Go just a little for me, Baby Girl.
She stick her lip out, shake her head.
Miss Leefolt gone to get her hair done, else I ask her again will she set the example even though that womans already said no five times. Last time Miss Leefolt say no, I was fixing to tell her how many kids I raised in my lifetime and ask her what number she on, but I ended up saying alright like I always do.
I give you two cookies, I say even though her mama always getting on me about making her fat.
Mae Mobley, she shake her head and say, You go.[69]
Now, I aint saying I aint heard this before, but usually I can get around it. I know, though, she got to see how its done fore she gone get to business. I say, I dont got to go.
We look at each other. She point again and say, You go. Then she get to crying and fidgeting cause that seat making a little indent on her behind and I know what Im on have to do. I just dont know how to go about it. Should I take her out to the garage to mine or go here in this bathroom? What if Miss Leefolt come home and Im setting up on this toilet? She have a fit.
I put her diaper back on and we go out to the garage. Rain make it smell a little swampy. Even with the light on its dark, and they aint no fancy wallpaper like inside the house. Fact, they really aint no proper walls at all, just plyboard hammered together. I wonder if she gone be scared.
Alright, Baby Girl, here tis. Aibileens bathroom.
She stick her head in and her mouth make the shape of a Cheerio. She say, Oooooo.
I take down my underthings and I tee-tee real fast, use the paper, and get it all back on before she can really see anything. Then I flush.
And thats how you go in the toilet, I say.
Well, dont she look surprise. Got her mouth hanging open like she done seen a miracle. I step out and fore I know it, she got her diaper off and that little monkey done climbed on that toilet, holding herself up so she dont fall in, going tee-tee for herself.
Mae Mobley! You going! Thats real good! She smile and I catches her fore she dip down in it. We run back inside and she get her two cookies.
Later on, I get her on her pot and she go for me again. Thats the hardest part, those first couple a times. By the end a the day, I feel like I really done something. She getting to be a pretty good talker and you can guess what the new word a the day is.
What Baby Girl do today?
She say, Tee-tee.
What they gone put in the history books next to this day?
She say, Tee-tee.
I say, What Miss Hilly smell like?
She say, Tee-tee.
But I get onto myself. It wasnt Christian, plus Im afraid she repeat it.
Late that afternoon, Miss Leefolt come home with her hair all teased up. She got a permanent and she smell like pneumonia.
Guess what Mae Mobley done today? I say. Went to the bathroom in the toilet bowl.
Oh, thats wonderful! She give her girl a hug, something I dont see enough of. I know she mean it, too, cause Miss Leefolt do not like changing diapers.
I say, You got to make sure she go in the pot from now on. Its real confusing for her if you dont.
Miss Leefolt smile, say, Alright.
Lets see if she do it one more time fore I go home. We go in the bathroom. I get her diapers off and put her up on that toilet. But Baby Girl, she shaking her head.
Miss Leefolt smile, say, Alright.
Lets see if she do it one more time fore I go home. We go in the bathroom. I get her diapers off and put her up on that toilet. But Baby Girl, she shaking her head.
Come on, Mae Mobley, cant you go in the pot for your mama?
Noooo.
Finally I put her back down on her feet. Thats alright, you did real good today.
But Miss Leefolt, she got her lips sticking out and she hmphing and frowning down at her. Before I can get her diaper on again, Baby Girl run off fast as she can. Nekkid little white baby running through the house. She in the kitchen. She got the back door open, she in the garage, trying to reach the knob to my bathroom. We run after her and Miss Leefolt pointing her finger. Her voice go about ten pitches too high. This is not your bathroom!
Baby Girl wagging her head. My bafroom!
Miss Leefolt snatch her up, give her a pop on the leg.
Miss Leefolt, she dont know what she do
Get back in the house, Aibileen!
I hate it, but I go in the kitchen. I stand in the middle, leave the door open behind me.
I did not raise you to use the colored bathroom! I hear her hiss-whispering, thinking I cant hear, and I think, Lady, you didnt raise your child at all.
This is dirty out here, Mae Mobley. Youll catch diseases! No no no! And I hear her pop her again and again on her bare legs.
After a second, Miss Leefolt potato-sack her inside. There aint nothing I can do but watch it happen. My heart feel like its squeezing up into my throat-pipe. Miss Leefolt drop Mae Mobley in front a the tee-vee and she march to her bedroom and slam the door. I go give Baby Girl a hug. She still crying and she look awful confused.
Im real sorry, Mae Mobley, I whisper to her. Im cussing myself for taking her out there in the first place. But I dont know what else to say, so I just hold her.