My First Worldly Lesson

Even loners need a friend. When I said all the kids my age didn't live close enough to me, I meant that all the white kids my age did not live close to me. Across the street from me on a point between Egg Harbor Road,Walnut Ave. and Boundary Line Road lived a little girl named LuLu. LuLu and her family were black. Across the street was the town of Deptford, but as far as racial lines were concerned, it may as well have been the moon. I did not know what prejudice was. All I knew was that across the street was somebody my age, so I might as well get acquainted. Mom was a little more tolerant than most, and for whatever reason she would take me across the street and let me play with LuLu. We talked and sat on the swings and played in the sand. We played with her dolls and my cars and trucks.
When I wanted to see LuLu, I stood in my yard and called out, "Hey little colored girl, will you come out and play?"
My mother, upon hearing this rushed out admonishing me never to call her that. Somehow it was wrong for me to repeat the words I'd heard her use. My father and uncles used other words for black people. Fortunately for LuLu and her family's sake I never repeated those. I could not understand my mother's reaction that day and I can never understand the irrational hatred many members of my family had and still have towards black Americans to this day. I didn't care what a kid was as long as they wanted to be my friend. LuLu and I were two small hands trying to reach across a great divide we knew nothing about. We were friends and my young life was all the richer for it. Eventually LuLu and Her family moved away,and I stood in my front yard with no one to call to.
LuLu?
I hope you remember me.