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me into trouble。
'
Trouble！' Jake said rudely。 〃What in the name of Christ do you
think you're in now？
'
'Less us quiet down；' Portia said nervously。 〃This here the way
it is； Mr。 Blount。 They done let Willie off at the camp before
his time were served。 But they done also impressed it on him
not to—I believe you understand what us means。 Naturally
Willie he scared。 Naturally us means to
249
be careful—'cause that the best thing us can do。 We already
got enough trouble as is。
'
'What happened to the guards？
'
Them w…white men were fired。 That what they told me。
'
'And where are your friends now？
'
〃What friends？
'
。Why； the other two boys。'
They n…not my friends；' Willie said。 'Us all has had a big
falling out'
'How you mean？'
Portia pulled her earrings so that the lobes of her ears
stretched out like rubber。 〃This here what Willie means。 You
see； during them three days when they hurt so bad they
commenced to quarrel。 Willie don't ever want to see any of
them again。 That one thing Father and Willie done argued
about already。 This here Buster'
〃Buster got a wooden leg；' said the boy by the window。 1 seen
him on the street today。'
This here Buster don't have no folks and it were Father's idea
to have him move on in with us。 Father want to round up all
the boys together。 How he reckons us can feed them I sure
don't know。'
That ain't a good idea。 And besides us was never very good
friends anyway。' Willie felt the stumps of his legs with his
dark； strong hands。 'I just wish I knowed where my f…f…feets
are。 That the main thing worries me。 The doctor never given
them back to me。 I sure do wish I knowed where they are。'
Jake looked around him with dazed； gin…clouded eyes。
Everything seemed unclear and strange。 The heat in the
kitchen dizzied him so that voices echoed in his ears。 The
smoke choked him。 The light hanging from the ceiling was
turned on but； as the bulb was wrapped in newspaper to dim
its strength； most of the light came from between the chinks of
the hot stove。 There was a red glow on all the dark faces
around him。 He felt uneasy and alone。 Singer had left the
room to visit Portia's father。 Jake wanted him to come back so
that they could leave。 He walked awkwardly across the floor
and sat down on the bench between Marshall Nicolls and John
Roberts。
'Where is Portia's father？' he asked。250
'Doctor Copeland is in the front room； sir；' said Roberts。
'Is he a doctor？
'
〃Yes； sir。 He is a medical doctor。
'
There was a scuffle on the steps outside and the back door
opened。 A warm； fresh breeze lightened the heavy air。 First
a
tall boy dressed hi a linen suit and gilded shoes entered the
room with a sack in his arms。 Behind him came a young boy
of about seventeen。
'Hey； Highboy。 Hey there； Lancy；' Willie said。 'What you all
brought me？
'
Highboy bowed elaborately to Jake and placed on the table
two fruit jars of wine。 Lancy put beside them a plate covered
with a fresh white napkin。
This here wine is a present from the Society；' Highboy said。
'And Lancy's mother sent some peach puffs。
'
'How is the Doctor； Miss Portia？' Lancy asked。
。Honey； he been mighty sick these days。 What worries me is
he so strong。 It a bad sign when a person sick as he is
suddenly come to be so strong。' Portia turned to Jake。 'Don't
you think it a bad sign； Mr。 Blount？'
Jake stared at her dazedly。 'I don't know。'
Lancy glanced sullenly at Jake and pulled down the cuffs of
his outgrown shirt。 'Give the Doctor my family's regards。'
'Us certainly do appreciate this；' Portia said。 〃Father was
speaking of you just the other day。 He haves a book he wants
to give you。 Wait just one minute while I get it and rinch out
this plate to return to your Mother。 This were certainly a
kindly thing for her to do。'
Marshall Nicolls leaned toward Jake and seemed about to
speak to him。 The old man wore a pair of pin…striped trousers
and a morning coat with a flower in the buttonhole。 He cleared
his throat and said： 'Pardon me； sir—but unavoidably we
overheard a part of your conversation with William regarding
the trouble he is now in。 Inevitably we have considered what
is the best course to take。'
'You one of his relatives or the preacher in his church？'
。No； I am a pharmacist。 And John Roberts on your left is
employed in the postal department of the government。'
'A postman；' repeated John Roberts。
'With your permission' Marshall Nicolls took a yellow
silk handkerchief from his pocket and gingerly blew
251
his nose。 'Naturally we have discussed this matter extensively。
And without doubt as members of the colored race here in this
free country of America we are anxious to do our part toward
extending amicable relationships。'
We wish always to do the right thing；' said John Roberts。
'And it behooves us to strive with care and not endanger this
amicable relationship already established。 Then by gradual
means a better condition will come about。'
Jake turned from one to the other。 'I don't seem to follow you。'
The heat was suffocating him。 He wanted to get out。 A film
seemed to have settled over his eyeballs so that all the faces
around him were blurred。
Across the room Willie was playing his harp。 Buddy and
Highboy were listening。 The music was dark and sad。 When
the song was finished Willie polished his harp on the front of
his shirt。 'I so hungry and thirsty the slobber in my mouth done
wet out the tune。 I certainly will be glad to taste some of that
boogie…woogie。 To have something good to drink is the only
thing m…made me forget this misery。 If I just knowed where
my f…feets are now and could drink a glass of gin ever night I
wouldn't mind so much。'
'Don't fret； Hon。 You going to have something；' Portia said。
'Mr。 Blount； would you care to take a peach puff and a glass of
wine？'
'Thanks；' Jake said。 'That would be good。'
Quickly Portia laid a cloth on the table and set down one plate
and a fork。 She poured a large tumblerful of the wine。 'You
just make yourself comfortable here。 And if you don't mind
I
going to serve the others。
'
The fruit jars were passed from mouth to mouth。 Before
Highboy passed a jar to Willie he borrowed Portia's lipstick
and drew a red line to set the boundary of the drink。 There
were gurgling noises and laughter。 Jake finished his puff and
carried his glass back with him to his place between the two
old men。 The home…made wine was rich and strong as brandy。
Willie started a low dolorous tune on his harp。 Portia snapped
her fingers and shuffled around the room。
Jake turned to Marshall Nicolls。 *You say Portia's father is
a
doctor？
'
〃Yes； sir。 Yes； indeed。 A skilled doctor。'252
'What's the matter with him？
'
The two Negroes glanced warily at each other。
'He were in an accident；' said John Roberts。
'What kind of an accident？
'
'A bad one。 A deplorable one。
'
Marshall Nicolls folded and unfolded his silk handkerchief。
'As we were remarking a while ago； it is important not to
impair these amicable relations but to promote them in all
ways earnestly possible。 We members of the colored race
must strive in all ways to uplift our citizens。 The Doctor in
yonder has strived in every way。 But sometimes it has seemed
to me like he had not recognized fully enough certain
elements of the different races and the situation。
'
Impatiently Jake gulped down the last swallows of his wine。
'Christ' sake； man； speak out plain； because I can't understand
a thing you say。
'
Marshall Nicolls and John Roberts exchanged a hurt look。
Across the room Willie still sat playing music。 His lips
crawled over the square holes of the harmonica like fat；
puckered caterpillars。 His shoulders were broad and strong。
The stumps of his thighs jerked in time to the music。 Highboy
danced while Buddy and Portia clapped out the rhythm。
Jake stood up； and once on his feet he realized that he was
drunk。 He staggered and then glanced vindictively around
him； but no one seemed to have noticed。 'Where's Singer？' he
asked Portia thickly。
The music stopped。 'Why； Mr。 Blount； I thought you knowed
he was gone。 While you were sitting at the table with your
peach puff he come to the doorway and held out his watch to
show it were time for him to go。 You looked straight at him
and shaken your head。 I thought you knowed that。'
'Maybe I was thinking about something else。' He turned to
Willie and said angrily to him： 'I never did even get to tell you
what I come here for； I didn't come to ask you to do anything。
All I wanted—all I wanted was this。 You and the other boys
were to testify what happened and I was to explain why。 Why
is the only important thing—not what。 I would have pushed
you all around in a wagon and you would have told your story
and afterward I would have ex
253
plained why。 And maybe it might have meant something。
Maybe it'
He felt they were laughing at him。 Confusion caused him to
forget what he had meant to say。 The room was full of dark；
strange faces and the air was too thick to breathe。 He saw a
door and staggered across to it。 He was in a dark closet
smelling of