Foreman Scotty and Clara Luper Shooting Craps

My father believed all children should be seen and heard, hence me.

On August 19, 1958 with “The Foreman Scotty Show” in full swing, Clara Luper took thirteen young people to Katz drug store in downtown Oklahoma City. Ms. Luper accompanied these young people with the idea of being seen. An idea, and or opinion, my father shared to the core of his soul.

Thus began the Civil Rights Movement in Oklahoma…

My father, being my father, went to the owner of WKY-TV to inform him “Effective immediately all children would be seen, or no children would be seen.” then turning on his black-on-black cockroach killers, walked away.

The power my father held was the power to change. I can say with assurance he felt no fear, for a white man in 1958 who had grown up without a father, been to Korea and back, learned to see with his heart, not his mind, had no fear…except the unknown, which he finally faced in 1994 with grace, dignity, and a $20 bill in the brim of his cowboy hat.

Let it be known I was raised as race-less as a half breed Greek can be, as my father married my mother it was said “Oh, but your children will be so dark!” Why yes, Merci!

I was five-years-old when I stumbled down stairs late one night…the sounds of ice tinkling in thick crystal high-balls, laughter like bells dancing up to my pink-on-pink canopied room. Peeking through the stairwell railing to see the fun I’d been excluded from in lieu of sleep.

There on the avocado shag carpet, laying flat on their bellies, elbows propping up the angel riding shoulders…were my parents, and three unidentified individuals having equally a good time shooting the game of craps…for real money no less.

The one pink slipper still on my foot chose this precise moment to slip directly though the railing, spoiling my sleuth work. As if in slow mo, tumbling down to near landing in the unidentified ones laps wearing a white golf cap.

All eyes now upon my scarlet child’s face, and utterly bare feet…I hear the bell laughter lady say these words:

“Oh Mr Scotty, is that pretty young thing yours? Honey get down here and let Miss Clara get a closer look at you!”

So the bell laughter ladies name was Miss Clara. She gushed & gooed over me, wrapping me in a crocheted throw from the Divan and hum-rocked me till I awoke the next morning in my pink canopied room. Sunshine bathing away last evenings dreams.

Do not ask me the color of peoples skin as a way of identifying who they are, I won’t tell you.

I will tell you their names, what they do, and most importantly, what they’ve done in their lives to make a difference for others. I will tell you I was raised to judge others by their actions, not their words.

The world has changed in 50 years. A great deal, and not nearly enough…