The plane’s cabin was filled with the usual hum of engines and murmurs of passengers settling into their seats. A young, elegantly dressed white woman, Mrs. Harrow, stood in the aisle, her face twisted in disdain, her finger pointed accusingly at an elderly black man sitting by the window. “I will not sit next to this man,” she declared, her voice dripping with contempt. The cabin temperature seemed to drop as passengers turned to watch the confrontation unfold. The elderly man, Marcus, had boarded the flight with little fanfare. He was a retired professor of African-American history traveling to attend…
Author: town gist
A young black boy notices a disabled elderly woman struggling through the parking lot of a local grocery store. Rain is pelting down and the wind is howling. Without thinking twice, he jumps out of the car and helps her on her way. A few days later, a cop knocks on the door, and he looks angry. Jerome squinted through the driving rain. Mrs. Bender was frail and unsteady; she struggled to make it to her car. The boy’s heart tightened as he watched her. He knew he couldn’t just stand there. Without a second thought, he shrugged off his…
In the small town of Greenwood, Mark and Sarah seemed like the perfect couple. They were deeply in love and had built a life together. However, when Sarah gave birth to a baby with a different skin color, everything changed. Mark and Sarah fell in love on a quiet farm with large families. They met at a Town Fair and felt an instant connection. They got married a year later and moved to Greenwood.Mark and Sarah both wanted to have children, but they couldn’t agree on how many. Mark, being the oldest of five siblings, experienced the challenges that came…
On a Sunday morning, as the first rays of sun bathed the church in golden light, an unexpected visitor made its appearance. Ignoring Father Gabriel, who tried to prevent him from entering the church and insisting on attending mass in a fixed place, this dog intrigued everyone in the parish. But what no one could imagine was what the presence of that furry creature would mean for this community. In a small town rooted in traditions and community, the Church of St. Francis stood as a beacon of faith and hope. Father Gabriel, known for his kindness and unwavering dedication,…
A child walks up to her mother to give her a hug and say farewell, but she finds something strange and decides to interrupt the funeral. Little Katie’s life was full of joy until she was 9 years old. She lived with her mother and her stepfather, both of whom showered her with a great deal of love. She had received an enormous sum of money as an inheritance from her father. Nevertheless, everything came crashing down when she unexpectedly lost her mother. While she was at the funeral, she saw something that made her scream, causing the funeral to…
When this black girl opened her door to Deckard, a police officer, he cried so hard when he realized why she was staying there. Officer Deckard was heading home after a strenuous patrol shift. He had just taken a turn when he spotted a young black girl walking through a deserted path. She looked nervous and frightened. His instincts kicked into high gear. He immediately stepped on the brake pedal, keeping his eyes on her. He knew that particular street very well. Like many cops, it was well known for housing hoodlums and criminals. Deckard wondered what a girl her…
I visited my parents on Christmas Day. The plan was to stay for a day or two and then return to the city for more Christmas celebrations. This was in the early 90s, and even adults like me looked forward to Christmas. I came home and saw Adelaide. The first time I saw her, something inside me stirred. It felt like my ribs were saying, “This is what was missing. Take action.”I stayed up all night thinking about Adelaide and how to win her over. My ribs had spoken, and I believed in their message. The next day, I sat…
Tracy returned from the parent meeting, her emotions in turmoil. It was a chilly autumn evening, the drizzle adding to the cold discomfort she felt, though the chill inside her was even more pronounced. The issue wasn’t just her 13-year-old daughter, Celeste, struggling with math; that was a concern, but one she believed could be resolved. What bothered her more was when Celeste’s teacher, Mrs. Bell, suggested organizing an event for Grandmother’s Day. Tracy’s heart sank at the thought.All the parents eagerly embraced the idea of celebrating their grandmothers; some had one grandmother, others two. Tracy, however, remained silent. She…
A rich black man named David helped a blind old man in an airport. David had no idea who the old black man was, and what happened afterward left him in great shock. The situation at the airport was noisy and disorienting, especially for first-time travelers, but not for someone like David. As the state general manager of one of the biggest law firms in the country, he was accustomed to frequent air travel for numerous business meetings and conferences. That particular day, David was on his way to the National Association of Lawyers’ annual conference in another state capital.…
Andee and Grace’s struggles with intimacy after marriage are disheartening. I too chose to wait until marriage, not just for a future partner, but because of my faith in God. I promised to respect Him with my body, and despite temptations, I remained focused on pleasing Him. While on this journey, I worried that I might not find a partner who was also honoring God with their body. I was afraid that I would end up marrying someone who had experience and might be unhappy with my lack of it, especially if they compared me to their past partners. But…