The Wind is Pink

"The Sky is Gray" is a strange short story about a eight year old Louisiana boy names James. It has a huge underlying theme of pride, but hints on faith, courage and the necessity of civil rights action. James's father is gone, off to the army, which leaves James in charge as the eldest male. He is taught not to cry or complain or ask for any help. He has to set an example for his younger siblings. His whole family knows that he has a tooth ache, but he fights off going to the dentist because his family has no money. During his trip downtown, a fight breaks out in the dentists' office. It is an argument over faith verses reality. One young man open admits his loss of faith, but declares that people must fight the injustice in the county. He questions why grass is called green and not black, and states that the wind is pink. His whole defense is that the white man established the rules of words, and they are used to keep blacks down. It seems strange now, but during the civil rights movement, I can understand the radical thoughts of a young black man.