Miss Leefolt aint here so I think about calling Minny at Miss Walter, see if she found any work yet. But before I get around to it, theys a knock on the back door. I open it to see one a the workmen standing there. He real old. Got coveralls on over a white collar shirt.
Hidee, maam. Trouble you for some water? he ask. I dont recognize him. Must live somewhere south a town.
Sho nuff[16], I say.
I go get a paper cup from the cupboard. Its got happy birthday balloons on it from when Mae Mobley turn two. I know Miss Leefolt dont want me giving him one a the glasses.
He drink it in one long swallow and hand me the cup back. His face be real tired. Kind a lonesome in the eyes.
How yall coming along? I ask.
Its work, he say. Still aint no water to it. Reckon we run a pipe out yonder from the road.
Other fella need a drink? I ask.
Be mighty nice. He nod and I go get his friend a little funny-looking cup too, fill it up from the sink.
He dont take it to his partner right away.
Beg a pardon, he say, but where He stand there a minute, look down at his feet. Where might I go to make water?
He look up and I look at him and for a minute we just be looking. I mean, its one a them funny things. Not the ha-ha funny but the funny where you be thinking: Huh. Here we is with two in the house and one being built and they still aint no place for this man to do his business.
Well I aint never been in this position before. The youngun, Robert, who do the yard ever two weeks, I guess he go fore he come over. But this fella, he a old man. Got heavy wrinkled hands. Seventy years a worry done put so many lines in his face, he like a roadmap.
I spec you gone have to go in the bushes, back a the house, I hear myself say, but I wish it werent me. Dogs back there, but he wont bother you.
Alright then, he say. Thank ya.
I watch him walk back real slow with the cup a water for his partner.
The banging and the digging go on the rest a the afternoon.
All the next day long, theys hammering and digging going on in the front yard. I dont ask Miss Leefolt no questions about it and Miss Leefolt dont offer no explanation. She just peer out the back door ever hour to see whats going on.
Three oclock the racket stops and the mens get in they truck and leave. Miss Leefolt, she watch em drive off, let out a big sigh. Then she get in her car and go do whatever it is she do when she aint nervous bout a couple a colored mens hanging round her house.
After while, the phone ring.
Miss Leef
She telling everbody in town Im stealing! Thats why I cant get no work! That witch done turned me into the Smart-Mouthed Criminal Maid a Hinds County!
Hold on, Minny, get your breath
Before work this morning, I go to the Renfroes over on Sycamore and Miss Renfroe near bout chase me off the property. Say Miss Hilly told her about me, everbody know I stole a candelabra from Miss Walters!
I can hear the grip she got on the phone, sound like she trying to crush it in her hand. I hear Kindra holler and I wonder why Minny already home. She usually dont leave work till four.
I aint done nothing but feed that old woman good food and look after her!
Minny, I know you honest. God know you honest.
Her voice dip down, like bees on a comb. When I walk into Miss Walters, Miss Hilly be there and she try to give me twenty dollars. She say, Take it. I know you need it, and I bout spit in her face. But I didnt. No sir. She start making this panting noise, she say, I did worse.
What you did?
I aint telling[17]. I aint telling nobody about that pie. But I give her what she deserve! She wailing now and I feel a real cold fear. Aint no game crossing Miss Hilly. I aint never gone get no work again, Leroy gone kill me
Kindra gets to crying in the background. Minny hang up without even saying goodbye. I dont know what she talking about a pie. But Law, knowing Minny, it could not have been good.
That night, I pick me a poke salad and a tomato out a Idas garden. I fry up some ham, make a little gravy for my biscuit. My wig been brushed out and put up, got my pink rollers in, already sprayed the Good Nuff on my hair. I been worried all afternoon, thinking bout Minny. I got to put it out a my mind if Im on get some sleep tonight.
I set at my table to eat, turn on the kitchen radio. Little Stevie Wonders[18] singing Fingertips. Being colored aint nothing on that boy. He twelve years old, blind, and got a hit on the radio. When he done, I skip over Pastor Green playing his sermon and stop on WBLA. They play the juke-joint blues.
I like them smoky, liquor-drinking sounds when it get dark. Makes me feel like my whole house is full a people. I can almost see em, swaying here in my kitchen, dancing to the blues. When I turn off the ceiling light, I pretend we at The Raven. Theys little tables with red-covered lights. Its May or June and warm. My man Clyde flash me his white-toothed smile and say Honey, you want you a drink? And I say, Black Mary straight up and then I get to laughing at myself, setting in my kitchen having this daydream, cause the raciest thing I ever take is the purple Nehi.