. . when Morrie grabbed me by the collar, ramming my head against the wall," (594). This is an example of him being assaulted before he gave in to the double role. Another personal experience he explains is a time when a truck full of white men stopped and offered him a ride in the bed of their truck. They offered him a drink of alcohol and when he "rudely" declined (by not adding "Sir" to his sentence), they threw the bottle at him and they beat on him. The above stories both had an effect on Wright, but the experience which affected him the most took place when he was much younger. He and a few of his friends were playing "war" with the white boys from across the railroad tracks. The African American boys threw cinder cones, while the white boys threw broken glass bottles. One of the broken bottles hit Wright behind the ear, slicing him. His mother told him he just had to accept this pain. "I was never to fight any more wars. I was never, never, under any conditions, to fight white folks again. And they were absolutely right in clouding me with the broken milk bottle," (591).
Another experience Wright gives involving a double role concerns the mistreatment of other African Americans. He feels they are expected to be unaffected and indifferent by the abuse and cruelty of their race. One instance takes place at a clothing store where he worked. He witnesses his boss and son beating an African American woman inside the store. Then he sees a policeman accuse and arrest the distressed and dissembled woman for being drunk. "This [when they offer him a cigarette] was a gesture of kindness, indicating that even if they had beaten the poor old woman, they would not beat me if I knew enough to keep my mouth shut," (595). The other experience occurs when he and another black lady are leaving work, and the white night-watchman slaps the lady's backside. When Wright looks stunned and amazed, the watchman pulls a gun on him, and even encourages Wright to agree that this gesture is acceptable and pleasurable.