The stress begins to show signs for six year old Bridges, though she did not understand the full scope of her position in the Civil Rights Movement. She directly encountered threatening and frightening confrontations and remembers having nightmares, and says that her best solution for calming down from her distress was praying. Her mother encouraged this strategy. Bridges says that she prayed for her enemies as well as her loved ones.

She also had trouble eating. Though she was almost always with Mrs. Henry at school, during lunchtime Bridges was often totally alone, as Mrs. Henry took her lunch in the staff room. This loneliness diminished her willingness to eat. She started hiding sandwiches in the hopes that she would somehow be allowed to go to the cafeteria to get food with the other children in the school. The rotting food attracted pests and Mrs. Henry discovered her secret. Instead of becoming angry, Mrs. Henry started eating lunch in the classroom, so Bridges did not have to be alone. She also explains that she had trouble eating at home and did not want many of her favorite foods.

Bridges mentions some “treats” that she did enjoy, despite her stress (49).