Did You Hear About Kitty Karr?

In June 1955, Mary takes the train to LA, using her ability to pass to take a white-only car. Lillian picks Mary up from the train station. Mary will stay with Lillian, who has a job as a telephone operator at Telescope, a movie studio. Lillian takes Mary out to meet some of her friends, also phone operators at the studio, all white. Mary realizes that Lillian has been passing in LA and is surprised. Lillian calls herself Emma and introduces Mary thusly: “This is my sister, Kitty. Kitty Karr” (121).

On Mary’s first morning in LA, she asks Lillian, “Why didn’t you tell me you were passing before we got there?” to which Lillian replies, “I thought you’d sound more natural if you were surprised. And I was right; you did. They loved you” (128). Mary still assumes that she is only visiting Lillian temporarily. Lillian now reveals that Mary’s mother sent Mary to live with Lillian: “She wants you to pass” (129). Lillian has lined up a job for Mary as a phone operator at Telescope. Shocked, Mary calls Hazel, who confirms that she and Mrs. Catherine had been planning this since Lillian and Mary were little girls, learning to pass in Charlotte.