Fire from the Rock

Sylvia is in a grumpy mood at dinner with her family. She picks a fight with her mom over biscuits, but she is really upset about how she is feeling about integration. Gary intervenes and seems to understand what she is going through. He tells his parents to give her a break because she is getting pulled in different directions right now. Some people want her to go to Central; some want her to go to Mann. Gary also knows about how Reggie behaved with Candy. Sylvia begins to cry at the table and asks to be excused. She escapes to her bedroom, where DJ finds her a little later. Sylvia apologizes to her sister for yelling at her, and DJ asks her not to turn out angry all the time like Gary. Sylvia and DJ discuss how there are so few “colored” people on television, and none on their favorite show, The $64,000 Challenge. DJ tells Sylvia that none of that will change, even if she does go to Central. She tries to remind Sylvia that it’s her life and she doesn’t have to try and change the world: “It’s your life. Live it for yourself” (100).