Playin With Punjab by Toni Cade Bambara, 1967
The magic trick:
Showing the flaws in both sides of the so-called grassroots African-American movement of 1960s NYC
T is for Toni.
Similar to her story “Talkin Bout Sonny,” Bambara here adopts the point of view of the African American community. So it’s easy for the reader to see the annoying flaws in Miss Ruby, the white community activist, who means well but says things like, “I need you here with me to translate, Violet, cause you know I don’t speak negro too tough.”
But the point of view also situates her uniquely to demonstrate the community’s many self-inflicted wounds. This is not a system that is working. This is not a society’s whose values are in its best interest. That criticism is made more subtle than those regarding the Miss Ruby, but no less forceful.
And that’s quite a trick on Bambara’s part.
The selection:
But at the rally, she actually counted all those cards and came up with this cornball preacher who used to double as Santa Claus during the holidays, and Ann Silver’s grandmother, stone nose. These were our delegates. Needless to say, we acted up. Then Miss Ruby got warm. First time I ever heard her curse.
“If you didn’t exercise your right as a voter, shut the hell up. That’s what the cards say. That’s it.”
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