The Wooden Door (3)
by Wayne Lerner
The Street Corner
Friday, June 10, 1966
2:35 pm
The stage was set. The sidewalk sizzled under the scorching sun. The humid air made it hard to breathe. June feeling like August brought out the worst in people. Few were fortunate enough to have air conditioning. The kind of day when tempers flared and fists clenched. When grudges ached to be released so terror could commence. Gangs loved hot and humid days. It was easy to lose control when sweat drenched your body and pent-up hatred turned to fury.
Sgt. Maloney knew these kinds of days and what they could lead to
“I dunno how many more of these I can take, Ron,” he said.
“What do you mean?” Ron asked. “We’ve been training for this all last month. We know the shit’s going to hit the fan.”
“I’ve been through this so many times, it’s getting weary. When the first blacks moved into Austin, the good ole boys were not very happy, as you might expect. Every night we had to bring in CFD to put out the fires they set.”
Ron looked at Maloney long and hard. “You’ve been saying this for the 7 years we’ve been together. Do you think this one will be as bad as some have said?”
Maloney paused as he pondered the information they had received from Central command and some not-so-official sources. Grooming informers was critical to becoming a successful beat cop.
“I think this will be the big one,” he said. “The gangs are geared up for action. No more brass knuckles and blades. I heard that they have guns and not just 22’s.”
“Jesus,” exclaimed Ron. “If they have automatic guns, this will be a bloodbath. On both sides.”
“Yep,” said Maloney. “There isn’t anything we can do to stop it. They didn’t give us automatics at roll call this morning. We’re going to need help and lots of it.”
“The rumors have been flying since last week,” said Ron. “This isn’t new news.”
“What they don't understand,” said Maloney, “is that the fight is not just between the rednecks and the blacks but with the gangs from the other schools. It’s going to be fucking ugly.”
The two officers continued their beat, walking east from Central towards Laramie, continuing on to Cicero. A long walk, sweat dripping from their faces, but the business owners and residents appreciated the false sense of peace.
When they approached the drugstore, they spotted Lamar and his boys hustling toward Madison from the north. Paulie and his guys streaking from the south. Maloney grabbed Ron, both running to the corner. At the same moment, they noticed Albert and Martha crossing Lotus to go into the drug store.
“Christ! They’re going to be caught in a crossfire!” Maloney shouted to Ron. “Let’s grab them and get them in the store. Then we can take care of the others.”
The 2 gangs ran toward each other, guns drawn and loaded. Angry shouts and insults were thrown at their enemies inflaming the situation with every passing moment.
Maloney and Ron tried to put themselves between the 2 groups to head off the expected violence. Screams, shouts, shots in the air made sure that anyone on the street took cover.
Business owners locked their doors. Residents headed for home.
“Ron, see if you can get to the Paulie group,” said Maloney. “I'll try for Lamar and his guys.”
At that moment, Albert stopped walking with Martha. They recoiled at the violence about to unfold. Martha tried to hold Albert back from approaching the gangs.
Everyone stopped in their tracks when bursts of gunfire rang out from the east. Maloney and Ron looked at each other and the 2 gangs. None of them had pulled the trigger that many times.
“Look there!” Albert shouted. “Look at what's coming.”
They turned, in shock. Hundreds of young people, boys and girls, all armed, running down Madison Street.
“We’re going to make you pay for the rape! You’re all going to die. You don’ took your last breath,” they shouted.
Maloney screamed into his radio. “Madison is packed with armed kids, all coming hard down the street! Alert all units and the National Guard. We’re going to need every officer we can find.”
“The cops in the ‘burbs are mobilizing a wedge to move in from the west,” shouted Maloney to Ron. “Let’s get everyone into the store and pray the mob did not see us.”
Albert tightened his grip on Martha’s arm and turned to view the scene behind him. Chaos and confusion inflamed the melee. No matter what the police did, Lamar’s and Paulie’s gangs weren’t about to let a riot take them away from their destiny.
As if in slow motion, Albert pushed Martha into the store and proceeded across the street to where the confrontation was taking place. With every step, his gait got stronger and he stood taller. No more tap tap tap. He was ready to use his cane for a different purpose.
“You idiots,” he hollered at the 2 gangs. “Don't you see what’s happening.”
He raised his cane and pointed at the rioters streaming down Madison. “They don't care if you're white or black. They’re going to kill us all. The police can't hold them back. The National Guard won't get here in time. Stop this nonsense. NOW!”
Albert shouted with such force that the 2 gangs stopped and looked at him in wonder. Bullets began flying towards them as the screaming grew louder. Police cars steamed toward the riot from all directions, lights flashing, sirens howling. Far off near downtown, the rumble of tanks could be felt as the street vibrated from their weight.
“Now,” Albert said. “Everyone in the drugstore. And I mean everyone.”
Albert grabbed Lamar and looked him in the eye. “Tell your guys to back off and get moving.” He did the same to Paulie, standing still, paralyzed by what he saw. Albert took him by the collar and dragged him across the street as his gang followed him into the store. They slammed the old wooden door as the rioters got within a block of Lotus, guns blazing, molotov cocktails ready to fly through business and apartment windows.
Albert and Martha were in command, much to the amazement of everyone in the store. They began shouting orders. “Block the doors and put the cabinets by them. Take all flammables down from the windows and put them on the floor by the brick walls. Let’s hope the door is strong enough to hold the rioters back.
The gangs, Jimmy and Irving, went into action following the orders of Albert and Martha. They put anything heavy by the door to create a blockade. They did the same by the stairway to the basement which led to the little used back door.
As the rioters and the police faced off, the acrid smell of smoke permeated the store’s walls and windows.
“That’s my Cadillac parked on the corner, '' said Irving. “Fuck it. I didn’t like the color anyway.”
Bullets pinged off the building’s walls as they tried their best to break through the stone and the wooden door. The occupants hid behind the barricade they made, listening to barrages of shots that seemed to go on forever. Black, white, it didn’t matter. They concealed themselves. For the moment, forgetting their hate for one another. The only thing on their minds was survival.
The roar of the tanks and the squeal of the police cars’ tires surged as the battle rose to a climax. Albert and Martha remained standing in the middle of the store, watching over their minions, making sure they were safe.
Just as fast as the fight had started, it stopped. No more sounds of bullets flying or angry shouting.
“Are you ok in there?” asked Sgt. Maloney through the man-made blockade.
“Yes, we are fine,” said Martha. “No one was hurt here.”
“C’mon out,” said Ron. “It’s safe to open the door.”
As everyone in the store rose to their feet, the two gangs looked at each other and then at the two old people who had led them to safety.
“Where did you learn that?” asked Lamar with undeniable respect in his voice “That was crazy. You saved us all.”
Martha took Lamar’s hand. “This gang warfare is senseless. It will get you nowhere,” she said. Then she took Paulie’s hand. “Don’t you understand that if you beat Lamar and his boys, there will always be someone else waiting to take you on. The battle will never end.”
Albert turned to Paul and, in a quiet voice, said. “Your mother and father are hurting. They are trying to give you a better life but they can’t do that with you in jail. Get over this hate and make something out of yourself.”
Martha looked at Lamar. “You’re supposed to make your mother proud. You’re the oldest. You have a responsibility to your family. Figure out how you can achieve that.”
“How do you know such things?” said Lamar. Paulie nodded his head in amazement.
“You think we are just two old people standing on the corner,” said Martha. “People tell us their stories when they walk by. They know we are good listeners and won’t tell their secrets.”
Everyone stood still to consider what they lived through and what they heard from Albert and Martha.
Albert broke the silence. “C’mon, Martha, let’s go. These two are just hard heads.”
“What do you know about us?” said Paulie. “You look like you have everything you want.”
Martha took a step towards the two gangs. “Where we come from, we were niepożądani ludzie. What the Nazis called ‘undesirables.’ Martha tapped her chest. “We know what it means to have little and be treated like dirt. We made something of ourselves. Now, you need to do the same.”
Albert took Martha’s hand and moved toward the front of the store. “We’ve said enough. They have to take the first step, not us. I hope they listened to you.”
Albert grabbed the old wooden door. It opened with its usual squeal. “Ach,” he said. “Czy w koncu mozesz te drzwi naprawić?”
“What did he say?” asked Lamar.
Martha smiled. “Albert said, ‘Now will you get this damn door fixed?’” as the door slammed shut behind her.