by Kia Corthron
By the time we get to Marion we’re speakin again. We slap on the rear winda a the cab just before the edge a town. The driver drop us off, we wave our thanks an she drive on. Walk about a mile. Gradually we start seein the tracks for the boxcars filled with coal. Built into a hillside’s the square entrance, WOODBURY MINE. Even though we waited till afternoon to come out, we still a good two hours early, so explore the woods a while. When we see the sun gettin lower we try findin our way back, then panic, neither a us sayin but both thinkin we lost an nobody we know know where we are to come look for us. Then we hear a coal car in the distance an follow the sound.
There they come. The colored and the white men all blackface, some minstrel show but the performers lookin all exhaustion.
You got a smoke?
We turn aroun. He don’t look more n ten, smaller n us.
No, not today, say Roof.
The white boy jus stare, like it take him a while to understand. Then he walk away. Roof’s eyes stuck on him.
See?
You don’t smoke.
I’m talkin bout his age!
Only one. It ain’t like in your daddy’s day.
Never said it was like in my daddy’s day. All I said was if I want I can go in thirteen, no one stoppin me.
Crash of a coal car gainst another one.
Out he come. Mr. John’s body look bent, crooked, his face all pain, Mr. John a daddy already look like a great-granddaddy. But when Roof call he pipe up seein us, break into a grin. Seven men an a boy give Mr. John a nickel each an hop into the bed a the pickup, he ridin em back to town.
We in the cab, up high lookin down, Roof nex to his daddy, I get the winda. The truck dirty but it ain’t quite got the clutter a Roof’s yard. Roof goin on about the farmer lady driver an ridin her truck bed, makin it all some big holy adventure. When we get to the fair Roof fall quiet, not wantin to miss it while we pass. Then Mr. John slow down, stop. Get out an talk with the passengers behind. Me an Roof look at each other, say nothin, hopin. Then five men an the boy gets out, walkin the lass two miles in. Mr. John back in behine the wheel, hand us a dime apiece.
The two what’s leff don’t mind waitin for yaw to get a Ferris wheel an a cotton candy. Come right back. To Roof: Don’t tell your mama. Then Mr. John have a big coughin fit.
You comin, Daddy? Roof so excited, tryin not to hop in his seat.
Look at me. Mr. John raise his hans to show all the black, more coal shakin from him onto the car seat. He light a cigarette an we scramble out.
We happy arguin the pros n cons a cotton candy firs to take on the ride with us or Ferris wheel firs to eat cotton candy in the truck drive back. Option Two win out.
Humble an environs is mostly white, but it don’t take but a minute inside fore I realize this fair seem to be all white. Still, I walk straight on through the admission gate, nobody look at me sideways so I guess colored is allowed in. Standin in the Ferris wheel line I wonder I get to the front the man say No colored! My leg shakin a little. But the man runnin the ride don’t gimme no bad looks, no crabbier than he is with everybody else. Slam me an Roof in. An it goin. From the groun Ferris wheel don’t seem so fass, from the groun Ferris wheel don’t seem so high! At firs I pray it be over quick. Then somethin change. High in the sky, lookin down at all those people. For a second I’m in my dream again, top a that castle cross from Colored Street, but this is different. These is all white people I’m high above of. These is the people gets in the places say White only, the places if there be another sign say colored you know it gonna be poor quality if the colored sign exist at all, well suddenly all those white only white people below my feet lookin small real small.
My cotton candy’s blue, Roof’s is purple, an we eat it slow the truck ride back, savorin till we gettin out fronta Roof’s house.
Hose me down boy, his daddy say, then have another coughin fit. I say bye an walk toward my execution, since dark happened more n a half-hour ago.
Where the hell you been, boy! Missed supper, an you know you sposed to be in by dark! Before I can think what to say, An you better not tell me you an Roof hitchhiked to Marion again!
Okay, I won’t tell you.
She hole me smack my behind, this time it do hurt. Then jus screamin, How many times I gotta tell you! An your daddy called an you missed him, now you got him worried too! Don’t think you leavin this house tomarra! Not tomarra, not the nex day, not the nex! An the tears roll down her cheeks like she the one got smacked!
In bed turned away from Eliot wipe my face.
Dwight. Wamme getchu a chicken leg?
When I was little an Eliot a baby, Daddy use to talk about Jack an the Beanstalk, punished so he sent to bed without supper. My parents never refuse us food if they got it. But after a whippin who in the mood to eat? Even if I’m starved I say it: I ain’t hungry.
Dwight! Telephone!
Drag down the steps.
Hello?
Hi Dad.
I know.
I know.
I know.
I won’t.
Okay. Bye.
That all you have to say to your daddy?
I don’t even answer, hoppin up the steps fass fore she hear my belly rumblin. He called at one week he called at two weeks, this only halfway into the third week so she musta instigated today’s calls after I come home late. He wanna talk so bad he can come home do it in person.
Three days stuck inside. One afternoon I look out my winda, see Mr. Talley pushin the lawn mower round his yard, Christina pullin weeds. He’s a teacher so like kids he got summers off. After a while he come over help her with the weedin. Talkin.
Eatin mornin cereal my lass day a prison. Can kids work in the mines?
What? she say. Newspaper open, her face in it.
Kids. Coal mines.
Shake her head. Use to. Not no more. President come out against it couple years ago. She turn the page.
Roof says he is. Nex year. Thirteen.
She frowns. He can’t. Illegal.
There was one little white kid there, comin out all coal black. It’s outa my mouth before I think prolly not a good idea to remind her a that excursion. But she don’t get mad. Jus put down the paper, shake her head sad an sigh.
Like he sensed the day I’m granted parole, Roof come knockin.
Jacks?
We done about ten games on my front porch when I see down the street Carl’s car pull up. Carl an his dad get out. I forgot this was the day he come home. His mother come out on the porch all excited, her han on her mouth, clappin her hands, chatterin fass but don’t dare touch him. Mr. Talley stan with Carl a few minutes, his arm round his son’s shoulders, talkin to him. An I’m sprised seein Carl lean his head against his daddy, like affection. Your turn, say Roof.
Goin to Roof’s that evenin I notice Carl’s car gone, their family muss be out for his welcome-home dinner. I gather twigs to put somethin natural in the tower for a change, wonderin with Carl home if this might be the lass night a the Dusk Club. Meanwhile Roof comes up with somethin better n twigs. Tosses his jacks into the air an let em all fall, rainin on the tower, landin where they will.
You boys still out here?
Mr. John. Roof go to his sooty father, turn on the hose an water. I watch em a while, both kinda forgot about me. Nightly father-son ritual, them grinnin like this the firs time they ever done it, the coal rollin off Mr. John, rivers a mud at their feet.
Soon’s I walk in the door she say Daddy’s on the phone. Eliot hoppin aroun, Lemme talk again! Lemme talk again!
No, Dwight ain’t talked to him yet.
Hi Dad.
Dwight! How are you?
Okay.
Have a good time with Roof?
It was okay.
Well. I got a couple little presents for you an your brother when I g
et home.
When’s that?
I don’t know yet but I sure am tryin hard to fine someone gimme a ride nex week. Nex week be a whole month since I seen my family.
Okay. Here, Eliot wants to talk again.
I gotta pee so run up the steps. Then I worsh my hands, look at my face in the meer. Then I throw water all over my face, wipe it. Look at my face in the meer.
Run down to the livin room where Mama on the phone now.
I gotta talk to Dad, I forgot somethin.
Wait a minute.
I gotta talk to Dad, I forgot somethin! She look at me a second, then han me the phone.
Dad! I forget to tell ya. I forgot to tell ya that day me an Roof went to Marion, you shoulda seen how Mr. John smile to see us! Then we rode back with Mr. John an Mr. John give us money an we went to the fair! We had cotton candy. We got on the Ferris wheel! So high up! Then we come back here, every night Roof hoses his daddy down from the mines, every night! An then, an then Carl, he been away, camp but he jus got back, his family sure glad to see him! His daddy picked him up from camp, maybe Mr. Talley’ll play volleyball with us! He’s a teacher, he’s aroun every day, all day in the summers! Oh! An I think Mr. John likes our tower! Roof’s an my tower! He sees how we build it, he sees it every night, every night!
I feel my mother start to rub my back soft an I snatch away from her, keep turned away from her. It was sposed to be a happy story, so how come the more I talked it the madder I got? Louder?
Stop cryin now son, my father say gentle, I miss you too. An after a few minutes my bawlin finally do subside, an then I hear Daddy’s cousin Uncle Brice askin Daddy What’s wrong? Here, you want my hanky? An for the firs time I wonder what it muss feel like other side a the receiver.
ELIOT
My mama gone to work an I stand in the pourin. She might smack me but I like the drench, snap snap hit the street. I like the smell, runnin! my arms stretch out.
Laughin all by yourself, like somebody crazy. Dwight on the front porch. Mama told him go to D’Angelo’s, eggs an milk. Why he gotta come out barefoot, put his shoes on outside the house anyway?
You wanna play somethin? You wanna play mud pies?!
Think I’m a little ole for mud pies.
You wanna play jacks?
I gotta go to the store.
Then you play with me.
Goin to Carl’s.
You don’t never play with me no more!
He got his shoes on not even answerin, then I hear a cryin. Parker got locked outside Miss Onnie’s! He on Miss Onnie’s front porch, tryin to get in from the rain. I walk up, Miss Onnie’s porch.
Hey you better not go there. Dwight got the terror eyes but I ain’t leavin Parker out scared.
Ps ps ps. Parker! Here he come! Ps ps ps ps Miss Onnie’s door fly open. I feel Dwight behine me on our porch shot up, standin. I stare at Miss Onnie.
Who toldju get on my porch, boy?
You lock Parker outside, he was cryin!
Aw, Yella Cat, sorry I done at. She tap the doorway with her fingertips for Parker to come but Parker ain’t innerested. Miss Onnie frown. Then stay like that, ya high yella thing. She go back inside, shut the door.
I stay on Miss Onnie’s porch pettin Parker. I look over at Dwight. Two Dwights. He starin at me. Then he laugh, run through the rain-rain to the store. A lightnin-thunder come: scare Parker! Miss Onnie come back out. I think she gonna yell at me Get off my porch! but she jus set in her rocker rockin gentle.
My mama use to say thunder was the devil beatin his wife. Miss Onnie lookin out at the rain. Then her eyes on me. You believe that? I shake my head. I don’t believe that neither. Why they gotta come up with ugly stuff like that? Why your eye doin at?
I’m cross-eyeded.
Oh. Here.
She toss a ball a yarn at me, light blue. I hold it up, the string hangin down. Parker tryin to catch that string. Hahaha! Hahahaha!
Miss Onnie. How come you call Parker high yella?
She suck her teeth like she got kale stuck in em. Jus mean, she say. That’s what people’d call me, High yella light enough to pass. Cuz my hair’s good too. But I never wanted to pass. I picked my husband cuz he was the darkest thing goin, by luck he jus also happen to be the sweetest.
He die?
Uh-huh.
How he die?
She starin at the rain, I think she forget to answer. Then she say, The army, he was sposed to kill the Indians. The women, babies. He didn’t wanna kill no Indians, he didn’t mean that when he signed up for the army. So he left. Then the army found him an hung him. She sigh, then peer at me. You like cookies? I nod! She go into her house, come out with the ginger snaps. She holdin a skinny black cat. Some other ones try to get out but she take her foot, push em back in.
I let em out in a minute. You gotta watch out for the runts. She got a dish, give that runt a private feedin. This is Pepper. Name her after my mama. Slave. She an me like twins. She said all the white in me an her come from evilness. She married my daddy blacker n coal, an all my sisters an brothers come out a nice rich color but me. I marry Ronnie hopin he color up my babies but the two I had didn’t stick in me past the second month. Then Ronnie gone to the army, then he gone.
It pourin harder! Rain sposed to cool off, not make it humider, she say. She walk over, stick her head over the banister edge. Gettin soaked! Shakin out her hair, the water fly everywhere! Miss Onnie look like a wet dog! Ah, that’s better! she say. I come over stick my head out. Both us shakin out our soggy heads, gigglin!
After supper Mama fix us peaches n cream, tell us come out, keep her company on the front porch. We set on the slidin seat, two seats fit two grownups but Mama an us can fit three, I love the slidin seat! Mama in the middle, arms aroun us. Rain rain.
You on Miss Onnie’s porch the whole afternoon? Dwight say.
Miss Onnie say I can play with Parker anytime I want! Even our yard.
You been playin with him.
Yeah but now I ain’t got to sneak.
Cuz you an Miss Onnie friends.
We ain’t friends!
Stop fightin. But she don’t say it mad.
When I was a girl, my mama told us those were the people dancin in the streets. See em? The splash when the hard raindrops hit the pavement, people dancin in the streets. See em?
I look. I see em! I see em! I’m clappin!
Dwight nod. I don’t know why he look sad.
Nex day’s a flood! Water up near toppa the curve! Curb! I wanna go out play in the flood but Mama say no, flood carry you away. It ain’t that high! Then she let Dwight go to Carl’s! She watch him, make sure he don’t play in the flood, Mama watch me I go find Parker! She still say no!
Then the sun come out hard. Flood gone! I’m sad, then I see Miss Onnie feedin the birds. I run over! I help, Miss Onnie?
Take some crumbs. Me an Miss Onnie feedin the birds!
Dwight! Eliot! Supper!
I come back from Miss Onnie’s. Dwight on Carl’s porch, him an Carl laughin bout I don’t know what.
Dwight! Mama call supper!
Dwight look right at me, then turn back to Carl, still laughin. When she swing open the door like to get mad he come off Carl’s porch fass, head our way!
I helped Miss Onnie feed the birds!
He suckin his pigs’ feet, look at me. Dontcha mean feed the cats?
She also feed the birds. She lock up the cats in her house, throw out the bread crumbs. I suck on my pigs’ feet. I love pigs’ feet!
Him an Miss Onnie big buddies now.
Well, she say. Nothin wrong with that.
Nothin wrong with it? He’s six, only friend he got some crazy ole lady? Pourin hisself ice tea from the pitcher.
Stop sayin crazy, boy.
I say, Lease my friend’s colored.
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The pitcher slip outa Dwight’s han. Commotion to clean it up, Mama hollerin but Dwight jus stare at his shirt n pants all wet, like he froze jus starin.
Gettin ready for bed he don’t say nothin. I feel like I wanna say, I got friends, I got Jeanine an em, sometime I go over to Colored Street an play but I prefer playin with Parker but I don’t say nothin. We in the dark a long time, his eyes stuck on the ceilin.
Then he say, How many colored kids my age in this neighborhood? I ain’t playin with no Kimmie an Talia. Girls.
There’s Marco an Mokie.
This neighborhood.
There’s Richard.
Richard’s miles away!
There’s—
Nobody!
Then Dwight don’t say nothin a while. Then he say, Me an Richard don’t speak no more.
You tryin to pass?
I don’t mean it mean, I jus wondered. Dwight chuckle to hisself. I wait for him say somethin else but he don’t say nothin. Somethin keep me all night dreamin then wake, dreamin then wake an every time I’m wake I see Dwight ain’t budged, eyes still starin at the ceilin like he tryin to do some arithmetic problem an the answer he hope written up there.
DWIGHT
I got a funny feelin. Carl wrote come down day after he get back, we set up the volleyball net but I got a funny feelin like I go to his house, he ack like he don’t know what I’m talkin about, all different after three weeks away at camp. Also I really do wanna start dolin out my time more even between Carl an Roof. Maybe I oughta jus stay inside, wait for Carl come to me. But what if he don’t?
Sketchin on my bed, almost eleven. Sky grayin over, seem like rainin every day. Maybe Carl at his house wonderin where I am after he wrote the invitation. If I’m goin, better now before the torrent.