Free College Boy : A Novel (9781416586500) by Omar (COR) Tyree Page B

neighborhood, and I could have gone to a lot of Black schools, but I don’t feel that that’s a realistic situation. ’Cause when they step out of college, it’s Whites who are hiring.”
    Her statement triggered Max, one of the other counselors, to comment. “Hey, wait a minute here,” Max interjected, with a rumbling beer belly. I graduated from an all-Black university. I still know how to deal with people. None of the people I know speak as if they’re from another planet or dress funny. So why would that affect you in getting a job?”
    The students roared with rebuttals to defend their young thoughts.
    â€œIt’s a White world, so you have to learn how to deal with White people. It doesn’t even make sense to go to a Black school,” one student commented.
    â€œYup, ’cause I have a cousin in an all-Black school, and all she talks about is Black Power. I keep tellin’ her she gon’ have to deal with White people as soon as she gets out,” another sister added.
    â€œWell, I came to this White college ’cause I wanted to play football. The Black schools don’t get no respect,” Bruce added.
    James had a rebuttal. “That’s only because all the good Black players go to White colleges. They got the money and publicity. But if all Blacks decided to go to Black schools, they would have to get respect. Black players run ball better than Whites.”
    â€œYou know, we all talking that ‘I got to learn how to be with White people’ stuff, but I don’t see where we spend all this time being with them. I mean, although we’re up here together, they do their thing, and we do ours,” said a strong-spoken sister from the back row.
    â€œYup, that’s true, ’cause I got three White room-mates, and none of them hang out with me. I’ve even tried to hang out with one of them. She gave me the cold shoulder, so I said, ‘Ta hell with you too, honey,’” another sister tacked on.
    â€œUnh-hunh, ’cause my roommate tried to tell me that she was about to have company, like I was supposed to leave or something. I stayed right in my room and met all of her little girlfriends. She had the nerve to be mad, too, ’cause she damn sure don’t speak to me no more.
    â€œExcuse my mouth, but that just really pissed me off, you know?”
    The Black women were taking over the discussion. The few White students didn’t say anything. The discussion was quickly being transformed into one on college racism.
    â€œThem White girls are a trip. They want you to help them with stuff, and then they don’t want to help you when you’re confused. This girl asks me all the time, ‘How do you do this?’ and, ‘How do you do that?’ And when I ask her something, she never knows anything, right. And I know she does, ’cause she gets straight A’s on all her tests,” the first talkative girl added.
    â€œLook, all White people are not like that, OK? I mean, that’s just that girl’s problem. You can’t say that every White person is like that,” a defensive White student said, finally.
    â€œWell excuuuse me, but ain’t nobody say that all White people do it.”
    â€œCan I say something, here?” a well-spoken Black student asked, dressed in a vest, tie, slacks, and penny loafers. “OK, I grew up in the suburbs around pre-dominantly White people, and I feel that a lot of times, Blacks have negative attitudes toward Whites.
    I’ve also noticed that I get more back talk from my own than I do from them.”
    His comments were snickered at because of his tone of voice.
    â€œWell, we can see why. I mean, to tell you the truth, I’m real tired of people trying to say that if you don’t speak like this guy here, that you’re illiterate. I don’t use slang, but I still sound like a Black person, and I do speak with the properness