw you when you first drove into the Quarter, didn’t we, Em? You had another white boy next to you and two Nigras crouching down in the back seat.” She chuckled. “Welcome to Shiloh. Population 3,107. The most vigilant
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