Since the day she was born Mable knew she hated her life. Being born black and in the 1920s was something Mable did not choose. As Mable grew up in Memphis, Tennessee she saw the white girls roam as they pleased. They had colored people do everything for them. Mable and he family had to do their own cooking, cleaning, and grocery shopping,
The white girls were never picked on or discriminated for their color. Mable was and she hated herself for being black. When she was twelve and as she grew to be a women she’d say to her momma, “Why couldn’t of God made me like the white girls. Why couldn’t He have made then white girls black, that way they could know what hard work feels like?”
Her momma always replied, “He COULD have made you white, but for His own reasons He made you black. And there ain’t nothing you could have done or can do now to change God’s will, now just stop being so hard on yourself. No matter what color you are, you will always be my baby and I will always love you.”
That answer still left Mable unsatisfied. She desperately wanted to have what the white girls had—luxury.
Mable had a good life. She just didn’t see that. She had a nice family—mom and husband. They loved her greatly. Mable married her husband when she was 19. She often thought of bringing children of her own to the world, but then again she didn’t want children. She didn’t want her kids to grow up in a world of discrimination and no luxury. She didn’t want them to hate their lives like she did her. Mable’s husband love her, but when ever Mable had the silly idea of not having children because they would hate their life’s like her, he thought of leaving her. Maybe his absence would make her happy.
Even though he thought of leaving her, he never did. He loved Mable too much to do so and he knew that Mable needed help with her problem. He tried to help Mable by giving her as much love as he could, yet, Mable never took his love and her mother’s love in consideration. She didn’t seem to appreciate her families love.
Mable’s job didn’t show her much love, but she spent most of her days working for Sara and James Adeline. She worked at their home as their personal housekeeper. Each day that Mable worked at their home she saw the beautiful and expensive things that the Adeline’s owned. Mable desired those things. She wished that her family could have the luxury that the Adeline’s delighted themselves with.
Mable wanted the white people life and sometimes while she was to be working she did have their life.
When it came for the time that Mable had to clean Mrs. Adeline’s room, she stopped and rested. The broom was left in a corner as Mable secretly went into Mrs. Adeline’s closet. At the closet she tenderly took a dress that to her was the most beautiful dress.
Before she tried the dress on Mable took a peek out the door, she assured herself that no one was coming. Mable slipped the dress on and when she looked at herself in the mirror she was amazed. The dress fit perfectly. Mable looked more stunning than with her raggedy blouse, plain gray skirt, and old torn shoes. She wore the dress for a couple more minutes, although she wished she could wear it for life.
While she was in the dress, Mable thought to herself, “Who wouldn’t want to be white, I mean look at me. I’d have the most beautiful things in the world. Momma don’t understand.”
Mable took the dress off kindly and placed it back in the closet. She continued to live her own miserable life once again by picking the broom up and continuing her chores.
Three hours later Mable was in the kitchen preparing tea for Mrs. Adeline and her friends. Like usual, Mable saw tea time as an opportunity to have the luxurious white life, even if it was only for a small portion of her life.
When tea was ready, Mable went out of the kitchen with the tea and cookies. One by one she served each of Mrs. Adeline’s friends.
“Mrs. Adeline is there anything else?” Mable asked.
”You’re excused for now.” Miss. Adeline answered.
Meanwhile in the kitchen, Mable had saved herself two cookies and a cup of tea.
Before she went in the kitchen, Mable snook upstairs. She slowly walked into Mrs. Adeline’s room. Once in the room Mable walked over to Mrs. Adeline’s jewelry box.
Carefully she opened the box and caught sight of one beautiful ring that had a diamond center. The ring slid perfectly onto Mable’s long dark finger. She stretched her hand out and began admiring the ring.
Quickly and quietly Mable put the jewelry box back in its place. She rushed back downstairs with the ring still on her finger.
In the kitchen Mable began to enjoy her cup of tea and cookies. The hand with the diamond centered ring took a cookie and Mable nibbled it. The nibble was followed by a sip of tea. As she slowly drank her tea, Mable began to admire the ring again. Once again she stretched her hand out and saw the beauty of the ring on her dark hand. At that moment Mable felt like she had the most luxury than any other black women, even if it was only for a brief hour of her life.
Mable heard, “Goodbye Cheryl. See you tonight and she immediately went out to the living room. She began cleaning what was left of tea time. Mean while Mrs. Adeline was outside waving her tea friends goodbye. Mable walked back into the kitchen with a tray full of dirty tea cups. She began to wash them.
“Mable! Maaabbbllle!” shouted Mrs. Adeline.
“Mable drooped what she was doing in the kitchen and dashed right out the kitchen door. “Yes ma’am?”
“By any chance did you happen to see my diamond centered ring when you were cleaning my room?”
Mable froze. “Oh no! I forgot to put it back.” She thought to herself.
“Mable answer me. Did you or did you not see my ring when you were cleaning my room today? I would like to wear it tonight for when I meet with Cheryl.”
Mable stood silently, no response, no movement. NOTHING happened.
Mrs. Adeline was growing impatient. She knew that Mable knew something.
Mable looked all around herself as if pretending to ignore Mrs. Adeline. She located the door and stared hard at it. She turned over to look at Mrs. Adeline once again.
They stared at each other in silence.
Finally Mable said, “Mrs. Adeline, I swear I wasn’t stealin’ your ring. I borrowed it ONLY for tea time. I’m sorry, I meant no harm, honest.” She pushed the ring towards Mrs. Adeline.
Mrs. Adeline stared down on the ring hard. “How could she?” Mrs. Adeline thought as she slapped the ring harshly out of Mable’s hand. The ring rolled out onto the floor just like a lost coin.
“You dirty black thief. Borrowed it? You think you can fool me? Do I look like your fool?”
“Ma’am, please you don’t understand.”
“Understand what? That you’re a black lying thief. Mable I trusted you and you steal from me? Why Mable? Why?”
“No ma’am it’s not like that.”
“What else have you stolen from me? More rings, shoes, clothes?”
Mable shook her head and began to cry. It wasn’t even worth arguing anymore. Mable knew what she had coming.
Mrs. Adeline and Mable stood in silence once more. Mable cried in silence.
Finally Mrs. Adeline broke the silence, “The most I can do for you and your family is to not report you. Your family has worked for mine for several generations. Understand that I do this only for the love that my mother had for your mother, so if you stay away from my home and family, the police will never know of this incident. Understood?” she said.
“Yes ma’am. Thank you so much.” said Mable.
Mable ran out the Adeline home for the last time. Never looking back, she ran the dirt road all the way home.
That day when Mable got home, she had plenty to tell her family. She explained every last detail. Never would her family step foot in the home of Sarah and James Adeline. Mable would never forget this day.
That same day when the sun was gone and the moon came to light the darkness of the world Mable stood out in her porch. She looked up into the dark and stars. She began to talk:
“Dear God,

Thank you for all that you have done for me this day. You have blessed me. Forgive me for my ignorance and blindness. I was blind by desiring luxury. I was wrong. I saw only the things that shouldn’t have mattered. I never saw the important things. Never saw the love that you gave me. Never saw that you gave me a special kind of luxury. I am who you made me. I shouldn’t have tried to change that. All along momma was right. I can’t do anything to change your will. I understand now. I ask for your forgiveness and I hope my family can forgive me for my blindness. What Mrs. Adeline decided to do with me was a blessing and I thank you for that. If that hadn’t of happened I’d be in jail or who knows where. Now that I understand and have been offered the chance to start fresh, I will take advantage. I will look ahead and love myself for who I am. Amen.”