Shawn lit up, almost like a giddy school boy, but that wasn't the right way to feel. It was just because she was being nice to him, even treating him like a man and not a "black" man. He had met his fair share of white folk who just looked down their nose at him and did not take him seriously at all, like he wasn't even human. He was human all right, with all the human-like feelings to boot. He smiled, scratched his head again and then bent down to retrieve his package of food Leroy had given to him.

"It would be my pleasure to escort you to the dress shop." He did feel a small amount of anxiety run up and down his veins. The new laws may in fact say that blacks and whites were allowed to be in the same place, work together and go to school together, but the dress shop was most likely run by an old fashioned white person who would not like him being there at all. Though, he could not be thrown out if he kept to himself and did not cause any trouble. 

"You seem like a very kind lady. I gather from what you've said, that you are a school teacher? Your students are very lucky." He thought of his sister and frowned. "Truth be told, most of the little ones in my neighborhood still lack the proper school setting. They're parents are too afraid to send them where they might be picked on, or worse... " There was a few people in his neighborhood who took on the teaching roles. The children were taught in a small rundown shed outside someone's house. It lacked everything, but it was all they had.

"I work at a diner. You might know of it. It's only separated by one street from your schoolhouse." He looked down at the bag. "We have the best cheeseburgers in town, though that is my humble opinion because I do most of the cooking." He grinned. "After you change into a new dress, if you would like to join me for dinner, my home is that way." He pointed toward the black side of the neighborhood. "Not so far from here. My neighbors would gawk, but you would not find any trouble with them, ma'am. My sister is home, so it would be the three of us."

"If that isn't to your liking, I wouldn't mind letting you take this home with you." He would make do without the food and there was surely something at home his sister could eat.