Week 4

Since I was in Louisiana, I figured I might as well explore more of the south. I hitchhiked again, realizing that this was cheaper if more risky than buses, and went east. Since my original plan with Sal was to go out west, I felt like I was getting back at him by going as far east as I could, and so I ended up in the humid green land of oranges, Florida. I was in Orlando, and, wanting to taste oranges freshly picked, I walked into a diner to get a glass of orange juice. I sat down, and ordered my drink. As I sat sipping, I noticed the place had grown a little quieter with whispers. I noticed too, that everyone at the diner was white, and I suppose I should have known better, but what is a girl with golden skin supposed to do? Jim Crow, but if I'm not black or white but Vietnamese, what was the restaurant supposed to do? And so I downed the rest of the orange juice in two big gulps and was out of there.

I hitchhiked again, and this time a Southerner picked me up (I could tell by his accent). He asked for a few dollars as a fee, and I said sure. Where did I want to go? Well, as the first Southerner who had picked me up thus far (everyone else was from the North or West, just passing through), I asked him to show me around. He seemed happy with that, as a leisurely drive meant more dollars for him. He said he would show me where he was from, Eustis, Florida. His name was George.

We drove past the white houses to Eustis, and eventually the paved roads turned to dirt as we passed the area he lived in. He spent time going to college, which he seemed very proud of, and driving and picking oranges during the summer. I asked him about his plans, and he seemed unsure, but thought that a lawyer sounded respectable enough. Eventually, I asked him to drop me off along the rows of beat-up homes. I wanted to get out for some fresh air and see what the more rural South was like. He said he'd pick me up in an hour somewhere on this road, and so I walked until I passed the colored school and then until I passed the white school. The difference was remarkable and more than disappointing. Why was I running around on the road when the world was like this, shouldn't I do something?

About two hours later George finally showed up on the road to pick me up, but made up for his lateness by inviting me to dinner. We had very rich food: cornbread and ham and collard greens, and while it wasn't what I was used to it was nonetheless very tasty. Soon, he drove me home, and I bid the young college boy goodbye, wishing him luck in my mind for the trials ahead.