Memphis Minny get to singing on the radio how lean meat wont fry, which is about how the love dont last. Time to time, I think I might find myself another man, one from my church. Problem is, much as I love the Lord, churchgoing man never do all that much for me. Kind a man I like aint the kind that stays around when he done spending all you money. I made that mistake twenty years ago. When my husband Clyde left me for that no-count hussy up on Farish Street, one they call Cocoa, I figured I better shut the door for good on that kind a business.
A cat get to screeching outside and bring me back to my cold kitchen. I turn the radio off and the light back on, fish my prayer book out my purse. My prayer book is just a blue notepad I pick up at the Ben Franklin store. I use a pencil so I can erase till I get it right. I been writing my prayers since I was in junior high. When I tell my seventh-grade teacher I aint coming back to school cause I got to help out my mama, Miss Ross just about cried.
Youre the smartest one in the class, Aibileen, she say. And the only way youre going to keep sharp is to read and write every day.
So I started writing my prayers down instead a saying em. But nobodys called me smart since.
I turn the pages a my prayer book to see who I got tonight. A few times this week, I thought about maybe putting Miss Skeeter on my list. Im not real sure why. She always nice when she come over. It makes me nervous, but I cant help but wonder what she was gone ask me in Miss Leefolts kitchen, about do I want to change things. Not to mention her asking me the whereabouts a Constantine, her maid growing up. I know what happen between Constantine and Miss Skeeters mama and aint no way Im on tell her that story.
The thing is though, if I start praying for Miss Skeeter, I know that conversation gone continue the next time I see her. And the next and the next. Cause thats the way prayer do. Its like electricity, it keeps things going. And the bathroom situation, it just aint something I really want to discuss.
I scan down my prayer list. My Mae Mobley got the number one rung, then theys Fanny Lou at church, ailing from the rheumatism. My sisters Inez and Mable in Port Gibson that got eighteen kids between em and six with the flu. When the list be thin, I slip in that old stinky white fella that live behind the feed store, the one lost his mind from drinking the shoe polish. But the list be pretty full tonight.
And look a there who else I done put on this list. Bertrina Bessemer a all people! Everbody know Bertrina and me dont take to each other[19] ever since she call me a nigga fool for marrying Clyde umpteen years ago[20].
Minny, I say last Sunday, why Bertrina ask me to pray for her?
We walking home from the one oclock service. Minny say, Rumor is you got some kind a power prayer, gets better results than just the regular variety.
Say what?
Eudora Green, when she broke her hip, went on your list, up walking in a week. Isaiah fell off the cotton truck, on your prayer list that night, back to work the next day.
Hearing this made me think about how I didnt even get the chance to pray for Treelore. Maybe thats why God took him so fast. He didnt want a have to argue with me.
Snuff Washington, Minny say, Lolly Jackson heck, Lolly go on your list and two days later she pop up from her wheelchair like she touched Jesus. Everbody in Hinds County know about that one.
But that aint me, I say. Thats just prayer.
But Bertrina Minny get to laughing, say, You know Cocoa, the one Clyde run off with?
Phhh. You know I never forget her.
Week after Clyde left you, I heard that Cocoa wake up to her cootchie spoilt like a rotten oyster. Didnt get better for three months. Bertrina, she good friends with Cocoa. She know your prayer works.
My mouth drop open. Why she never tell me this before? You saying people think I got the black magic?
I knew it make you worry if I told you. They just think you got a better connection than most. We all on a party line to God, but you, you setting right in his ear.
My teapot start fussing on the stove, bringing me back to real life. Law, I reckon I just go ahead and put Miss Skeeter on the list, but how come, I dont know. Which reminds me a what I dont want a think about, that Miss Leefolts building me a bathroom cause she think Im diseased. And Miss Skeeter asking dont I want to change things, like changing Jackson, Mississippi, gone be like changing a lightbulb.
Im stringing beans in Miss Leefolts kitchen and the phone rings. Im hoping its Minny to say she found something. I done called everbody I ever waited on and they all told me the same thing: We aint hiring.[21] But what they really mean is: We aint hiring Minny.
Even though Minny already had her last day a work three days ago, Miss Walter call Minny in secret last night, ask her to come in today cause the house feel too empty, what with most the furniture already taken away by Miss Hilly. I still dont know what happen with Minny and Miss Hilly. I reckon I dont really want to know.