Not every veteran in Lofton County had his or her Army Reserve Weekend on the same day – Major Thomas Stepforth II went on the first weekend of the month and was home the second week.
Not that he didn't have things to do of that nature on the second weekend.
It was on his mind as he was watching her daughter Teresa play dressup that Friday afternoon.
“Daddy, do you like my hat?” she said, her deep brown eyes shining to match the glowing ebony skin set off by her mother's big church hat.
“I love it, Teresa!” he said. “You look about as good as Mom in it!”
“Yaaaaay!”
Teresa was seven years old, and had no understanding of the kind of world she was going to have to live in.
That was the point.
A few people in Lofton County would have been perfectly happy to spoil her ignorance, in their anger with her community.
The Black men of the county had made a stand in July to defend themselves, and had made the point … but constant readiness was the cost of freedom and safety for Teresa Stepforth and many others.
Thus, Major Stepforth picked up his bag, later in the evening, and walked off into the deep countryside of Lofton County, in a movement also shared by many others.
This was Lofton County's Deacons of Defense 2.0 Reserve Weekend.