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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 Pantheist。
That was a religion; the same as Baptist or Catholic or Jew。
Harry believed that after you were dead and buried you
changed to plants and fire and dirt and clouds and water。 It
took thousands of years and then finally you were a part of all
the world。 He said he thought
229
that was better than being one single angel。 Anyhow it was
better than nothing。
Harry threw the newspaper into his hall and then came over。
'It's hot like summer;' he said。 'And only March。'
'Yeah。 I wish we could go swimming。'
'We would if there was any place。'
There's not any place。 Except that country club pool。'
'I sure would like to do something—to get out and go
somewhere。'
〃Me too;' she said; 'Wait! I know one place。 It's out in the
country about fifteen miles。 It's a deep; wide creek in the
woods。 The Girl Scouts have a camp there in the summertime。 Mrs。 Wells took me and George and Pete and Sucker
swimming there one time last year。'
If you want to I can get bicycles and we can go tomorrow。 I
have a holiday one Sunday a month。'
'Well ride out and take a picnic dinner;' Mick said。
'O。K。 ITl borrow the bikes。'
It was time for him to go to work。 She watched him walk
down the street。 He swung his arms。 Halfway down the block
there was a bay tree with low branches。 Harry took a running
jump; caught a limb; and chinned himself。 A happy feeling
came in her because it was true they were real good friends。
Also he was handsome。 Tomorrow she would borrow Hazel's
blue necklace and wear the sfflc dress。 And for dinner they
would take jelly sandwiches and Nehi。 Maybe Harry would
bring something queer; because they ate orthodox Jew。 She
watched him until he turned the corner。 It was true that he had
grown to be a very good…looking fellow。
Harry in the country was different from Harry sitting on the
back steps reading the newspapers and thinking about Hitler。
They left early in the morning。 The wheels he borrowed were
the kind for boys—with a bar between the legs。 They strapped
the lunches and bathing…suits to the fenders and were gone
before nine o'clock。 The morning was hot and sunny。 Within
an hour they were far out of town on a red clay road。 The
fields were bright and ereen and the sharp smell of pine trees
was in the air。 Harry talked in a very excited way。 The warm
wind blew into their faces。 Her mouth was very dry and she
was hungry。230
'See that house up on the hill there? Less us stop and get some
water。'
'No; we better wait。 Well water gives you typhoid。'
'I already had typhoid。 I had pneumonia and a broken leg and a
infected foot。'
'I remember。'
'Yeah;' Mick said。 'Me and Bill stayed in the front room when
we had typhoid fever and Pete Wells would run past on the
sidewalk holding his nose and looking up at the window。 Bill
was very embarrassed。 All my hair came out so I was bald…
headed。'
'I bet we're at least ten miles from town。 We've been riding an
hour and a half—fast riding; too。'
'I sure am thirsty;' Mick said。 'And hungry。 What you got in
that sack for lunch?'
'Cold liver pudding and chicken salad sandwiches and pie。'
That's a good picnic dinner。' She was ashamed of what she had
brought。 'I got two hard…boiled eggs—already stuffed—with
separate little packages of salt and pepper。 And sandwiches—
blackberry jelly with butter。 Everything wrapped in oil paper。
And paper napkins。'
'I didn't intend for you to bring anything;' Harry said。 *My
Mother fixed lunch for both of us。 I asked you out here and
all。 We'll come to a store soon and get cold drinks。'
They rode half an hour longer before they finally came to the
filling…station store。 Harry propped up the bicycles and she
went in ahead of him。 After the bright glare the store seemed
dark。 The shelves were stacked with slabs of white meat; cans
of oil; and sacks of meal。 Flies buzzed over a big; sticky jar of
loose candy on the counter。
。What kind of drinks you got?' Harry asked。
The storeman started to name them over。 Mick opened the ice
box and looked inside。 Her hands felt good in the cold water。
'I want a chocolate Nehi。 You got any of them?
'
'Ditto;' Harry said。 'Make it two。
'
'No; wait a minute。 Here's some ice…cold beer。 I want a bottle
of beer if you can treat as high as that' Harry ordered one for
himself; also。 He thought it was
231
a sin for anybody under twenty to drink beer—but maybe he
just suddenly wanted to be a sport。 After the first swallow he
made a bitter face。 They sat on the steps in front of the store。
Mick's legs were so tired that the muscles in them jumped。
She wiped the neck of the bottle with her hand and took a
long; cold pull。 Across the road there was a big empty field of
grass; and beyond that a fringe of pine woods。 The trees were
every color of green—from a bright yellow…green to a dark
color that was almost black。 The sky was hot blue。
'I like beer;' she said。 'I used to sop bread down in the drops
our Dad left。 I like to lick salt out my hand while