Grandmother's MLK memory warms student's heart

So I picked up the phone over spring break to ask my grandma what she thought about the death of one of society's most beloved people and the thoughts that ran through her head when he was assassinated.

I know what you're going to say, why didn't you go visit your grandmother? She only lives five miles at best from your house.

Alright I'm sorry and yes I feel horrible about it. Are you happy now?

Anyways, so I called her up and in that endearing tone that all grandmothers have, she said "Hello."

I said, "Hi Grandma, it's me, Andrew."

This next thing I'm about to say makes me even sadder that I wouldn't drive over to visit her. She said to me, "Oh hi, Andrew," as if I'd not become such a stranger and visited her frequently.

I proceeded to ask her what she thought when Martin Luther King Jr. was murdered and despite the recent absence of my presence she shared all her thoughts and discerns with me.

She said, "Well, first of all I remember being at the house and just hearing it on the news when it happened."

I then asked, "What was the first thought that came to your mind when you heard what had happened, Grandma?"

Then she said, "Well the first thing I thought about was how are the whites and blacks ever going to get along and would there always be segregation."

Then I asked her what was her first clue, despite the murder, that blacks and whites would ever get along.

She said, "Well, it was probably a couple of weeks after the assassination that I realized things would continue to progress forward in a positive manner because the marches, rallies and other things kept being held even though it was dangerous."

Now my Grandma, like most of my family, is a devout Christian and I asked her what the churches of that day were preaching.

Were they preaching segregation or a need to come together as fellow brethren and stop these horrendous acts of violence?

She said the majority of churches were preaching a need to come together because she thought that everyone appeared tired of the constant violence in our nation.

I said, "Thanks Grandma. I will call you back if I need anything else."

Once again in that endearing tone she said OK, and then told me if she thought of anything more she'd write it down and call me back on my cell phone.

We both then said bye and hung up, but I hung up the phone with a realization of how much my Grandmother loves me and how a white housewife felt when she heard the news of King's death.

Next time, if I ever do anything like this again, I will go sit down with her and have the conversation.

As a matter of fact I think I'll go visit her right now.

Andrew Damron can be contacted at damron47@marshall.edu.