“Well, pal, that weakened me—that word freedom! Don’t you know I let that old girl beg me out of five dollars—which I went home and borrowed from Joyce’s budget, which never balances nohow, so I don’t reckon freedom can throw it off much more than it always is. Minnie is a refugee from the South. America has always been good to refugees. Since Minnie has come to America, New York, Harlem, U.S.A., I just had to lend that girl five dollars. If I never get it back, I have made my contribution to freedom—freedom to be integrated anywhere, at any time, drunk or sober—which really ain’t no hype.”

Radioactive Red Caps

Radioactive Red Caps

“HOW wonderful,” I said, “that Negroes today are being rapidly integrated into every phase of American life from the Army and Navy to schools to industries—advancing, advancing!”

“I have not advanced one step,” said Simple. “Still the same old job, same old salary, same old kitchenette, same old Harlem and the same old color.”

“You are just one individual,” I said. “I am speaking of our race in general. Look how many colleges have opened up to Negroes in the last ten years. Look at the change in restrictive covenants. You can live anywhere.”

“You mean try to live anywhere.”

“Look at the way you can ride unsegregated in interstate travel.”

“And get throwed off the bus.”

“Look at the ever greater number of Negroes in high places.”

“Name me one making an atom bomb.”

“That would be top-secret information,” I said, “even if I knew. Anyway, you are arguing from supposition, not knowledge. How do you know what our top Negro scientists are doing?”

“I don’t,” said Simple. “But I bet if one was making an atom bomb, they would have his picture on the cover of Jet every other week like Eartha Kitt, just to make Negroes think the atom bomb is an integrated bomb. Then, next thing you know, some old Southern senator would up and move to have that Negro investigated for being subversive, because he would be mad that a Negro ever got anywhere near an atom bomb. Then that Negro would be removed from his job like Miss Annie Lee Moss, and have to hire a lawyer to get halfway back. Then they would put that whitewashed Negro to making plain little old-time ordinary bombs that can only kill a few folks at a time. You know and I know, they don’t want no Negroes nowhere near no bomb that can kill a whole state full of folks like an atom bomb can. Just think what would happen to Mississippi. Wow!”

“Your thinking borders on the subversive,” I warned. “Do you want to fight the Civil War over again?”