A Mrs. Loving Reflection
I didn’t know it would be like this. When I got married, I thought it would be like a fairy tale, but it was more of a nightmare. We got all dressed up, packed up, and headed out of town. I thought it was all part of the adventure. Course, I later found out that we had been on the run the whole time.
I didn’t know, or perhaps just didn’t quite understand, that it was illegal to marry somebody you loved if they didn’t have the same skin color as you. I sit here now, in reflection, thinking about all that happened, and I can’t believe it all started with a simple kiss.
He and I had been friends for a long time- since I was a little girl. When we started dating, it felt weird at first, but also kind of natural. Well then, you know how things are. One thing led to another, I was in a way, and he’d been saying for a while he wanted to marry me. Daddy and momma seemed like they didn’t mind at all, invited him right on into the house, and then we started making plans.
After everything was all set, we headed out for our adventure. I thought that was the start of something wonderful. Then, we tried to go back home. I say try because we were stopped. The authorities were waiting for us like it was some kind of holiday. They arrested us, told us we were wrong, and sent us on our way. Our choices, a year in prison or never go home again.
To this day I just don’t get it. Why would the punishment for marrying someone other people don’t want you to be with be prison and not something else, anything else? I mean it’s prison or marriage. If I married a tree, would the tree have to do a year inside as well? They tried to claim that the law was just and fair because both parties (guess they meant me and him) got the same punishment despite the difference in our skin color. It still didn’t make sense to me why marriage, in general, was something that could be punished, but I guess that’s the world we were living in.
So, we left home. We did the best we could do, but it was just too much. We couldn’t travel together to go see family, it was making things difficult for keeping up with bills, and then there was the kids. So, we decided to fight it.
It was a long battle. I think the thing that still sticks with me, after all this time, aside from the whole prison thing, was that the lawyers didn’t even want me to say I was black. Seemed ridiculous to me, but they thought we’d have a better chance if I identified as a Native person. I don’t see how that made a difference, but they sure thought it might. In the end, though, a black woman got to keep the man she loves and we both got to keep our freedom.
So, I guess we won. The world isn’t as great a place as it could be, but it seems to be getting better. We got to be together and we got to go home. This has not been a fairy tale, but, I guess, in the long run, it could have been a much worse nightmare. After all, I’m blessed to have the man I love, wonderful children, and my health. Looking back, I still can’t believe this all started with a simple kiss.
A “fictionalized first-person” account summation of the Loving v. Virginia 1967 Supreme Court ruling. Click the Loving image up top to learn more about the case.
FCA- 626 words- A Mrs. Loving Reflection 2021 Copyright © Toinette J. Thomas
Join me on June 12 to celebrate Loving Day! This is a day to celebrate the right to marry anyone you want no matter what anyone else thinks about it (including me). Celebrate Loving Day to honor the right to love… In case you didn’t know, that’s me and my hubby up at the very top. It’s an old picture but still very much us and in love.
Please visit other entries in this hop and enjoy some funny, scary, touching, and thought-provoking stories. You’ll be so glad you did.
Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords #blacklivesmatter
38 replies on “The Kiss #WEPFF Challenge featuring A Mrs. Loving Reflection #amwriting #flashfiction”
Appropriate and well rendered Toi. Take care.
Thank you, Susan.
Thanks for your reply on Blogger. Will be posting my WEP, tomorrow.
Completely mind-boggling that these kinds of ridiculous laws and opinions existed/exist. I love that their last name is so appropriate! And I always love the perspectives of your FF. Beautifully done as always
Thank you. I enjoyed doing a bit of research to get into this space a bit more. I’ve known of the story for some time, but learning more was eye-opening.
Hi Toii,
I remember this so well. Thanks for the fictional account.
Shalom aleichem
It seemed fitting since I couldn’t think of anything romantic.
Well done, and really felt like it captured the bewilderment and pain caused by the inhumane laws.
She was so young when they married. She always expressed how she never knew they were breaking the law when they left town to get married. It had never occured to her.
Loving someone should never be a legitimate matter. That law was atrocious. No government, nor neighbors should be able to have a say in who you love or how you live your life, as long as you don’t hurt anyone. A wonderful story.
The crazy thing about their story, their community was behind them- It was part of their culture to mix and mingle with different races. It was a state law (the one in which I currently live) that tried to oppress the status quo of their “progressive” small town community.
I love the photo of you and hubby! Happy Valentine’s Day! (belatedly of course)
I remember this story. So appalling. The overreach of our so called ‘laws’ never ceases to make me heartsick. Yet still there are such horrors in the books. Your writing of it for this challenge – just beautiful.! Thank you!
It’s not easy to write these things, especially when I know there are still worse laws than these criminalizing people for being different than what “society” deems normal/appropriate.
A perfect telling of the true tale. I remember teaching about the Lovings during Civil Rights lessons and their story is such an important one to tell.
I wish I had learned about the Lovings in school. I found out about them from watching PBS.
It’s sad that there’s a need for Loving Day. I don’t get how people cannot marry who they choose, regardless of color or creed. Messed up for sure.
Thanks for writing your story for WEP which rang true, helped by being based on fact. Always another mountain to climb.
Your husband and you look so happy together! Beautiful photo.
Yes, it’s sad but I proudly celebrate it. I don’t see why laws have to govern the way people live their lives. Laws should protect people, sometimes from themselves or to keep them from hurting others, but they should not regulate how people live.
Hoping to see Brown v. Board of Education in the next prompt..
Thank you. I have ideas I’m working on, but you might want to check out my short “The Fall of ’54”- https://etoithomas.com/new-book-old-poem-for-blacklivesmatter/
Hi Toi – so pleased to see the happiness you share; humans are quite extraordinary beings … and people who make unfair laws, and try and endorse them really need to wake up. Things are changing, things are not … I appreciate their story and am so grateful you wrote this for the prompt. Having lived in South Africa for 14 years … it takes me back – I sincerely hope we can all be humans of equal standing sooner, rather than later. Thank you – excellent and I love your photo – glorious! All the best – Hilary
Thank you Hilary, I do believe we are headed in the right direction.
Really enjoyed your ties to the true story. Nicely done
Thank you. Wasn’t sure if I shuld add that but it’s who I am. Can’t be afraid to be who I am. No one should.
It is baffling and sobering the injustices, the inequalities that existed. And not so very long ago. Insane! Thankfully, we are moving towards a fairer society, albeit at a pace that’s sometimes frustrating. But I’m glad it’s moving in the right direction at least.
Great use of the prompt, hard hitting real life story – perfect take on the kiss.
Btw, the photo is lovely! All the very best to you.
Yes, the slow pace of progress is very frustrating at times, but I do recognize that some, not all, changes need time.
It’s sad that some laws like this have existed.
It’s sad that some laws like this still exist. People can’t freely practice certain religions around the world, certain masculine and feminine roles are enforced by law, and so much more. Laws should protect people, not dictate how they live their lives.
True
Fortunately, things have changed somewhat for the better. I’m lucky to be a part of a family that is color blind, so we’re quite a lovely mix of many hues. Thanks for your story, Toi.
I love to see people embracing diversity, but there’s also nothing wrong with someone being proud of an unmixed bloodline. Whatever a person’s culture, nationality, race, or ethnicity, they should never be made to feel inferior or superior to others. People should be content just to exist and share the world instead of existing alone in avoid… Sorry if I got deep.
Beautifully done. I felt like writing a lot more about how we didn’t understand, in 60s UK, what the US did or why… but best not to. It’s still not perfect, but it’s better… just not good. And I dare say there’s lots going on I don’t know about in the UK, too.
Yes, it’s difficult, as the kids say these days, to stay woke on everything that’s happending, but just caring is a good start. When people stop caring, unjust laws remain, but when people care, change eventually comes.
Laws like this were terrible, and it’s crazy to think they existed so recently. 1967 isn’t so long ago. I’m glad they won their case, and while we have a long way to go, things have improved. I love the way you explored this period in history with a fictionalized first person account! Well done!
Decades later, the results of this case continues to have a positive effect on the civil rights of all people in the US.
Somehow I missed you, sorry I’m late. As a child I remember reading things like this. Even then it seemed ridiculous to me, a northern child. I’m glad they fought for their love and won.
Nancy
Yes, I am too.
I didn’t know about this case and was very happy to be introduced to it through your fictionalised first person account. Very well done.
Thank you.