Negro Digest - Freedom Archives
Negro Digest - Freedom Archives
Negro Digest - Freedom Archives
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and I was afraid Mama would hear<br />
us . I backed to our side of the porch<br />
and sat down on the top step .<br />
All at once, I looked up and saw<br />
Mama standing at the screen door .<br />
She stepped out on the porch . Her<br />
face was wet with perspiration, and<br />
her stomach stuck out so far that it<br />
looked as if she had swallowed a<br />
watermelon .<br />
"What's all the noise for?" she<br />
asked crossly . Tina, Mike, and Jim<br />
released their hold on Janice and<br />
stood up . I stood up too . Janice<br />
rose slowly . Her nose was bleeding .<br />
She wiped her face on the bottom<br />
of her blouse . We all looked<br />
ashamed and guilty, the way you're<br />
supposed to look wren grown-ups<br />
catch you doing something wrong .<br />
But Janice put her hands on her<br />
hips and glared at my mother. With<br />
blood still dripping from her nose,<br />
she looked as if she were going to<br />
attack Mama . Mama looked at her<br />
with distaste .<br />
"Well!" Mama said . She waited<br />
for an explanation .<br />
"It's all her fault," Mike said<br />
quickly .<br />
"Sure was, Mama," I said .<br />
"We was out here playing, minding<br />
our own business, Miss Dorothy<br />
." Tina said . "Then she starts<br />
fighting and carrying on ."<br />
"Sure did, Mama . She said a bad<br />
mord," I said .<br />
"She's always causing trouble,<br />
Miss Dorothy," Jim said . "Can't<br />
nobody get along with her ."<br />
"Do you know what she said,<br />
Mama?" I said eagerly .<br />
60<br />
"I don't want to hear none of her<br />
nastiness," Mama said . "You little<br />
heifer, why don't you stay on your<br />
side of the porch if you can't play<br />
nice like the others ."<br />
"I am on my side," Janice said .<br />
If I had spoken that way, I<br />
would have been whipped .<br />
"Don't you talk back to me,''<br />
Mama snapped . "I don't play with<br />
children ."<br />
Janice closed her mouth tightly .<br />
Even though she was silent, she<br />
(coked defiant . Mama was furious .<br />
Sl.e couldn't bear to have anyone<br />
stand up to her . Again, I was impressed<br />
with Janice . "I don't want<br />
to hear no more foolishness from<br />
any of you," Mama said .<br />
I looked away from Mama to the<br />
other side of the porch, and I saw<br />
Miss Ruth peering through the<br />
screen door at us . I didn't know<br />
how long she had been there nor<br />
what she had heard . My face<br />
grew hot with embarrassment and<br />
shame . For the first time, I really<br />
began to feel the summer heat .<br />
Miss Ruth opened the screen<br />
door and poked her head out of it .<br />
Apparently she had been sleeping,<br />
for she wore a red bath robe which<br />
was unfastened . She held it together<br />
with one hand . "What's<br />
wrong?" she asked in a soft voice .<br />
"These kids are fighting again,"<br />
Mama said . She looked at Miss<br />
Ruth as if she were looking at sin<br />
itself . "I done told 'em I don't want<br />
no more of this foolishness . If they<br />
disturb me with their noise one<br />
more time, I'm gonna give every<br />
March 1968 NEGRO DIGEST