After another week at Fletcher Farm, I started doing some extra work. I did the laundry, I was hanging the wet laundry up to dry.

Out of nowhere, Dottie, who never liked me since the day I started, walked up to the clothes line. She unhooked one of the clothes pins, one of Mr. Fletcher's shirts fell to the ground, making it dirty again.

"Girl, why'd you do that for?"

"To get you fired. What'd you think I'm trying to do?"

"What'd I ever do to you? It's cause I'm black, isn't it?"

"I guess so."

Her voice sounded like it was full of sarcasm. She was pure Southern, I could tell by the thick accent.

"I don't like it when you white folk treat us this way. We never did anything wrong, it's like we're hated for existing, hated for the color of our skin."

"Black's the color of slaves. My pappy always said the north shouldn't have won the Civil War. If it weren't for us losing, you would be picking cotton."

I just about had enough of her!

"You know what, Dirttie!?-"

"What, you dirty crow!?"

Oh no she didn't!

I charged at her. Soon, we was wrestling on the ground. I felt a hand grab my arm. It was Mrs. Fletcher. She held both of us by or arms.

"What in the heavens is going on here!?"

"She-," we both said at the same time.

"Silence! Come with me!"

She dragged us to the office. Mr. Fletcher was sitting at the desk.

"Dear, I saw these two ladies fighting. Look at them, they look like little piglets who's been rolling around in the mud!"

"I'll deal with them, you carry on."

Mrs. Fletcher left. Mr. Fletcher stood up. 

"Fighting!? You two should be ashamed of yourselves!"

He walked towards us to where he was standing in front of us. He towered over us like a giant in a fairy tale.

"What caused this?"

Dottie was silent. I went ahead and explained.

"I was hanging up laundry on the clothes lines. Dottie came up to me and she started harassing me. Telling me that I should still be picking cotton if it weren't for the north winning the war. Even though she caused it, I threw the first punch."

"First punches don't mean a damn thing. Dottie, is this true?"

Dottie was silent for a couple seconds before confessing.

"Yes sir."

"Fine, go to the big bush out in the back yard, I'll be right behind you."

We went outside in the back yard. The bush had long thin twigs, you can get whipped with those things.

"Dottie, pick out a switch?"

She picked up the longest one she found.

"Just like the masters used to use," she said as she glared at me.

"One more word out of you and you'll be fired on the spot!"

Dottie gave the switch to Mr. Fletcher. He got out his pocket knife and whittled with it until it was free of flowers and stuff.

"Both of you will be switched for fighting. Sally, I know this wasn't your fault but this is fair for the both of you but I promise I'll think of another punishment for Dottie when we're done here."

He grabbed me and bend me over his knee and whipped me. Dottie sure didn't look sympathetic. He whipped me only about six times. 

When he was done with me, he grabbed Dottie as I was getting ready to walk away.

"Sally, get back over here! You're gonna stay here and watch her."

I walked back and stood a few feet from them. He whipped her the same amount of times but a bit harder than he did to me.

"Alright, Sally, you may go, it's almost time to do your evening work. And Dottie, I'll think of extra work for you to do, I'll keep you so goddamn busy, you won't be able to spend time with your friends! You won't be able to spend time with your boyfriend either! You will work harder than you ever worked in your life! It'll also teach you to respect your peers who are different from you! I'll make you work so hard you'll know how the slaves felt when they worked all damn day with little to no food and no pay! That's what I'm gonna do to you. That'll teach you to treat people with the respect they really deserve! Do you understand?"

Dottie was silent.

"Well young lady, if that's how you want it then you'll work with Mrs. Fletcher also. Go and tell her you're gonna help her out with all three meals a day for the rest of your stay here. Now go."

Dottie ran into the farmhouse. I did my evening work.