Negro Digest - Freedom Archives

as Mike and Jim dashed down the
steps .
"Just one game," I begged .
"Listen honey," Tina said, turning
to face me . "Do you wanna play
hide and seek with us tonight?"
"Sure ."
"Okay . Keep quiet when we're
talking business," she said .
"Business," I mumbled . "Hey
you, hey girl," I said, calling to
Jan~ce . I stopped when I saw Tina's
dirty look and pretended I was
talking to myself . I picked up my
ones . I heard the screen door open
as I started my twos . I glanced up
and saw Miss Ruth standing next
to Janice . Mike whistled softly .
Miss Ruth smiled as she looked
across the porch at us . She was a
short, thin woman, just five feet tall
in heels . And she always wore
heels . She looked cool in her pink
sleeveless dress . I smiled at her
shyly . She looked like a fragile toy,
like something you would pick up
carefully and hold gently with both
hands .
"Hello," she said in a soft voice .
She always spoke softly around us .
I mumbled and looked down at
her tiny feet .
``Hi, Miss Ruth," Mike said .
"Hi," Tina and Jim said at the
same time . They looked at each
other and giggled.
Miss Ruth turned away from us
and leaned over Janice . "Why
don't you play with them?" she
asked .
"I wanna read," Janice said . Her
NEGRO DIGEST March 1968
voice sounded hard compared to
her mother's .
"You read too much," Miss
Ruth said . She put her hand on
Janice's shoulder . "Honey, you
ought to play with other kids ."
Janice didn't say anything . She
didn't seem to be listening .
"I'm going to get some beer,"
Miss Ruth said . "Shouldn't be gone
long . If Curly comes before I get
back, tell him to wait ."
"Aw right," Janice said .
Miss Ruth walked down the
steps, her small hips swayed slightly
from side to side . I watched her
until she disappeared . I looked over
at Tina . She was standing in a
corner, talking to Mike and Jim . I
looked at Janice . She was watching
us with strange dark eyes . I held
the jacks up and beckoned to her .
But she seemed to be looking
through me . I threw the jacks on
the floor and picked up my threes .
"I'm glad to see you back from
the army front," Mike chanted . I
picked up the jacks and stared at
him curiously . He marched across
the porch . "Hey now," he continued,
"I'm glad to see you back from
the army front."
Tina put her hands over her
mouth and giggled . Jim laughed out
loud . Something funny was going
on . As usual I was left out of it .
"Hey, hey," Jim said, "I'm glad
to see you back from the army
front."
Janice looked up at Mike and
then at Jim and Tina . At first, she
seemed puzzled . Then Mike began
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