Music in My Heart: My Journey with Melody

On Monday morning, Melody’s mother takes us to Val’s neighborhood. I press my face up against the window and see tall trees shading the street, and lawns stretching out in front of the houses. It looks different from the neighborhood that we visited yesterday with Yvonne.

Registering voters took us through a black neighborhood where kids played outside on the steps and sidewalks. There’s more space to play here, in Val’s new neighborhood, but I don’t see as many kids. I ask if Val has made any friends. I crane my neck to watch a boy goes down his driveway on a blue bike. Melody shakes her head and so she doesn’t think so. And her parents moved in a few months ago.

As we turn into Val’s driveway, the front door of the house bursts open. A tall girl, a little older than us hurries down the steps. She hugs Melody. She introduces herself to me and gestures toward the backyard and says Daddy is putting up a swing set. She asks if we want to see. Melody’s mom tells us we can go ahead. She’s going inside to visit with Cousin Tish.

We follow Val along the fence slide toward the backyard. A blonde woman with a sunhat pops up on the other side of the fence. Melody says hello to the woman, who’s wearing gardening gloves. But the woman must not have heard us because she bends back down without saying anything. There’s a young girl sitting on the porch behind the woman. She’s blonde, with a high ponytail. I wave at the girl, but she immediately looks away. Val quietly says that her mom says that neighbors aren’t used to having black families on their block.

Val’s neighbors won’t even talk to her? That’s so wrong! When I glance back the blonde girl, she’s looking at me again. She might not be talking to us, but she seems curious.

Val’s new swing set has a couple of yellow swings and a red glider. She says we can swing first. Wait until we see how high they go! Melody settles into the swing next to me and starts pumping her legs. She says she can see flowers that they planted from up here. The only thing I can see from my swing is the girl next-door. When her mom gathers her gardening tools and goes inside, the girl steps to the fence. I asked if she wants a turn on the swing.

The girl slowly nods, then she walks to the gate connecting the two lawns to each other. I wonder if it’s ever been used. I drag my feet on the grass to stop the swing, and hop off and hand it off to the girl. She shyly thanks me. Val boldly introduces herself to the girl, who says her name is Cindy. Val says that Cindy can come over anytime she wants to swing. Cindy’s face lights up when she says that she’d like that. Her mom won’t let her get a swing set of her own. She’d have to tear out some of her flowers to make room.

Melody laughs and then challenges Cindy, to a who-can-swing-the-highest contest. So I climb on the other side of Val’s glider, and pretty soon we’re seesawing back-and-forth too. Then, a woman from the back of Val’s house calls out. She asks if we want some lemonade. But then, she sees Cindy on the swing. Cousin Tish smiles and thoughtfully adds lemonade and cookies. Val shouts yes. But before Cousin Tish can go back inside, the blonde woman comes out of the house next-door and sees her daughter. She hurries to the fence, as if she’s going to call Cindy back home. This means trouble.

But before the woman can say anything, Cousin Tish steps forward and says that it looks like the girls have made friends. She extends her hand and says her name is Tish Porter. Time stands still as we watch. The white woman stares at Tish’s outstretched hand. Then, finally, she extends her own. I release my breath. Did I just help break down one of those walls that Yvonne was talking about? I think maybe I did.

Then, I remember another neighborhood girl, the dark-haired girl who moved in between Anika’s house and mine. The last time I saw her, I was staring at her through the window, not waving or going out to say hello. Did that make her feel bad? Like I don’t want her in my neighborhood?

As we drive back to Melody’s house, I realize something. It’s time to go home. There’s something I really really need to do when I get there.

Saying goodbye to Melody is hard, but when I’m back in that church basement, I can’t wait to sit at the piano and play my way home. I close my eyes and remember the melody for “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” I found a new way to lift my voice today. I remember the moment when I invited Val’s neighbor to swing with us.

When I’m back in my bedroom, I grab my phone. It dings in my hand—a text from Anika. I write back immediately and tell her to meet me outside. And then I go to mom’s office and ask if I could go outside to play. Mom looks surprised, but she nods and then asks if I forgot about practicing the piano. I say there’s something more important to do.

As I step outside, I hear voices. My new neighbor still playing frisbee with her brother. As I round the corner of the house, she smiles. I cut through the grass to introduce myself, and I see Anika hurrying down the front steps toward us, too. This warm feeling spreads through me like a sip of hot cocoa. I just know the three of us are going to get along well.

Then, I think of Melody. I miss her, but in some ways, I feel like she’s still with me, helping me break down walls and make a difference.