"We are born astride a grave - WaynesWorldStage.com

ight, the girl who did it. I handed over thetwenty and the little girl went running back intoher house.I drove up to the address given to me,walked up to the front door and rang the bell,several times. No one was home. As I wastraveling that block one more time, on my wayhome, a woman was standing in the middle of theroad waving at me. I stopped. It was the littleblack girl’s mother. “Mister, we are the onlyblack family in this neighborhood. If word getsout that my daughter is a snitch, our lives will beruined forever. Please take your money back.” Itold the mother that I understood her dilemmaand promised not to go after the culprit. On theother hand, her daughter had provided theinformation I was seeking, and I felt that sheshould keep the money. The mother reached inthrough the window and gently touched my face.“You are a good, kind man,” she said. “Thankyou.” Suddenly, all of my anger was gone.Just one more short one.....381