No Crystal Stair

by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson

  LEWIS

  Garvey’s right. “A race without authority and power is a race without respect.” We’re not going to gain power by holding out our hands to the white man, waiting for him to give us something. We gotta take it. We have to create our own opportunities.

  Most folks don’t get Garvey’s idea with the Black Star Line. People say, “I don’t want to go back to Africa. I’m an American.” But what Garvey’s trying to create is a connection between people of African ancestry all over the world, between displaced Africans—not just in the United States but everywhere—and the Mother Africa. We need to know and support each other because it’s clear that white America doesn’t want integration. Never will. We’re deceiving ourselves if we think we’ll ever be accepted. So, like Garvey says, we need to unite and take care of our own.

  Garvey’s Negro World has been a gift. It started Poppa and me talking. We’ve shared more in the past six months than all our years put together. I wish we’d gotten here sooner.

  Poppa’s life is over. Anyone can see he’s not well. I know what’s coming.

  JOHN HENRY

  I suppose my business will die with me. I don’t know where Lewis will end up, but his heart isn’t in the store. It looked for a while like Lightfoot would take over. He’s been working by my side all these years. Did a good job getting those military contracts. Feeding all those soldiers down at Camp Lee has been good business, both financially and politically. It can’t hurt to have government connections.

  He’d never admit it, but Lightfoot is just like Lewis. Stubborn. He wants something of his own. Seems he’s looking to find it in the church, especially since he met Mary. She’s like Blanche when it comes to religion, only more so. Makes sense though. Lightfoot’s the only one of my boys who doesn’t smoke, doesn’t drink. And he’ll give you a sermon about it anytime you want, but mostly when you don’t. Not much money in church work, but like Blanche says, Lightfoot may be destined for something higher.

  I thought Norris might take an interest in the store, but I can’t get him out of the pool hall long enough to find out. He has gambling in his blood and seems more a follower than a leader. Right now he’s following his older brother Lewis, and that path is a rocky one.

  But I can’t be worrying on it. I’ve done what I can and I’m tired.

  LIGHTFOOT

  Poppa worked hard and I know he wanted someone to assume his role, but the store is holding me back. My Church of God is growing, and the Lord doesn’t want a part-time employee.

  Lewis was doing well in the business. I know he’s felt undervalued. I had hoped that being put in charge might help Lewis find his worth. He deceived me for a while. I was beginning to think he had changed his ways. I was trusting him. But then this stunt, right after Poppa’s funeral. Taking off with a thousand dollars.

  I hear he’s in Philadelphia running a gambling house. Doesn’t he know he’s partnered with the Devil?

  NORRIS MICHAUX

  Lewis has the right idea. Newport News is an ain’t-goin’-nowhere town. If I stay here, Lightfoot will try to talk me into running the store. That’s not me. Poppa knew it. I don’t want it and he wouldn’t want me in it.

  I’m taking the train to Philly. Maybe I can get in on some of Lewis’s action. Pool’s my game, but I’ll sit in on poker or craps or whatever’s on the table.

  LEWIS

  I took some store money. So what? I earned it. Worked my bee-hind off for it. Poppa would understand. I needed to get out of that town.

  Is it my fault the store’s closing? Lightfoot’s doing his thing. I say, fine, let me do mine. Papa said build something of your own. Lightfoot’s using store money for that church of his. I’m building my own something too.

  Lightfoot said, “If you needed money, why didn’t you just ask?”

  I laughed. He knew why. If I had asked for the money, all he’d’ve given me was a sermon.

  Lightfoot is on my back too because Norris followed me up here. But Norris is a full-grown man, making his own choices. In fact, he’s developed quite a reputation for himself. He’s a shark at the pool table. And people’ve nicknamed him Charleston because he’s a real heel-kicker on the dance floor.

  I’m doing a good business here. Been putting the cut box on the table, and on Monday morning it’s full of nickels and dimes. I don’t do like some other people who gamble do—go downtown with fancy women and big shots and then have blue Monday. I dump that box of house winnings on the table and say, “You all are going to win this money back.” And every time I open the door, the house is full.

  Some of my regular customers are “upstanding citizens.” Would be a problem for them if their Sunday-go-to-meetin’ folks knew. But nobody’ll hear it from me. I tell my customers, “Discreet is my middle name.” They just laugh and put more money on the table.

  I have to watch myself though. One night last week, I had too many shots of whiskey and things got rowdy. The police came down here on a raid and I ended up in court. Old Judge Fisher sentenced me to six months. When court was over, they put me in a paddy wagon to carry me to the workhouse. About two blocks from the workhouse, we stopped, the driver came back, unlocked the wagon, and said, “You get lost.” I got lost and came on back and was open for business the next day. Looks like I have “upstanding” friends in high places.

  LEWIS

  OCTOBER 16 I know I shouldn’t be laughing, but I can’t help myself. My perfect brother went and got himself thrown in jail for singing in the street. Ha! Ha! Ha! Now I’m not the only one in the family with a police record.

  Some people in Newport News complained about the music from one of his outdoor church programs. He and his congregation were marching through the streets singing hymns. I guess his voice was so bad they charged him with disturbing the peace.

  I wonder if my brother was humiliated or if he did it to get the attention. Whichever, he handled it. Handled it just fine. Lightfoot defended himself and soaked the courtroom in so much Scripture he got acquitted. Amen.

  NEWPORT NEWS BULLETIN

  OCTOBER 17, 1922

  NEGRO PREACHER AND CONGREGATION

  THROWN INTO POLICE LOCKUP

  Despite a warning from the court on Thursday, the Rev. Lightfoot Michaux and members of his Church of God again marched through a sleeping East End neighborhood singing hymns at 4:00 A.M. yesterday. This time, the preacher paid the price. He and members of his congregation were arrested and placed in police lockup. Michaux was fined $22.50 on a disorderly charge.

  Pointing to the fifty followers packed in the courtroom, Justice John B. Locke said, “Now as for these people, they simply followed you. I don’t want to fine them. You are responsible.”

  “Yes,” said the revivalist, “I and God.”

  Justice Locke shook his head and smiled. “Well, I’m not holding God responsible.”

  At Thursday’s hearing, Justice Locke told Michaux, “This thing must stop.”

  “Well, sir,” the revivalist replied, “if the Lord leads me out 25th Street at four o’clock tomorrow morning, we will go. It rests with God. If He leads us, we will follow Him.”

  Justice Locke turned to Police Chief C. M. Campbell and said, “Chief, if the Lord leads him through the East End tomorrow morning, let yourself be led to arrest Michaux and all those with him.”

  This is exactly what occurred.

  For several weeks the preacher and his wife have been holding revival services at 35th Street and Chestnut Avenue. Nearly every morning they have marched out from Jefferson Avenue singing what the preacher called “songs of correction, to awaken sinners from their slumbers that they may meditate upon their transgressions.” Annoyed residents complained to local police.

  Philadelphia Police Officer

  I didn’t mean to put the punk’s eye out. If he’da just done what I said, I wouldn’ta hit him. We threw these perps in the paddy wagon, and Michaux kept carpin’ on somethin’. I told him, sit down and hush up, but he kept on. My nightsti
ck closed his yap. I hate skels with no respect for the badge. My stick smashed the guy’s glasses and popped his peeper. Not pretty. If he’da just kept his smart-ass trap shut.

  I knew sooner or later there’d be trouble at that place. It’s no secret Michaux was runnin’ a card palace, but he was pretty good about payin’ the pad. Michaux’s got connections, but we can’t let that kind of ruckus slide. When there’s gunplay, we gotta move in. We got boundaries.

  I hear his brother took a bullet over a craps game. Sounds like he’ll be okay, but it cost Michaux that eye.

  NORRIS

  Man, that joker was out of control. Accuses me of cheating, then starts bangin’ away like he’s Wyatt Earp or something. Just got me through the side though. Guess it wasn’t my time. But it was close, too close. When I felt the burn and saw all that blood, I thought my time was up.

  Lightfoot says the Lord is telling me to change my ways. He might have a point. Maybe after I get out of this hospital, I’ll lay low for a while. Sounds like Lewis will be closing up his place anyway. Maybe I should take my wife and pay a visit to her Pittsburgh relations. Sinah’s been missing her family.

  LEWIS

  Sometimes it’s a good idea to just keep quiet. When the cops raided us, they took Norris to the hospital in an ambulance and put me and some of my customers in a patrol wagon. One of my regulars was going on about how he might lose his job, and I was telling him to take it easy.

  An officer said to me, “Sit over there before I heat you up.” I thought he said, “before I eat you up.”

  I said to him, “Officer, if you eat me up, you will have more sense in your belly than you’ve got in your head.” I was pretty tickled with myself until he turned around and clubbed me across my face with his nightstick.

  The doctors are giving me a glass eye. Like I said, sometimes it’s a good idea to just keep quiet.

  I’m glad Norris is okay, even though he started this whole mess. I don’t know if he threw snake eyes or not. He grabbed up the dice so fast I didn’t really see. Said he didn’t, but it wouldn’t surprise me.

  When that other fool pulled his piece, I was kicking myself for not making him leave earlier. He had that look, right on the edge of desperate. Maybe he owed somebody. Hindsight—it don’t change things.

  Could be worse though. Norris is alive, and so am I, even with one eye. And neither of us is going to jail. We can thank Lightfoot for that. Came to bail me out but, instead, sweet-talked that judge who released me into my preacher brother’s custody. Lightfoot’s been looking to save my soul for a long time, so I know he’s enjoying this. I’m not complaining. Don’t have nothing now, and I don’t deny this soul could benefit from some attention.

  The glass eye won’t make a whole lot of difference. I’ve been half blind my whole life anyway.

  LIGHTFOOT

  May God’s will be done. Surely now my brothers see the dangers of their sinful behavior. The Lord has given both new paths to walk. I think Norris will be fine. He has his wild side, but he also has a good wife and is building a family. Perhaps this brush with eternity will settle him down.

  Lewis will need more guidance. And now is the time. Losing his eye and his “business” have made him penetrable, and I’m not sorry about that. I am not taking advantage of his vulnerability; the Lord has given me this opportunity. It is His desire that I direct Lewis to His service.

  LEWIS

  Lightfoot got himself arrested again, but I’m not laughing this time. Sure, I rode him about it, but truth be told, it was a race issue. Lightfoot was baptizing whites and colored folks in the same service. The cops arrested him for holding an integrated baptism.

  This sickens me. The Klan is pulling somebody’s strings in Virginia government. Nobody can tell me the KKK isn’t behind that new statute requiring racially separate seating in public places. Not only can’t the church have integrated baptisms now, but coloreds and whites can’t even sit together in the pews during services.

  No wonder people don’t know how to get along.

  BLANCHE

  If those judges would listen to what my son is saying, they would see the truth—that the laws of God rank higher than the laws of the State. Lightfoot told the judge that his calling is to preach the gospel to every creature. He said, “Virginia’s ungodly segregation laws must stop at the threshold of God’s House.”

  He was speaking to people without ears. Lightfoot paid the fine, but I know my son. His heart will not be changed. He will continue to welcome all people into his church. His greatness will not be challenged.

  The fact that Lewis has returned home and found the Lord is proof of Lightfoot’s sway.

  LIGHTFOOT

  My precious ones, the sermon tonight will be built around a great subject, or a question, rather. The text is found in Mark, the 12th chapter and the 23rd verse. A woman hath had three husbands. They all have died. Gone to Heaven. In Heaven, whose wife is she?

  I see some of you sisters are getting very anxious!

  But this text will not be preached until the collection hath been raised. Come forward my lambs with your offerings.

  LEWIS

  Mother always said Lightfoot would achieve great things. And he’s proving her right. My brother can preach. I’ll give him that. He knows money too. That’s Poppa’s legacy. I’m proud.

  The Gospel Spreading Association is a good name for the business side of the ministry. The Church of God is spreading, that’s for sure. Lightfoot’s already got churches in Newport News, Hampton, Baltimore, Edenborn, and Washington, and is laying the groundwork for others in New York City and Philadelphia. He’s preaching over the radio now too. Who’d have thought that first little tent service on Jefferson Avenue would lead to this?

  It’s not so bad being back in Newport News . . . for now. The church folks are treating me kindly, although there’s some whispering about my “unholy” past. It’s good to be with the family. And tomorrow I’m getting hitched. I wonder what my cronies in Philly would say if they could see me now.

  It’s no secret Lightfoot arranged this marriage . . . another move toward my salvation. I’m not complaining. Sister Willie is a fine, I mean, fine-looking woman. A good one too. I just hope she knows what she’s getting.

  WILLIE ANN ALLEN

  Tomorrow Brother Lewis and I will be married before God. Elder Michaux desires this, and he surely knows better than I. Sister Michaux seems uncertain about our union, but I have prayed on it and am trusting in the Lord. Brother Lewis is intelligent, even charming at times, and treats me with respect. He has his shortcomings, but don’t we all? Perfection can only be found in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is easier to do the right thing when that’s all you’ve ever done. But when you’ve succumbed to temptation as Brother Lewis has, you have a steeper hill to climb.

  Brother Lewis is not like other men in the Church. He needs a strong partner to help him move toward redemption. Is it my obligation to be that person? Perhaps I am part of a plan greater than myself, but is it a sin to marry one man when you love another?

  * * *

  Dear Lord, I come before you to ask that you deliver me from these feelings that I have for the man who is not to be my husband. I pray that you give me the strength to be the wife you would have me be to Brother Lewis and ask that you lead me to understand my purpose and guide me in doing your will. I ask this in the holy name of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

  Church of God Official

  I was skeptical when Elder Michaux brought Brother Lewis into our fold. His history leaves much to be desired, and I don’t mean the gambling alone. I believe he has been incarcerated for theft as well. I thought he’d bring trouble to the Church, but Brother Lewis seems to be coming along fine. He surely has a way with words and knows how to inspire, qualities that clearly run in the family.

  He did a decent job as a deacon in Newport News. Now he’s business manager in our Philadelphia church and serving on the board of directors of Citizens
and Southern Bank. It appears he’s turned his life around. Elder has that effect on people, although he would say it’s the Lord’s intervention.

  Brother Lewis even settled down enough to marry Sister Willie, a true soldier of Christ, who quietly helps others behind the scenes, without seeking glory herself. Though, sadly, some have said they live more as siblings than man and wife.

  MARY MICHAUX

  Forgive me, Lord, my thoughts. I do not trust my husband’s brother. The Scriptures say I must submit myself unto my husband, and this I do willingly and with joy. It is easy to submit to a man like Lightfoot. But he is steadfast in believing he can save his brother’s lost soul.

  Lewis may be able to deceive some into believing he has repented, but I see his heart. Although he has behaved himself since he came to us, he remains defiant and proud.

  Sin sticks. It stays by you. You can move from north to south. You can move from east to west. You may go to distant lands, but your sin goes along. You may change your name. You may surround yourself with other circumstances, and yet, your sin remains with you. You may reform, turn over a new leaf, and lead a different life, but still your record is exactly the same. Sin may only be removed through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

  There are people who, the Scriptures say, “profess that they know God; but in works they deny him.” These people always have something up their sleeves. They will oppose you in everything you do to promote the Kingdom of God.

  Lewis may lead other souls astray. Many Church members are seduced by his cleverness and smooth talk. His verbal talents make him effective in spreading God’s Word, but Satan has these qualities too.