the long hot summer

What a week it had been of protests. Ed was hoping the one last Sunday by the police station would have been enough for Betty. It was peaceful and nice in their own little community. Of course, she was the only white woman there in her mask with a sign I HAVE A BLACK SON. But others found her with the same issue.

Of course, her only biological son Dewey was busy mowing neighbors' lawns. He and his wife Angie still lived in the basement and they were both far from the maddening crowd.

Naturally, Betty met lots of people to chat with. And Ed thought it would be over, but the following days she wanted to go where the real protest was happening in the heart of the city. He couldn't talk her out of it. She didn't care about Covid-19. She'd been trying for weeks to get a test through the state online site, but it hadn't happened yet.

Right now was more important she said. She was emotional about it. She would hate for anything awful to happen to Dewey. Didn't Ed understand?

He hated to tell her he thought the world was going crazy. But he took her where ever she wanted to go since he had nothing better to do, yet he was anxious in the crowds. She was vulnerable, and whatever she might be sick with he would be too. True, he understood it was an emotional time and he understood how people felt, but he wanted to go home.

"I just don't know what to do," he said to Dewey who hadn't even brought up the protest. He was busy making pizza for supper.

"I don't know either," Dewey shrugged. "But one thing for sure, I know you love her. I never met a man who could love her this much. If it was one of her old boyfriends, he'd be long gone by now."
Dewey smiled. "She'll come to her senses."

"Oh, My God!" Ed heard Betty from the livingroom. He hurried to find out where she would want to go to next.

"What?" He looked at her blankly as she was reading the thin newspaper.

"Have you seen the price of meat?" She scowled.

He couldn't help but smile as he listened to her talk about how they were staying home for good. They'd done far too much protesting. They'd have to live on beans and rice for the rest of the summer and maybe far into the fall with the looks of the economy.