MIZ CHOAT MADE A PALLET ON THE FLOOR for Little Missey, Papa said, then tucked her and her Bundle in like you would a Baby and Bird wouldn’t have it no other Way but get under the Covers with her and hold her hand. Look at that. You’d almost think they was Brother and Sister wouldn’t you, Miz Choat said. Oh and then, Papa said, Why Little Missey went to singing some song to Bird she must a’learned from her own Momma fore she ever even come to this Country but they wadn’t no Words to it we could understand just Sounds like you was off in a Dream somewheres and didn’t never wanna come back out again and Bird liked it so much his mouth just went a’working Side-to-Side Side-to-Side and then he went on off in a Dream his self. I want you to learn to sing like that Mister Yancy, Miz Choat said, make you self useful round here. Course she meant it for a Joke but o’Wasskum drawed back and Oh Listen Here he just went to singing right long with Little Missey and mixed in Pretty as you Please and then Marcellus did too and then here come Mister Choat a’joining in and then Miz Choat give o’Calley a Look over there and said What’s wrong with you Mister Pearsall and so o’Calley just moreless went to hollering but trying best as he could to sound like he was singing and then me and Miz Choat did too and in a minute Why we was all a’singing some thing hadn’t never been heard on this Earth before and all this Time o’Fritz and Possum was setting over there a’howling like they was singing too Then when we was all done with it, Papa said, we went to hugging each other and laughing and Miz Choat said I’m glad the Sheriff didn’t come a’walking in here when we was singing or he’d a’locked ever one a’us up in the Loonie Bin and throwed away the Key.
THAT NIGHT, Papa said, Me and Marcellus was out there on the Front Porch to go to sleep on our Pallet and Marcellus said What you reckon all them little Angels was doing a’buzzing round Little Missey like that for. I don’t have no idea, Papa said, but I reckon your o’Granny might could tell us don’t you. So, he said, me and o’Marcellus rode on over there to the Colony next morning to ask o’Jeffey and she said Lawd I don’t have no idea in the World but Let’s see Who all round here might can tell us then she set down in her Big Chair and closed her Eyes to See. Anybody there Granny, Marcellus said. Why ever body’s here, she said, Dead People just ever wheres you look. Most a’the time they wanna talk my Ear off then go to whispering in the Hole but this morning, she said, they just setting there won’t say a Word. What’s wrong with yall this Morning o’Jeffey said Cat got your Tongue and then, Papa said, she just went to looking from One to a’nother even if Me and o’Marcellus couldn’t see em. What’s a’matter with yall, she said, yall ain’t Dead are you and Oh then o’Jeffey just went to laughing at her own Joke then dried up and said they ain’t laughing with me not a one. How you figgur it Granny, Marcellus said, I reckon they just supposted not to tell is all I can figgur she said. Then of a sudden she seen some body a’setting over in the corner and she went over there and bended down to get her a better look. Who you, she said, I ain’t never seen you in my Life. Who is it Granny, Marcellus said, but No o’Jeffey just kep a’Looking and wouldn’t tell us. What’s your name Hon, she said. You got a name ain’t you. Bo what, she said, Bo Mon Nee is that what you said. Bomonee. That your name huh. Bomonee. Oh that’s a good name ain’t it. My name’s o’Jeffey I be glad to see you any time you wanna come round. How come ain’t no body else talking Bomonee she said then, Papa said, what ever o’Bomonee said back give her the Chills and she put her Hands up over her Ears so she couldn’t hear no more of it and shook her Head No No No. What’s he saying Granny, Marcellus said, you ain’t telling us nothing. But, Papa said, o’Jeffey was still a’talking to Bomonee and didn’t have no time for us. You go on now Hon, she said, I know you gonna be Glad to see you Momma and she gonna be Glad to see you too ain’t she. Then, Papa said, o’Jeffey reached down and give some body a pet on they Head then opened her Eyes up a’gain. Well tell us Granny, Marcellus said, ain’t you gonna tell us Granny. No Sir I ain’t gonna tell you, she said, cause I don’t never wanna hear it again my self.
WE GOT HOME JUST FORE DARK, Papa said, and went to doing our Chores long with Ever Body else a’doing theirs out there in the Barn then Miz Choat hollered out the Back Door it was time to come on in and have some Suppers but, Papa said, Me and Marcellus hollered back we didn’t want none til we give Sister and o’Edward a good Brushing first but then we’d come on in after that if it was okay with her and she hollered back Ever Body else gonna have a nice hot Suppers but yall’s is gonna be cold as Froze Ice if you don’t come on in now and I might not have nothing much for you two Monkeys any how. You better listen to her, Calley said, Miz Choat ain’t one to fool round bout her Suppers is she. Or any thing else, Mister Choat said. Well yall can stand here and talk bout it til the River Jordan runs Dry o’Wasskum said but I’m gonna go get me some Suppers while they’s still some Suppers to get and then, Papa said, he went on into the House and then so did o’Calley and Mister Choat and o’Fritz and Possum follered long behind for scraps if they was some. And then o’Marcellus got done brushing o’Edward and said Don’t Worry I’ll hide you some Corn Bread up under my shirt when ain’t No Body looking so you don’t have to starve to Death less you just want to and then he went on in the House too and so wadn’t nobody left out there in the Barn but me and the Horses. But then in a minute, Papa said, Why I got this cold cold Shivver started way down in my Feet then come all the way up to the Top a’my Head and just set there like some Big o’Coiled Up Rattle Snake bout to strike. And Oh, he said, it scared me so Bad I all but Cut and Run but No I was Froze Solid in my Tracks and couldn’t do it. Then, he said, I heared Some Body squeek a Board up there in the Hay Loff bove me and Oh then Next thing Some Body come a Jumping down out the Loff with a Big Laugh and landed right there in front a’me just a’grinning with a Big Long Gun in his Hand and another one a’sticking out his Pants. Well, o’Arlon said, I reckon you are one Surprised Possum to see me here after all this Time ain’t you.
YOU AIN’T BEEN A’LIVING UP THERE in the Loff have you, Papa said. I live just bout any wheres I wanna Live, Arlon said, and ain’t no body says nothing bout it neither. Yes Sir you got just bout ever body in the Country round here scared a’you that’s Why, Papa said, the way you been a’going round Murdering People like that. Yes Sir I Murdered me a few ain’t I, he said. I seen poor o’Superintendent Shettles in the wagon after you was done with him, Papa said. It looked to me like you Murdered him bout four or five times fore you was done with it. It was his own fault, Arlon said. I told that Son of a Bitch I was gonna shoot him Dead if he don’t stop picking on me like he was back at the Gatesville Boy Prison. Well I sure seen where you kep your word to him on that didn’t you, Papa said. Oh I’ll shoot bout any body, he said, It don’t matter a Lick to me who it is. Well you can’t go to shooting no body round here, Papa said, you better hear me on that. Well they was gonna be my Family too wadn’t they, Arlon said. You remember way back yonder when we first become Friends you said you thought it’d be Okay if I was to move in with yall one day and get me a Horse and a Bunch a’Dogs. I was talking bout when Me and my Momma and my Brother Herman got us a place a’our own, Papa said, but didn’t nothing never come a’that cause Momma was already Dead by then I just didn’t know it. Sides that, I said, That’s bout when you went to stealing things didn’t belong to you and then Murdered that Man over in Kendalia didn’t never do nothing to you. You still holding a Grudge on me for it too ain’t you, Arlon said. It ain’t so much a Grudge I’m a’holding on you for it, Papa said, as it is I just don’t want no more to do with you. Oh he give me his o’Snake Eyes then, Papa said, and pointed his Big Gun round and said Where’s your Little Dog at I might have to shoot him just to see how you like it. No you ain’t, Papa said, but I’d come Fix you good if you did. Arlon give it a thought and said No I wouldn’t never shoot your little Dog I ain’t got nothing against Dogs and Horses they a’lot bettern People to me. Well why don’t you just go on and Go then, Papa said, Been good to know you I reckon. You w
as the only Friend I ever had, Arlon said, you know it. We knowed each other for a little Time, Papa said, but No Sir I wouldn’t say we was ever really Friends. Well which ever Way we Was, Arlon said, we ain’t that Way no more now are we. And then just when he turned round to go on a’way, Papa said, Why of a sudden here come Little Missey out the Back Door a’heading for the Barn with her Travelling Bundle cross her Back like always and Oh then Bird went to Hollering and Crying and a’Carrying On bout it back inside but by then, he said, it was already Too Late Too Late Too Late to ever get her back in the House again.
ARLON SEEN HER COMING, Papa said, and said what’s wrong with yall to let a Nigger be in the House with you. Thats Little Missey I said, Papa said, she’s our Friend. You got a Nigger for a Friend but not me huh he said and I never seen such Snake Eyes in all my Life as come on him then and he put a tight holt on his Big Gun with both Hands and aimed it up and Oh I seen what he was gonna do now and Hollered Go Back Little Missey GO BACK GO BACK GO BACK but No she didn’t know the Words I was Hollering and just kep a’coming so I grabbed at Arlon’s Gun but Arlon said Hell No You Don’t you SonofaBitch and hit me cross my Head with it and put me down and then Oh went to Kicking me and Clubbing me on my Head with his Big Gun til ever thing was all in a Cloud to me and what I seen then, Papa said, was Little Missey come a’walking through the Barn Door and Arlon said No Ma’am I don’t allow no Niggers in here and give her a HARD PUSH back out the Door and then another HARD PUSH out the Door and then he reared back his Gun and hit her cross her Back with it but it was her Travelling Bundle a’hanging there he hit and Oh when he did, Papa said, Why Little Missey went to Crying Bomonee Bomonee Bomonee and Fighting with everything she had to save it from Harm but No, he said, wadn’t no use cause o’Arlon just kep on a’Clubbing her and her Travelling Bundle both hard as he could with his Big Gun and Oh Little Missey was just a’Stumbling and a’Falling and a’Trying to save her Bundle fore it all come a’Part on her from all them Licks but then Oh, he said, Oh but then it did come all a’Part and what come a’Falling out now was Bones. Oh, Papa said, Bones. Bones Bones Bones, he said, Little Missey’s whole Bundle wadn’t nothing but Bones and they was the Bones a’her Little Baby Son Bomonee that she carried all cross the Country to get way from them Slavers til he died from some thing or other and she kep him in the Cave with her cause she Loved him so much and didn’t never wanna be a’way from him no matter what. Oh and then, Papa said, Oh and then she went to crawling round trying to pick up all them Bones but o’Arlon give her a Hard Kick put her a’rolling on the ground and hollered NIGGER at her then raised up his Big Gun and shot her in her Back BOOM BOOM BOOM three times like that then BOOM one more time and Oh then ever body come a’running out the House to see what all the Shooting was bout and when they seen what it was Oh they went a’Hollering and a’Running and a’Crying to save Little Missey over yonder just a’bleeding her Life out on her Little Son’s Bones but No it was Too Late to Save Her and I seen her get up Out her Body and go a’walking off toward the Creek just a’Shimmering like all them other Shimmery People was always a’doing and then, Papa said, I come out my Body just a’Shimmering my self from all them Licks o’Arlon give me and went a’walking toward the Creek after her.
WADN’T NO TIME, Papa said, and me and Little Missey come to the Creek and they was all these Other Shimmery People just a’waiting for her over there on the other side. And Oh, he said, one of em was Little Missey’s o’Blind Panther but he wadn’t Blind no more and standing right the side a’him was her Little Boy Bomonee and Oh Little Missey crossed on over didn’t take no longern a Thought and give her Little Son a big Hug and that o’Panther one too and then all them other Shimmery People come over to pet her. But then, Papa said, I seen this Old Shimmery China Man a’looking at me from the Other Side and he give me a Wave with his Hand to come on over to where he was. So, Papa said, I crossed on over the Creek with just a thought a’doing it and then here in a minute I come to this Dark Woods and they was Seven Old Shimmery Men a’setting there round a Table and the Moon just a’shining down on em like a Lantern and it looked to me like they was getting ready to Play em a Game a’Dominoes cause they had a stack a’Black Dominoes and a stack a’White Dominoes over there in front a’this empty Chair where they wadn’t no body a’setting. We been a’waiting for you this Old Inyin Man said Where you been and I said, Papa said, Well Some Body ought a’tole me yall was waiting for me and I’d a’come on a’running. Well just set you self down here in this Empty Chair Mister, the Old Shimmery Black Man said, we still got a’bunch more just like you we gotta bring on back Home tonight.
SO, Papa said, I went to set down in that Empty Chair and then I seen Oh I was Shimmering almost much as all them Old Shimmery Men was. Oh I said, Papa said, I reckon I’m Dead as some o’Anvil ain’t I huh. But, he said, fore they could answer me back Some Body took a’holt a’my Shirt Tail and give it a hard Pull just fore I set down in that Empty Chair and I looked to see who it was, Papa said, and Why it was my o’Amigo Mister Pegleg had my Shirt Tail in his Mouth and wadn’t bout to let go and then Some Body else grabbed a’holt a’my Finger and went to pulling on it too. They’s some thing wrong here, the Old Shimmery Mexkin Man said. Are you sure this One here is on our Lista. Then, Papa said, they looked at this Paper they had and the Old Shimmery China Man said Are you the One the Horse kicked in the Head when you walked by his Hind End. No Sir I said, Papa said, I’m the one o’Arlon Clavic knocked in the Head with his Big Gun. Oh that Arlon Clavic is a Bad Boy, the Old Shimmery Black Man said, I ain’t never seen no Worsern him in all my Life. Yes he is Bad Bad Bad ain’t he, the Old Shimmery White Man said. Then, Papa said, o’Mister Pegleg give me another Pull on my Shirt Tail and Who Ever it was I couldn’t see give me another Pull on my Finger too. You know, the Old Shimmery Mexkin Man said, I don’t believe this One here is on our Lista. Uh Oh Uh Oh he got to go back then, the Old Shimmery China Man said. It ain’t his Time yet. I hope he ain’t gonna be a Loonie all his Life from all them Licks that Bad Boy give him, the Old Shimmery White Man said. Oh that would be very Sad for him you know it. And then, Papa said, the Old Shimmery Mexkin Man squeezed his Hands on my Head and Blowed a Big Puff a’Air in my Ear and some thing blowed out the other side. And when he done that, he said, Why I seen it was Old Crecencio was who it was a’doing the blowing and right then I got another Big Pull on my Finger and Mister Pegleg give me one more Big Pull on my Shirt Tail and Oh I hollered and went to falling Down Down Down off that chair and next thing I knowed Why I was in the Bed in Miz Choat’s House and Bird was a’standing there side me just a’pulling on my Finger to get me Back to where I belonged from where ever it was I been with Mister Pegleg and them Seven Old Shimmery Men.
. . . raised up his Big Gun and shot her in her Back BOOM BOOM BOOM . . .
AND THEN, Papa said, I seen Mister and Miz Choat and Marcellus all a’standing there too but not Mister Pearsall and not Mister Yancy neither one but there was o’Fritz over there a’Barking at me and then of a sudden it come to me Where is Little Missey at. Where is Little Missey at I said, Papa said, but then fore Miz Choat could tell me I recollected I seen her go a’Shimmering cross the Creek to where her Little Son Bomonee and her o’Panther and all them other Shimmery People was a’waiting for her and I said Arlon shot her Dead didn’t he and Miz Choat said Yes he Did Yes he Did. Then they all went to crying bout it and me too, Papa said, and we couldn’t stop it for a Long Long Time but when we did Miz Choat said Calley Pearsall and Wasskum Yancy the Artist and that o’Flop Eared Dog Possum went on off three days ago to go catch that Bad Boy Arlon Clavic and Hang him from a Tree for his Crime to Little Missey. I don’t know why they didn’t wait on me to go long with em, Papa said, and Marcellus said Cause didn’t no body reckon you was even gonna Live after that whupping o’Arlon give you with his Gun that’s why. And Mister Pearsall was fraid they’d lose that Murderer to the Distance if they didn’t Go on and Go after him right now, Mister Choat said. So they just Went
on and Went. Well I’m a’going after him too I said, Papa said, Ain’t No Body can keep me from it. Well them Knots there on your Head can keep you from it, Miz Choat said, least for a’time. Here Mister Choat said Mister Pearsall said give you this Letter he wrote but, Papa said, Bird still had a’holt a’my Finger and wouldn’t let go so I said Just read it to me would you please and Mister Choat said It says If you are reading this Letter you are a’Live and I am glad to hear it but I know you and I know you will want to Foller us but No don’t Foller us we will get this Murderer for what he done to Little Missey and Others and I don’t want him to do the same to you if I can help it. But I know you are a Hard Headed Boy some time and I worry bout that. Your Friend Calley Pearsall and Wasskum Yancy here with me.
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