Karma, Diane Godfrey-Doherty [ebook reader online .txt] 📗

Karma

Based on a true story

Written by
Diane Godfrey-Doherty


Prelude….

It was 1967, and in this time prejudice and hatred for anyone other than a white person was still breading and growing. It was just in an underground quiet sort of way. Even though racism and prejudice was frowned upon and times were changing. The next generation was growing up and becoming members of the community, with voices that wanted to be heard. The deep ground roots of hatred still existed, and this is what worried Margret and Edward Lea. They knew the road ahead was not going to be easy for this beautiful child they had just adopted.
The neighbourhood where they lived was becoming more diverse. However, interracial families were just not common. It would be a challenge for both Ed and Margret to face these differences. As the family grew the challenges began to effect more than just them. But it was unconditional love that made them a family, despite the colour of skin. Margret wanted this baby and when the Child’s Adoption Agency called 3 days ago and told her that they had a baby girl waiting for them, she was ecstatic, the thought of colour never entered her mind and when confronted with the acceptance of this gift there was no question.
The morning was peaceful; all you could hear were the morning doves cooing in the yard and the crickets buzzing away the morning dew. Quietly you could hear the faint cry’s from the upstairs bedroom. They began as whimpers and developed into a mellowed cry. Margret knew the sound would soon turn into full blown screams and whales if left unattended. Margret dried her hands with the dishcloths and began her journey up the stairs. Ed her husband of 6 years has already addressed the crying. As both Margret and Ed stood over the crib and looked at their new baby girl and they wondered what her future would be like.
They hoped it would be a future filled with more opportunities. More than what she would have lived without them. As the baby screamed, Ed said to Margret, “well she has a set of lungs on her.” “Maybe she will be an opera singer.” “What do you think about that Karma?” Margret chose the name Karma because she had always believed in Karma as a rule of life and she strongly felt that this baby was good Karma and would always bring them just that. “Oh Lord! I hope not”, Margret replied, “I’ll need ear plugs.” “I am not much of an opera lover, maybe country and western.” “Now that’s more my style”, she continued. “Well, whatever she does, I am sure she will do it well,” Ed stated. Ed lifted Karma out of the crib where she lay restless. Her older brother Matthew shot into the room like a rocket and ran around Margret wanting all the attention. Thank goodness the other kids were busy occupying themselves she thought, her hands were becoming full. But, she wouldn’t have it any other way.
They lived on the outskirts of town on a small but substantial piece of property, which stood a mediocre one floor ranch style home. Not much to look at on the outside, very plain really. It was passed down through the Lea family generations to Ed. This area was being developed and quickly becaming a busy community with more people settling in the suburbs. Many working families could commute to work in the big city and houses were cheaper here. Ed decided it was time to expand his house. Building onto the small style bungalow was the best option for their growing family. The land was there to do it. “I don’t want to give up this house my great grandpa built; our church is across the street, our friends, and our family.” “This is where we belong”, Margret agreed. She couldn’t help but love it too. As days grew into months and months into years their house grew. Not just in structure but in size with the addition of two more children to the family. However, Karma still remained the only black child living in a white family.
It was a struggle for Karma as she grew older and became aware of the differences around her. While she was sheltered at home she knew she looked different. Looking different was all she was really aware of. She was the same in all other aspects. At home, her brothers and sisters treated her no different than anyone else.
However, once she began kindergarten and was exposed to the harsh realities of the way the world behaved in the early 70’s things began to change for Karma.

Chapter 1


It’s 8:00am and the first day of kindergarten and I was scared and nervous but happy and excited to make new friends and play with other kids in my class. I had spent many hours very carefully picking out an outfit for the day and finally I settled on a white dress shirt and a blue jumper dress with leggings and black shoes. It was so exciting to put on my best clothes. All I wanted was to impress the teacher and the other kids. I hoped it would help me make friends right away. I was so excited that I woke up and dressed right away, brushed my teeth and ran down stairs for a bowl of frosted flakes cereal with bananas, my favourite. “There you are Karma, come and sit for breakfast,” Momma told me as she was getting the others ready for school. “We will walk to school shortly”. Karma’s older siblings Matthew and Jennifer had already left for high school this was Jennifer’s first day of grade 9 and she was very excited to be independent and all grown up but Momma said, she still had to walk with Matthew, no if’s and or buts’ about it!

Lucy and David still went to elementary school, the same school I will be going to now. I’m sure my mother was happy that she would have two of her older children watching out for me. The two little ones Katie and Liam the twins where still at home, they still had two more years of blessed freedom as Lucy would call it before the alarm started to wake them up at the crack of dawn too. But I didn’t care I was ready, beyond ready.
As the school bell rang its normal morning ring to announce the beginning of the day. David and I along with Lucy skipped to the front of the school to see where our new classes were. This was my very first day of school, and when we got to the kindergarten gated area I could see all the kids running around playing. Everyone was very excited about the first day of school, and so was I. I did realize that I was the only brown kid in the yard, but the colour of my skin was never any problem at home. I didn’t think it would be a problem at school either. My brothers and sisters didn’t seem to care about the colour of my skin and they love me, so everything will be alright, I told myself as I chocked down the queasiness in my stomach. I turned too looked at my Momma. I had a tear in my eye, because I felt a small quiver of sadness touched my belly and turn upside down. Maybe this was not such a good idea, I thought. Maybe I should stay home. “I don’t feel good Momma,” I began as my tears began to flow. “It is ok Karma, everything will be ok”. “You will have so much fun and meet so many new friends, I promise.”
“I will be here at the end of the day waiting right here for you and you can tell me all about it on the way home.” “Be strong my baby girl, stand tall and show them what ya got.” “Ok Momma, I will,” I said as I trotted to the door where the teacher stood waiting to greet each student when they arrived. I could see my mother turn to walk back home to continue the rest of her day with Katie and Liam but the small quiver held firm in my tummy and just wouldn’t let go, not just yet.
Once I arrived at school all the kids filed into class and our teacher began to speak. “All right, boys and girls welcome to your first day of Kindergarten,” the teacher says loudly. She was a beautiful lady with strawberry coloured hair pulled up into a bun and she ware dark rim glasses that sat on the top of her head for most of the time. After a while, I wondered if she actually ever used them. She scared me at first when she yelled at us but I think she just wanted all of us noisy kids to hear her cause she did not yell like that again all day. I felt kind a scared but I just kept hearing my mother tell me to “be strong” and “stand tall” and I knew I could do that, considering I was the tallest kid in the class. “Everyone come sit at the carpet,” the teacher calls. I went to sit at the teacher’s feet, not thinking of who was sitting around me. I sat and crossed my legs just the same as everyone else, and I looked up eagerly at the teacher and listened to every word she said. I didn’t want to look at the other kids not yet, it just seemed too scary. My teacher began by introducing herself to all of us as Mrs. King and she explained what would happen at school. Mrs. King continued to talk and rock back and forth in her big wooden rocking chair. She was telling us what we were going to be doing at school. Faintly I heard one of the boys sitting in the back of the group of students whispering things. I couldn’t hear exactly what he was saying because I was trying to listen to Mrs. Kings’ every word. But then I heard “she’s dirty, don’t touch her.” I thought nothing of it; I didn’t think it had anything to do with me. I was too busy listening to Mrs. King and I really wanted to please her. Maybe if she liked me she would be my first friend at school. She seemed nice enough. I never took my eyes off her when she spoke but my ears heard more coming from behind me. I wanted to look back to see just who he was talking to but I didn’t. I think deep inside maybe I knew he meant me but I kept my eyes glued to Mrs. King every minute.
“BILLY! Would you like to share what you are talking about back there?” Mrs. King orders from her