The Thetas

by Shawn James

  “Wow, your families and your bosses must really understand about you taking off so much time to be here.” I blurt.

  Laughter fills the room. Aunt Margaret gives me a look that lets me know I haven’t put my foot in my mouth.

  “Theta Women don’t worry about time off.”Dean Mother Carver explains. “Many of us own our own businesses. And we employ our sisters in key positions after they graduate so they can supervise our operations during pledge periods.”

  “We feel the sacrifices we make of family and career are worth it if it helps our sisters grow up to become the great leaders they’re supposed to be.” Dean Mother Morgan says. “Each Sister we prepare goes on to prepare another Sister in the future.”

  Each one teach one it seems. But when you make six or seven figures a year, you probably don’t miss a few weeks of salary. I have to wonder if there are Theta sisters in Anderson Financial and if they enjoy these wonderful perks on Daddy’s dollar.

  “So are there Theta sisters in my father’s business?”

  Dean Mother Carver smiles at me proudly. “A good majority of the women working at Anderson Financial are Theta women.”

  And Daddy probably doesn’t even know. “Your mother and your aunt gave many of our Theta Sisters opportunities to start their careers after graduation. So it means a lot to us to give back by supporting you.” A short haired golden skinned woman in a red suit says from across the table.

  I look across the room at. Dean Mother Dr. Reed’s place card before addressing her. “Did my mother help you Dean Mother Dr. Reed?”

  “If it wasn’t for your Mother giving me a start in the Anderson Financial secretarial pool, during my undergraduate, I would have never finished my pre–med training or have been able to start my practice.” Dr. Reed says.

  “I thought all the Theta sisters were wealthy–”

  “When my family was on hard times, the Theta Sisters helped us through it.” Dean Mother Dr. Reed continues.

  “And all of us can do so much for you Colleen. The Theta Sisterhood was created to prepare and support young wealthy black women like yourself for life in the world. Our network of women works behind the scenes supporting our sisters on the job, in social situations, and with their families.”

  “But why all the secrecy?” I inquire.

  “Back during the Jim Crow period when The Thetas were founded, we were at risk of being attacked by racists for assembling.” Dean Mother Carver replies.

  “And sometimes we were threatened by our own husbands.” Dean Mother Morgan continues. “So we established a secret code of communications to prevent the organization’s mission from being undermined and to protect our Sisters from harm.”

  “But times have changed It’s a different world from the 1930s–”

  “We keep the tradition of the secret code in place today because we not only face racism from Whites these days, but the numerous other African–Americans who seek to sabotage the mission of our sisterhood.”

  “Handkerchief heads and Mammies.” I say.

  “Not to mention the Chicken Heads, Hoodrats, and the Hoochies.” Dean Mother Morgan jokes.”

  “Seems like you sisters are at odds with a lot of people in the community–”

  “Many people in the Black community mean well. But their actions aren’t productive or even constructive.” Dean Mother Dr. Reed says. “Their good intentions can easily put all of us on a road to Hell if we allowed them to be involved with our organization.”

  “A girl like you could become easily confused if you continued learning the wrong ideas.” A regal gray haired woman in a white suit sitting at the end of the table says.

  I look across at her place card. “What are the wrong ideas Grand Mother Flowers?”

  “The values of progressiveness. That you’re equal to everyone. That you can be the same as everyone.”

  I take offense to the Grand Mother’s comment. I’ve always prided myself on trying to be equal with everyone and treating everyone fairly. Just because I come from money doesn’t make me better than anyone else.

  “But I am just like everyone else–”

  “Your father probably thought teaching you a progressive view of things would help you fit better in the world.” Grand Mother Flowers dismisses. “It’s a common mistake the members of his generation made raising their children.”

  “Well in my father’s defense I think he did the best he could with me after Mom died–”

  “True, he sent you to the right private schools, and you probably got the best grades.” Grand Mother Flowers continues. “But he couldn’t possibly understand that the way you’re being socialized in progressive environments is counterproductive to maintaining your family’s wealth.”

  “Our issues as wealthy Black women are different from those of wealthy White women or even other Black women from other classes.” Abigail says. “And you need to learn about them.”

  “Haven’t you wondered why feel so out of place sometimes?” Marcia replies. “Being the only Black girl in the room, or even the entire school? You can’t fit in with the whites and you don’t fit in with the Blacks.”

  I admit I do have those feelings sometimes. Sometimes I wonder if other Black people like me even exist. “I just thought if I acted normal I could be like everyone else–”

  “You aren’t just like everyone else Colleen. You’re special. And you need to discover your value before you go out into that world.” Dean Mother Carver says.

  I admit I’ve been a little hesitant about being a part of The Thetas. I just thought they were a bunch of chocolate covered Barbie dolls. Even though they sound a little elitist, it seems like they have something to offer me. Maybe I really should give this a chance.

  Chapter 11

  Over the course of lunch with the Dean Mothers and Grand Mother Flowers I learned a lot about the Thetas. And the more I learned the more the more I liked. I’m still not a fan of sorority life, but I have to admit there could be some benefits to being a part of The Thetas.

  I finish shaking hands with the Dean Mothers and Grand Mother Flowers and thank them all for having me for lunch. As the orientation luncheon winds down, Aunt Margaret approaches me with a proud smile. I think I’ve actually done something right this time.

  “You’ve left a very strong impression on the Dean Mothers and Grand Mother Flowers.” Aunt Margaret says.

  “So she wasn’t put off by my earlier disagreement with her?” I say.

  “No, Grand Mother Flowers loves a good debate. Don’t be afraid to express your opinions here.”

  “Er…Is it okay to use my phone? I want to know if it’s okay to call Daddy and let him know I got up here.”

  Aunt Margaret gestures to Dean Mother Dr. Reed. She catches her attention and rushes over to us. “What do you need Margaret?”

  “Colleen needs to call her father.”

  “Please keep it short. And remember your oath. Don’t discuss anything that’s happened here.”

  I know, what goes on in the Theta House stays in the Theta House. I thought they’d take my phone from me or make me turn it off. They must trust me to let me keep it. I reach into my purse, fish my cell phone out, and punch in the numbers to the penthouse. After two rings, it picks up. “Jack Anderson.” He greets.

  “Hi Daddy, it’s me. Just want you to know I got up here okay.”

  “Great Pumpkin!” Daddy exclaims. “How is it?”

  “It’s okay. I got to meet everyone, and learned a bit about our family.”

  “Did you see the picture of your grandmother and the portrait of your mother in the vestibule?”

  How does he know about the pictures? I thought the Theta House was a secret. I hide my surprise behind a pasted on smile. “Yeah.”

  “You took your oath?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Then I’ll keep this call short then. I don’t want to get you in any trouble. But I want you to know I love you and I hope to see you soon.”

  �
�Okay. Bye Daddy.”

  I hit end and put my phone in my purse. Dean Mother Carver approaches us. “Colleen, could you come with me?” She requests.

  Aunt Margaret and I follow Dean Mother Carver out to the vestibule and approach the sofa. Dean Mother Carver addresses Aunt Margaret. “You can let Jack know that we’re going to take good care of Colleen.” She reassures.

  “Wonderful. Thank you for having my niece this summer.”

  “And thank you for coming out to see us Margaret.”

  Dean Mother Carver escorts Aunt Margaret to the door of the Theta House. After she leaves, she turns on a dime in her high heels to approach me with a smile. “You can have a seat Colleen. We’ll let you know when we’re ready for you.”

  Dean Mother Carver closes the tall mahogany doors behind her. I ease into the sofa with my purse in my lap and peer up at the portrait of my Mother. Wherever she is, I hope I can make her proud of me in eight weeks.

  Chapter 12

  I look at my watch for the twelfth time. 9:39. And lunch ended at fourish. I wonder when they’ll be ready for me.

  I’ve been sitting up straight and doing my best to be poised and polished. I don’t know if this is some type of patience test, but I don’t want to do anything to embarrass myself or the legacy of my family. Everything in the Theta House may be a secret, but if word ever gets back to Aunt Margaret about any mistake I make here I’ll never hear the end of it.

  At 9:45 exactly I hear the clop of high heels pounding into the floors. The knob twists and the tall door mahogany door opens. I jump off the sofa as Marcia, Abigail, and Rosa greet me with smiles as they approach me.

  “Colleen, we’re ready for you.” Abigail says.

  “But before we continue the pledge process, we’re going to need your clothes, your purse, and your jewelry.” Marcia says.

  My eyebrows raise on the perturbing request. “My clothes?” I ask.

  “Yes.”Marcia says.

  “Rosa will take them upstairs to the suite while we continue the next part of the Pledge process.” Abigail reassures.

  Behind the smiles, the looks on their faces are dead serious. I guess this is part of some crazy pledge stunt. I just wish I didn’t have to get undressed in front of a picture of my mother.

  I take a deep breath as Abigail and Marcia keep their eyes on me. I guess I’ll start with the jewelry, since the chances of it getting lost as I undress are higher than the rest of my stuff. I ease the diamond studs out of my ears, slip off my Rolex watch and place them in the zipper compartment of my purse. I hand the bag to Marcia who hands it to Rosa.

  Let’s see…where do I start on this fun little journey. This is gonna wind up embarrassing any which way it goes, so I better approach it from a head–to–toe standpoint.

  I take my Church hat off and hand it to Rosa. As I unbutton my jacket, slip it off and hand it to Marcia she hands it over to Abigail who folds it up and places it on the sofa beside me. I grab my white silk shell at the waistband of my skirt, ease it out, pull it over my head and hand it over to the girls. As it’s placed next to my peach colored jacket, their eyes stay on me. I ease off my heels to save a little face. Everyone smiles when they see my peach colored French tip toenails match my shoes.

  The levity breaks up the tension while I find the little metal knob on the back of my skirt. I ease it down and gently step out of it. As Abigail folds up the skirt and places it under the jacket and next to my shoes, I ponder which intimate part of my body I want them to see first. I feel eyes on my breasts as I unhook my white lace bra from the front, peel it off and hand it to Marcia. I’m greeted with playful smiles under their serious expressions as Abigail folds it up and places it next to my suit.

  The girls get a good look at my two friends for a moment as I reach for the matching silk and lace tap pants. As I get my thumbs in the elastic band, I keep their eyes on mine to keep them off my girl parts. After I hand my panties to Abigail, she folds them up and places them under my bra.

  I realize it’s the point of no return watching Rosa stack my clothes in a neat little pile. When she gathers up the bundle and hurries upstairs, Marcia and Abigail get back to business.

  “Great. You can come with us.” Abigail tells me.

  Marcia gets the door for us. As my Big Sisters escort me down the hall I just hope I’m safer with them than on the streets of New York at night.

  Chapter 13

  Marcia and Abigail flank my sides me as we march down the parquet corridor. I keep my head up and walk as straight as I possibly can, imagining myself wearing a fine evening gown and a tiara to take my mind off the fact that I’m naked. It’s hard to keep the image in my head feeling the soles of my bare feet thudding into the parquet floors.

  I’d ask what this all about but it seems like it’s all part of some solemn ritual. As soon as we started walking down the hall, Marcia and Abigail’s mood changed. The easy yet awkward vibe I got while I was undressing in the vestibule turned serious and somber. I wouldn’t want to embarrass the family by disrupting a Theta tradition with questions; I’m sure they’ll explain things to me soon enough. There has to be a reason I’m walking down a hall buck naked at around ten at night. There has to be.

  We reach another pair of tall mahogany doors at the end of the hall. Abigail opens the door to a dark room illuminated by a single light bulb and a series of candles in votives on the left wall. The picture windows are covered with black curtains. I feel a shock of cold under my feet; the floors must be covered in the same marble as the vestibule.

  I have a hard time seeing in the dark without my glasses. Thankfully, Marcia and Abigail take my arms and guide me under the light bulb in the center of the room. I make out the silhouettes of the Dean Mothers dressed in black suits and Church hats sitting at a table across from me.

  “We present the pledge for Examination.” Marcia says.

  “Thank You Sisters.” Dean Mother Carver says.

  Dean Mother Carver’s eyes find mine in the dim light. “While what goes on in the Theta House stays in the Theta House there are no secrets between Theta Sisters. Do you swear to tell the absolute truth about yourself during this proceeding?”

  “Yes Dean Mother Carver.” I answer.

  “We can proceed then.” Dean Mother Dr. Reed says. “How old are you Colleen?”

  “I’m nineteen.” I answer.

  “What is the height of the Pledge Sister Marcia?”

  “From my estimates The Pledge is approximately five–foot–seven inches tall.”

  She’s got a good eye. I am five–seven. Five nine in heels.

  “Pledge, step on the scale.” Dean Mother Carver requests.

  I peer down and see a bathroom scale in front of me. I step on it and keep my eyes focused on the Dean Mothers. As the mechanism comes to a stop, I can’t bear to look down at the number. I haven’t weighed myself in two years. I don’t even want to see the three numbers that come up on the red marker. I probably have my freshman fifteen and then some.

  “What is the weight of the Pledge Sister Abigail?”

  “The pledge weighs one hundred thirty pounds.” Abigail says looking down at the scale.

  Whew. It’s not as bad as I thought.

  “The Pledge is a little heavy.” Dean Mother Dr. Reed says.

  Heavy? I can still wear a size 4 suit.

  “Have you been exercising regularly Pledge?”Dean Mother Dr. Reed asks.

  “I go to the gym twice a week Dean Mother Dr. Reed.” I answer.

  “What do you do when you’re there?” Dean Mother Morgan asks.

  “I run a treadmill and do some weights on Tuesdays. And I have a yoga class on Thursdays Dean Mother Morgan.”

  “You could do a little more cardio.” Dean Mother Dr. Reed suggests.

  “Normally a Theta Woman your age and height is around 115–120 pounds. 125 at her heaviest. Dean Mother Carver says. “We’ll work with you towards getting you to a healthier weight.”

  “Dean Mother
Dr. Reed, commence with the physical component of the examination.” Dean Mother Carver requests.

  There’s a long silence as Dean Mother Dr. Reed picks up a medical bag off the table, eases out of her seat and walks over to me. She gestures and Sisters Marcia and Abigail have seats in chairs next to the candles on the table. As she approaches me, her warm brown eyes smile at me.

  “Always so serious.” Dean Mother Dr. Reed says. “Relax.”

  I take a deep breath and let it out. My body eases out of the rigid stance it was in as Dean Mother Dr. Reed places her bag what seems to be a small table a few feet away from me and takes out a stethoscope. As she places it on my chest the anxieties I feel go away. “You know you don’t have to be so formal.” She tells me.

  “I thought this was part of some ceremony–”

  “We just want to make sure that you’re healthy.”Dean Mother Dr. Reed continues as she places the stethoscope on my chest. “The Pledge’s heart rate is strong.”

  Dean Mother Dr. Reed returns the stethoscope to her bag and takes out a tongue depressor and a flashlight. “How strong is your vision?” She asks as she shines the flashlight in my eyes.

  “I have a left eye that I can’t see much out of without glasses.” I answer. “The right one is pretty normal. I can get around without glasses if I need to.”

  “How long have you been wearing glasses?”

  Guess they’ve been talking to Marcia and Abigail. “Since I was six.”

  “And why don’t you wear contacts regularly?”

  “They’re kind of a hassle.”

  “Did you bring them with you?”

  “They’re in my suitcase. I usually wear them for formal occasions.”

  “I’d like you to start wearing them regularly. Do you have any other pre–existing health problems or disabilities?”

  “No.”

  “Are you on any medications we need to know about?”

  “No.”

  “Do you have any allergies?”

  “No.”

  “Could you open your mouth and stick your tongue out for me please?”

  I open my mouth and as I stick my tongue out, Dean Mother Dr. Reed places the tongue depressor down on it. The light gets in my eyes as she points it inside my mouth. “When was the last time you went to the dentist?” She inquires.