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him。 He lay back； and it seemed he sank down into a place
warm and red and full of comfort。
The next morning the sun came out。 The strange Southern
winter was at its end。 Doctor Copeland was released。 A little
group waited outside the jail for him。 Mr。 Singer was there。
Portia and Highboy and Marshall Nicolls were present also。
Their faces were confused and he could not see them clearly。
The sun was very bright。
'Father； don't you know that ain't no way to help our Willie？
Messing around at a white folks' courthouse？ Best thing us
can do is keep our mouth shut and wait。'
Her loud voice echoed wearily in his ears。 Thev climbed into a
ten…cent taxicab； and then he was home and his face pressed
into the fresh white pillow。
M
ICK could not sleep all night。 Etta was sick； so she had to sleep
in the living…room。 The sofa was too narrow and short。 She
had nightmares about Willie。 Nearly a month had gone by
since Portia had told about what they226
had done to him—but still she couldn't forget it。 Twice in the
night she had these bad dreams and woke up on the floor。 A
bump came out on her forehead。 Then at six o'clock she heard
Bill go to the kitchen and fix his breakfast。 It was daylight； but
the shades were down so that the room was half…dark。 She felt
queer waking up in the living…room。 She didn't like it。 The
sheet was twisted around her； half on the sofa and hah* on the
floor。 The pillow was in the middle of the room。 She got up
and opened the door to the hall。 Nobody was on the stairs。 She
ran in her nightgown to the back room。
'Move over； George。' K
The kid lay in the very center of the bed。 The night had been
warm and he was naked as a jay bird。 His fists were shut tight；
and even in sleep his eyes were squinted like he was thinking
about something very hard to figure out。 His mouth was open
and there was a little wet spot on the pillow。 She pushed him。
'Wait' he said in his sleep。
'Move over on your side。' 。WaitLemme just finish
this here dream—this
here'
She hauled him over where he belonged and lay down close to
him。 When she opened her eyes again it was late； because the
sun shone in through the back window。 George was gone。
From the yard she heard kids' voices and the sound of water
running。 Etta and Hazel were talking in the middle room。 As
she dressed a sudden notion came to her。 She listened at the
door but it was hard to hear what they said。 She jerked the
door open quick to surprise them。
They were reading a movie magazine。 Etta was still in bed。
She had her hand halfway over the picture of an actor。 'From
here up don't you think he favors that boy who used to date
with'
'How you feel this morning； Etta？' Mick asked。 She looked
down under the bed and her private box was still in the exact
place where she had left it
'A lot you care；' Etta said。
'You needn't try to pick a fight'
Etta's face was peaked。 There was a terrible pain in her
stomach and her ovary was diseased。 It had something
227
to do with being unwell。 The doctor said they would have to
cut out her ovary right away。 But their Dad said they would
have to wait。 There wasn't any money。
。How do you expect me to act； anyway？' Mick said。 *I ask you
a polite question and then you start to nag at me。 I feel like I
ought to be sorry for you because you're sick； but you won't let
me be decent。 Therefore I naturally get mad。' She pushed back
the bangs of her hair and looked close into the mirror。 'Boy！
See this bump I got！ I bet my head's broke。 Twice I fell out
last night and it seemed to me like I hit that table by the sofa。 I
can't sleep in the living…room。 That sofa cramps me so much I
can't stay in it'
'Hush that talking so loud；'Hazel said。
Mick knelt down on the floor and pulled out the big box。 She
looked carefully at the string that was tied around it。 'Say；
have either of you fooled with this？'
'Shoot！' Etta said。 'What would we want to mess with your
junk for？'
'You just better not。 I'd kill anybody that tried to mess with my
private things。'
'Listen to that；' Hazel said。 〃Mick Kelly； I think you're the
most selfish person I've ever known。 You don't care a thing in
the world about anybody but'
'Aw； poot！' She slammed the door。 She hated both of them。
That was a terrible thing to think； but it was true。
Her Dad was in the kitchen with Portia。 He had on bis
bathrobe and was drinking a cup of coffee。 The whites of his
eyes were red and his cup rattled against his saucer。 He
walked round and round the kitchen table。
'What time is it？ Has Mister Singer gone yet？'
。He been gone； Hon；' Portia said。 'It near about ten o'clock。'
Ten o'clock！ Golly！ I never have slept that late before。*
*What you keep in that big hatbox you tote around with you？'
Mick reached into the stove and brought out half a dozen
biscuits。 'Ask me no questions and Til tell you no lies。 A bad
end comes to a person who pries。*
If there's a little extra milk I think Til just have it poured over
some crumbled bread；' her Dad said。 'Grave yard soup。 Maybe
that will help settle my stomach。'228
Mick split open the biscuits and put slices of fried white meat
inside them。 She sat down on the back steps to eat her
breakfast。 The morning was warm and bright。 Spare…ribs and
Sucker were playing with George in the back yard。 Sucker
wore his sun suit and the other two kids had taken off all their
clothes except their shorts。 They were scooting each other
with the hose。 The stream of water sparkled bright in the sun。
The wind blew out sprays of it like mist and in this mist there
were the colors of the rainbow。 A line of clothes flapped in the
wind—white sheets； Ralph's blue dress； a red blouse and
nightgowns—wet and fresh and blowing out in different
shapes。 The day was almost like summer…time。 Fuz2y little
yellowjackets buzzed around the honeysuckle on the alley
fence。
〃Watch me hold it up over my head！' George hollered。 'Watch
how the water runs down。'
She was too full of energy to sit still。 George had filled a meal
sack with dirt and hung it to a limb of the tree for a punching
bag。 She began to hit this。 Puck！ Pock！ She hit it in time to the
song that had been in her mind when she woke up。 George had
mixed a sharp rock in the dirt and it bruised her knuckles。
'Aoow！ You skeeted the water right in my ear。 It's busted my
eardrum。 I can't even hear。' 'Gimme here。 Let me skeet some。'
Sprays of the water blew into her face； and once the kids
turned the hose on her legs。 She was afraid her box would get
wet； so she carried it with her through the alley to the front
porch。 Harry was sitting on his steps reading the newspaper。
She opened her box and got out the notebook。 But it was hard
to settle her mind on the song she wanted to write down。
Harry was looking over in her direction and she could not
think。
She and Harry had talked about so many things lately。 Nearly
every day they walked home from school together。 They
talked about God。 Sometimes she would wake up in the night
and shiver over what they had said。 Harry was a Panthe