It's abundantly clear in chapter 1 that Mr. Watson doesn't have a particularly positive attitude towards the city of Birmingham. His wife, Wilona, as a native of Alabama, is naturally more enthusiastic. She's of the opinion that Birmingham is a good place. And when she says that, she's not just referring to the weather, which is a good deal warmer than in Flint; she's also talking about the people, whom she maintains are friendlier than their counterparts in Michigan.

But Mr. Watson's not convinced. He makes a sarcastic reply to the rose-tinted portrait of Birmingham painted by his wife, making reference to the racial segregation that exists in Birmingham, as seen in the “Coloreds Only” bathroom downtown.

Wilona concedes that things aren't perfect there, but people are more honest and at least folks in that part of the world know how to respect their parents. The fact that Wilona looks at Byron when she says this says quite a lot. Byron's in serious need of some discipline, the kind that his mother's convinced can be provided by Grandma Sands in Birmingham. Byron needs to be straightened out, and so whatever drawbacks life in Birmingham may have, that's where the Watsons are headed.