Across the Bridge
by
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As directed in the note, Eddie went to the first floor door to the apartment, which was located at the opposite end of the dorm from Eddie’s room. He knocked twice and waited. In a matter of a minute or so, the door opened and a middle-aged woman wearing a housedress and an apron beckoned him to come inside. "Hello," she said as she extended her hand. "I’m Mrs. Ford." He shook her hand. "Eddie. I’m Eddie Jordan. I think Mr. Ford is expecting me." He held up the envelope containing the note. "Have a seat and I’ll tell him that you’re here." Eddie sat on the sofa and glanced around the living room. A floor model television stood in the corner opposite the sofa. The far left wall was taken up by a fireplace and mantle, which was lined with family pictures. Two boys walked into the living room and stood one behind the other in another corner of the room. "What’s your name?" asked the older boy, who was nine. "Eddie." "I’m Peter. And this is my little brother John," he said pointing to the other boy, who was seven. "I’m not that little, blockhead!" John pushed his older brother aside as he stepped forward. The two began a slight, subdued shoving match as if it were a continuation of an ongoing sibling feud. But it stopped as suddenly as it had started when Mrs. Ford reentered the room. "You two, stop that," she said almost methodically, as if it were part of a daily routine. As she passed them, Peter got in one more push. "He’ll be with you in a few moments, Edward." With that, she steered the two boys out of the room. That was the first time he had talked to the Ford boys, but it certainly wouldn’t be the last. In a matter of a few minutes, Mr. Ford walked into the room. Eddie stood up. "Sit. Sit," Mr. Ford ordered as he pointed toward the sofa. As Eddie sat again, Mr. Ford sat in an overstuffed chair facing him. Thank you for coming," the man said as if Eddie had had a choice. "I understand you had quite a lively history class," Mr. Ford started. "It was all okay," Eddie remarked. "I was told that things got a little confrontational. And you were part of it." He leaned back and crossed his legs. "I was asked for my opinion, so I gave it." "But you have to be careful about what you call people." "I didn’t call anybody anything. Can’t I give my opinion? Those White guys gave theirs." "You see, Eddie? That’s what I’m trying to say. You can’t look at everything in terms of race." Mr. Ford held up his hands as if to calm Eddie down. "But the discussion in class was about slavery. Wasn’t slavery about race?" "It’s not always what you say, Eddie. Oftentimes, it’s how you say things," Mr. Ford advised. So try to be a little more careful when discussing these sensitive issues." "But I --" "Just use discretion, Eddie." Mr. Ford and leaned forward. "Besides, I believe we have another, shall we say, more pressing problem." Eddie bowed his head. "Don’t be ashamed, son. We’ll take care of it." He stood, walked over to Eddie, and patted the teen’s shoulder.
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About the Book
Across the Bridge
Across the Bridge depicts the struggles of a small minority of black students as they fight racism on a front far different from the urban battlegrounds that usually characterize the racial turmoil of the 1960s. The serene setting of Whitfield Academy contrasts with the tumultuous setting of Eddie Jordan’s hometown; however, the issues are the same and, in some ways, more pronounced at Whitfield.
About the Author
Nathan Lee Gadsden is a former staff writer for the Intelligencer Journal of Lancaster, Pennsylvania and The Patriot News of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. As a teenager, he began writing poetry in response to the racial turmoil in the 1960s. During the same time, he attended the Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire. Gadsden later expanded his writing to include short stories and plays, the latter of which he used in script development during his involvement in community theater in his native Harrisburg. He also participated as an actor. Gadsden resides in Lancaster with his wife and a son. He is currently employed as a school administrator and is working on his second book, a collection of prose, poetry and drama featuring a novella and his early poetry.