She was born in an upstairs studio apartment above a bar in Norfolk, Virginia. Her mother was a prostitute. No one knows who her father was, but he could have been any number of men who paid her mother’s favors.

Mazie grew up in that small apartment with her mother and a sister, two years her senior. Her life was the small area bounded by the apartment, the bar below, and the street outside the front door. Oh, there was an alley out back, but that was a rough place where fights occurred almost every night. Even as a very small child she avoided that alley.

By the time she was six years old she knew how to get money from the many sailors who frequented the bar. She knew that if she touched the men just right they would pick her up and place her on their lap, and give her money.

When she was twelve years old her sister was brutally beaten to death in the alley. At just fourteen years old, she had come to the end of her life. Mazie was the one who found her and never forgot that horrible scene.

When Mazie was seventeen her mother became very ill. Mazie took care of her until she died, having lived in awful pain for over four months. Seems someone had given her a poison in a drink. The police never found out who, and really did not care. To them it was just one more prostitute off the streets.

Mazie, knowing no other life, continued the life her mother had left to her. However, she became convinced that, through education, she could live much better. She started learning how to read and “do numbers.”

Early one evening she was sitting at a table in the bar reading when a twenty-eight year old sailor wandered in. Since there was no other customers in the place, she said hello. Soon he noticed her book. It was a “Dick and Jane” first grade reader.

He asked, “How old are you?”

“I’m twenty one. Why?” she asked.

“I was wondering why you were reading that book,” he said.

“Because,” she said, “I’m learning how to read.”

The sailor looked at her and said, “Good for you! There is a big world out there all written in books just waiting for you to explore.”

Mazie thought about those words a lot. Of course that also meant that she could go out into that world. She did not have to stay in that filthy hell hole.

Mazie had saved some money, a hundred dollars, so she took the bus and went down town. She had never been out of the neighborhood before. She saw other people who were well dressed, clean, and had money to spend. She knew that her past life was not the way to live, but, she had nothing else, so she went back to her dirty little hovel.

One day the same sailor that had talked so nice to her before came in. He walked straight to her, pulled up a chair and sat down. “Are you still studying?” he asked.

“Yes, and I’m learning to do numbers, too,” she answered.

“Well, I don’t like this part of town, but now that I’m stationed here at the Naval Base, I could come by and help you if you want.” he told her.

For the first time in her life someone seemed to like her, and not for what they could get from her. She answered, “Why would you wish to help me? I’m a harlot and have been all my life.”

“No!” he said. “You are one of God’s children, and a very beautiful one at that.”

Mazie did not know what to say and sat staring at him for some time. Softly she said, “Yes, I would like very much for you to help me.”

The sailor started coming by each afternoon between 2 and 4 O’clock. Mazie learned fast and soon was reading newspapers and books. She could do long division within three months. Never did the sailor say bad things to her. He treated her as if she was a lady.

She thought about this a lot and one day she tearfully told him, “I don’t even know your name and you have been so very nice to me. Not once have you asked me for anything. Not once have you acted like I was exactly what I am. I don’t want to be like this anymore, but I don’t know what to do!”

Calmly he placed his hand on her arm, looked her in the eye and said, “Mazie, there is one thing you can do that will change your life. It will do for you what it has done for me. Just ask God to live within your heart and guide you.”

“God!” she cried. “He don’t even know who I am! He won’t help a whore!”

“Perhaps not, Mazie,” the sailor said, “but He will help all who ask Him. He will take away all those sins and you will no longer be what you think you are now.”

Mazie jumped up and ran to her little dirty apartment, fell on her bed and cried herself to sleep. He won’t come anymore, she thought.

Oh, how wrong she was!

The next evening there he was. He came to her and said, “Are you ready for the next lesson?”

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I just lost it all yesterday.”

“You can believe that I, William Grimes, left here yesterday with the greatest feeling in my heart I have felt in years.” he said. “I thought that perhaps you will allow me to take you with me somewhere a lot nicer that this place, perhaps a nice restaurant. Would you do that?”

A date? Mazie had never been asked out on a date before. “William,” she said. “Wouldn’t you be ashamed to be seen with the likes of me?”

“Mazie,” he said, “I will be very proud to be seen with a lady like you. You are beautiful! And, my friends call me Bill.”

Mazie turned her head away so Bill could not see her tears and said, “Yes, Bill. I want very much to go with you.”

Bill called a cab, something Mazie had never done before. They went to a nice restaurant where they were seated at a small, private table in the back corner. She had no idea how to read the menu and started scanning the items. He scooted over next to her and told her, “ Of course, I want you to order what you want, but I will help you with anything you do not understand.”

Mazie thought it really doesn’t matter what she ordered since she was too excited to eat, and a little frightened, too.

When the waiter placed the salads before them she felt Bill’s hand grasp hers. He bowed his head and said a little prayer, thanking God for their food, and also for bringing the two of them together. In spite of all the effort not to, her eyes became misty. Was this man, this gentleman, this person, a real human? Or was he an angel of the God he worshipped?

As they consumed their food they talked. She asked where he was from. He told her he was from Ohio, and that his father was a machinist. His mother did not work, but stayed home and took care of their house.

She asked if his folks taught him about God. He said, “Mazie, mom and dad were not religious people. I suppose they believe in God, but it never came up in our home. I learned about God when something happened that caused me to think about everything. Seems that there was an accident aboard ship and several of my shipmates were hurt, two killed. I was not, but I pulled one friend out of the wreckage and he died in my arms. His last words were ‘tell Mom I will see her in Heaven’. Mazie, I cried and prayed there holding that bloody dead sailor, and God entered into my heart at that moment. He has never left me, not even for a second.”

After they finished their meal they walked around aimlessly talking. Mazie had never felt that way before. After a long silence she asked, “Bill, do you think God would know who I am?”

Bill turned to face her and said, “Why don’t you ask Him?”

Mazie uttered faintly, “God, please hear me!”

Bill embraced her. She felt so light, as if she were thin air. Such tranquillity came over her that she could say nothing. She tried to tell Bill what she was feeling but could not speak. She tilted her head to look into Bill’s face. He was smiling the most wonderful smile she had ever seem. She placed her arms about Bill’s waist and buried her face into his chest. She held on with every ounce of energy she had.

How long they stood that way no one knows. Furthermore, they did not care. Finally he put his hand under her chin and tilted her head up, kissing her full in the mouth. It was something she had never felt before and something she enjoyed more than any pleasure she had ever known.

The hour was late and, since Bill worked at night, he said he had to go. As he was leaving he said, “Mazie, I don’t want you to answer now, but I want you to think about it and give me your answer when you feel sure of yourself. I want you to be my wife.”

Mazie started to say something but he stopped her. “No, Mazie. Please don’t say anything now. Think about it and answer when you are sure of what you want. I will not push you, nor will I demand an answer. You tell me when you want to. I will wait because there has never been another, nor will there ever be. I love you, and that’s that.”

Bill turned about and walked away. Mazie went into her little room and started to cry. He knows what I have been, yet he loves me. Oh, God, help me to know what to do!

The next afternoon she waited for Bill, for she knew what she would say. After what seemed like forever he came in the door. She went to him and said, “Bill, don’t sit down. Let’s go somewhere, like perhaps a park.”

Bill took her hand and without a word, they walked out the door. They went to a school where there was a large lawn with benches under a few trees. Here he motioned her to sit, and he sat beside her.

“Bill, I did not know what to do yesterday,” she said. “So last night I cried out to God to guide me. Bill, I love you, too. I will go with you where ever you wish and will gladly live with you for the rest of my life.”

Bill took her in his arms and held her. “Oh, God, thank you! Thanks for answering my prayers so soon with such blessings.”

They were married two weeks later in the Base Chapel. Bill was so proud of her, for she was a beautiful and radiant bride.

Well, Bill is gone now. He is waiting for Mazie and soon she will join him. But, fifty-six years together is not bad. They never had children, but their lives have been blessed in so many ways. You see, Bill was an angel sent by God to take her out of the place which she came. I know, because, you see, I’m am Mazie.

(This story is based on an old lady’s life as she related it to me. She smiled as she told it, and I think I know why... Tom)