On her way to the dentist office, after crossing over the bridge that separated the white neighborhood from the black, Momma adjusted the white towel that was drawn under Mayas chin and tied over her head. (p 388). She was now in white folks territory and even though she felt like she was dying from the pain, she had to carry herself with dignity. The distraction of entering unknown territory somehow made her pain diminish in intensity, however, when she saw that it was a trashy white neighborhood the pain intensified. Maya also noticed the graveled roads were smoother, (p 388) and the looks of we are better than you she observed on the faces of the white children even though their neighborhood was not as upscale as the one she lived in. Though Mamma knew dentist Lincoln, they had to enter from the back, and Mamma, introduced herself to the young white girl who answered the door, using only her first name, and was scorned by the look received, and the firm closing of the door (p 388) to get dentist Lincoln. Waiting for more than an hour, sealed the deal that they were not supposed to be there.
When the dentist finally approached Momma and Maya, he pretended not to know why Momma was there even though she had stated the obvious. He made it clear that he had a policy of not treating niggers to which he had to adhere. After waiting for so long, the sun had now baked the oil out of Momma skin and melted the Vaseline in her hair, (p.389) giving her the appearance of one defeated. Momma continued to give dentist Lincoln more reasons why he should treat her granddaughter. All pleas fell on deaf ears. Speaking to Momma in the presence of Maya with such contempt, stone faced with absolutely no emotions or regards for Momma, begging for treatment for her granddaughter, was hard for Maya to see. Maya being a witness to this racial discrimination, felt like there was a thin line between humility and complete intolerance.
