Mix It Up
by
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John was shook up after the call. Doris didn’t sound too good. He had another bourbon and decided to walk around town and get something to eat. It was a revelation. He had noticed the mix of people at the plant, but in town, wow! Japanese, Chinese, Hawaiians, Portuguese, Filipinos, Indians, black and white Americans. All kinds of people.
This really is a melting pot, he thought. The funny thing is, many of them do not seem pure bred. The Oriental girls look softer and more rounded, as though their parents had mixed it up with other races. They appealed to him more than the girls in Japan.
Feeling his drinks he wandered into a hotel bar. People were very friendly. He noticed the white tourist women were drawn to the Hawaiian men — surfer types, dark, good looking.
One young lady caught his eye, very attractive, but he couldn’t figure out her lineage at all. He decided to try his luck.
"Pardon me," he said. "I’m just in from Tokyo and have some questions about this town. Would you join me for a drink?"
"Sure, but you don’t look Japanese. You look American." John’s eyes started to twinkle.
He said, "You’re right. I am. But I can’t figure you out. Would you mind telling me? I’m sure I’d never guess."
She smiled. "Try," she said.
"Well, it has to be a combination. Not pure Oriental, maybe half. The other half? Maybe European, but not south. My guess is northern Europe... I give up."
They ordered another drink and she said, "You’re pretty good. My mother was Chinese, Mongolian actually, and my father was Russian. Satisfied?"
"Yes. You know one of my theories is that mixing up races makes for better people and you certainly prove my point. The hell with pure breeds. But now I have to eat dinner or I’ll be in trouble. Would you please join me?"
"OK. Your theory sounds interesting and you don’t seem as hell bent on romance as these tourists, GIs and sailors are. We can eat right here."
Dinner was great, conversation was better, and John managed to get her phone number before they parted company.
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About the Book
Meet John Gowdy, a former jockey who trades riding the ponies for betting on them. John is a laundry and dry cleaning specialist for a small Catholic hospital in a metropolitan area.
Beneath his calm exterior simmers a man filled with many questions. When he falls in love with a woman of a different color, his questions become personal. How can the races co-exist peacefully?
Set in the turbulent 60's when race relations were volatile, Mix It Up blends humor, romance and intrigue. Follow John as his new job takes him to many Navy bases throughout the world. In particular, his travels to Hawaii and Japan test his off beat theories about promoting racial harmony.
You may be shocked to find the answer to his questions!
About the Author
James Sogorka grew up in New Jersey, and graduated from Bucknell University. He never had much interaction with people of other races until 1943 when he was a first lieutenant in the Army's Quartermaster Corps and was assigned to a truck company of black troops in Louisiana. It was an experience that affected him deeply. He grew to trust and respect the men in his company, and though he felt that "race or color was never a problem, it was always there."
He came home on leave in 1944 to marry his high school sweetheart, Mary Boyle, and after the war joined the family laundry business. Ten years later he went to work for the Navy Exchange in Brooklyn, and traveled to Navy bases allover the world.
He retired in 1980 and spent the rest of his days golfing and gardening, swimming, and writing.
James passed away in 1998. Surviving are his wife, Mary, seven children, fourteen grandchildren, one great grandchild, and a legacy of lessons on how to show respect for your fellow man whatever color his skin may be.