The Castle Cross the Magnet Carter (20 page)

My cotton candy's blue, Roof's is purple, an we eat it slow the truck ride back, savorin till we gettin out fronta Roof's house.

Hose me down boy, his daddy say, then have another coughin fit. I say bye an walk toward my execution, since dark happened more n a half-hour ago.

Where the hell you been, boy! Missed supper, an you know you sposed to be in by dark! Before I can think what to say, An you
better
not tell me you an Roof hitchhiked to Marion again!

Okay, I won't tell you.

She hole me smack my behind, this time it
do
hurt. Then jus screamin, How many times I gotta tell you! An your daddy called an you missed him, now you got him worried too! Don't think you leavin this house tomarra! Not tomarra, not the nex day, not the nex! An the tears roll down her cheeks like
she
the one got smacked!

In bed turned away from Eliot wipe my face.

Dwight. Wamme getchu a chicken leg?

When I was little an Eliot a baby, Daddy use to talk about Jack an the Beanstalk, punished so he sent to bed without supper. My parents never refuse us food if they got it. But after a whippin who in the mood to eat? Even if I'm starved I say it: I ain't hungry.

Dwight! Telephone!

Drag down the steps.

Hello?

Hi Dad.

I know.

I know.

I know.

I won't.

Okay. Bye.

That all you have to say to your daddy?

I don't even answer, hoppin up the steps fass fore she hear my belly rumblin. He called at one week he called at two weeks, this only halfway into the third week so she musta instigated today's calls after I come home late. He wanna talk so bad he can come home do it in person.

Three days stuck inside. One afternoon I look out my winda, see Mr. Talley pushin the lawn mower round his yard, Christina pullin weeds. He's a teacher so like kids he got summers off. After a while he come over help her with the weedin. Talkin.

Eatin mornin cereal my lass day a prison. Can kids work in the mines?

What? she say. Newspaper open, her face in it.

Kids. Coal mines.

Shake her head. Use to. Not no more. President come out against it couple years ago. She turn the page.

Roof says
he
is. Nex year. Thirteen.

She frowns. He can't. Illegal.

There was one little white kid there, comin out all coal black. It's outa my mouth before I think prolly not a good idea to remind her a that excursion. But she don't get mad. Jus put down the paper, shake her head sad an sigh.

Like he sensed the day I'm granted parole, Roof come knockin.

Jacks?

We done about ten games on my front porch when I see down the street Carl's car pull up. Carl an his dad get out. I forgot this was the day he come home. His mother come out on the porch all excited, her han on her mouth, clappin her hands, chatterin fass but don't dare touch him. Mr. Talley stan with Carl a few minutes, his arm round his son's shoulders, talkin to him. An I'm sprised seein Carl lean his head against his daddy, like affection.
Your turn
,
say Roof.

Goin to Roof's that evenin I notice Carl's car gone, their family muss be out for his welcome-home dinner. I gather twigs to put somethin natural in the tower for a change, wonderin with Carl home if this might be the lass night a the Dusk Club. Meanwhile Roof comes up with somethin better n twigs. Tosses his jacks into the air an let em all fall, rainin on the tower, landin where they will.

You boys still out here?

Mr. John. Roof go to his sooty father, turn on the hose an water. I watch em a while, both kinda forgot about me. Nightly father-son ritual, them grinnin like this the firs time they ever done it, the coal rollin off Mr. John, rivers a mud at their feet.

Soon's I walk in the door she say Daddy's on the phone. Eliot hoppin aroun, Lemme talk again! Lemme talk again!

No, Dwight ain't talked to him yet.

Hi Dad.

Dwight! How are
you
?

Okay.

Have a good time with Roof?

It was okay.

Well. I got a couple little presents for you an your brother when I get home.

When's that?

I don't know yet but I sure am tryin hard to fine someone gimme a ride nex week. Nex week be a whole month since I seen my family.

Okay. Here, Eliot wants to talk again.

I gotta pee so run up the steps. Then I worsh my hands, look at my face in the meer. Then I throw water all over my face, wipe it. Look at my face in the meer.

Run down to the livin room where Mama on the phone now.

I gotta talk to Dad, I forgot somethin.

Wait a minute.

I gotta talk to Dad, I
forgot
somethin! She look at me a second, then han me the phone.

Dad! I forget to tell ya. I forgot to tell ya that day me an Roof went to Marion, you shoulda seen how Mr. John smile to see us! Then we rode back with Mr. John an Mr. John give us money an we went to the fair! We had cotton candy. We got on the Ferris wheel! So high up! Then we come back here, every night Roof hoses his daddy down from the mines, every night! An then, an then
Carl
, he been away, camp but he jus got back, his family sure glad to see him! His daddy picked him up from camp, maybe Mr. Talley'll play volleyball with us! He's a teacher, he's aroun
every day
,
all
day in the summers! Oh! An I think Mr. John likes our tower! Roof's an my tower! He sees how we build it, he sees it
every night
,
every night
!

I feel my mother start to rub my back soft an I snatch away from her, keep turned away from her. It was sposed to be a happy story, so how come the more I talked it the madder I got? Louder?

Stop cryin now son, my father say gentle, I miss you too. An after a few minutes my bawlin finally do subside, an then I hear Daddy's cousin Uncle Brice askin Daddy What's wrong? Here, you want my hanky? An for the firs time I wonder what it muss feel like other side a the receiver.

 

ELIOT

My mama gone to work an I stand in the pourin. She might smack me but I like the drench,
snap snap
hit the street. I like the smell, runnin! my arms stretch out.

Laughin all by yourself, like somebody crazy. Dwight on the front porch. Mama told him go to D'Angelo's, eggs an milk. Why he gotta come out barefoot, put his shoes on outside the house anyway?

You wanna play somethin? You wanna play mud pies?!

Think I'm a little ole for mud pies.

You wanna play jacks?

I gotta go to the store.

Then you play with me.

Goin to Carl's.

You don't never play with me no more!

He got his shoes on not even answerin, then I hear a cryin. Parker got locked outside Miss Onnie's! He on Miss Onnie's front porch, tryin to get in from the rain. I walk up, Miss Onnie's porch.

Hey you better not go there. Dwight got the terror eyes but I ain't leavin Parker out scared.

Ps ps ps. Parker! Here he come! Ps ps ps ps Miss Onnie's door fly open. I feel Dwight behine me on our porch shot up, standin. I stare at Miss Onnie.

Who toldju get on my porch, boy?

You lock Parker outside, he was cryin!

Aw, Yella Cat, sorry I done at. She tap the doorway with her fingertips for Parker to come but Parker ain't innerested. Miss Onnie frown. Then stay like that, ya high yella thing. She go back inside, shut the door.

I stay on Miss Onnie's porch pettin Parker. I look over at Dwight. Two Dwights. He starin at me. Then he laugh, run through the rain-rain to the store. A lightnin-thunder come: scare Parker! Miss Onnie come back out. I think she gonna yell at me Get off my porch! but she jus set in her rocker rockin gentle.

My mama use to say thunder was the devil beatin his wife. Miss Onnie lookin out at the rain. Then her eyes on me. You believe that? I shake my head. I don't believe that neither. Why they gotta come up with ugly stuff like that? Why your eye doin at?

I'm cross-eyeded.

Oh. Here.

She toss a ball a yarn at me, light blue. I hold it up, the string hangin down. Parker tryin to catch that string. Hahaha! Hahahaha!

Miss Onnie. How come you call Parker high yella?

She suck her teeth like she got kale stuck in em. Jus mean, she say. That's what people'd call me, High yella light enough to pass. Cuz my hair's good too. But I never wanted to pass. I picked my husband cuz he was the darkest thing goin, by luck he jus also happen to be the sweetest.

He die?

Uh-huh.

How he die?

She starin at the rain, I think she forget to answer. Then she say, The army, he was sposed to kill the Indians. The women, babies. He didn't wanna kill no Indians, he didn't mean that when he signed up for the army. So he left. Then the army found him an hung him. She sigh, then peer at me. You like cookies? I nod! She go into her house, come out with the ginger snaps. She holdin a skinny black cat. Some other ones try to get out but she take her foot, push em back in.

I let em out in a minute. You gotta watch out for the runts. She got a dish, give that runt a private feedin. This is Pepper. Name her after my mama. Slave. She an me like twins. She said all the white in me an her come from evilness. She married my daddy blacker n coal, an all my sisters an brothers come out a nice rich color but me. I marry Ronnie hopin he color up my babies but the two I had didn't stick in me past the second month. Then Ronnie gone to the army, then he gone.

It pourin harder! Rain sposed to cool off, not make it humider, she say. She walk over, stick her head over the banister edge. Gettin soaked! Shakin out her hair, the water fly everywhere! Miss Onnie look like a wet dog! Ah, that's better! she say. I come over stick my head out. Both us shakin out our soggy heads, gigglin!

After supper Mama fix us peaches n cream, tell us come out, keep her company on the front porch. We set on the slidin seat, two seats fit two grownups but Mama an us can fit three, I love the slidin seat! Mama in the middle, arms aroun us. Rain rain.

You on Miss Onnie's porch the whole afternoon? Dwight say.

Miss Onnie say I can play with Parker anytime I want! Even our yard.

You
been
playin with him.

Yeah but now I ain't got to sneak.

Cuz you an Miss Onnie
friends.

We ain't friends!

Stop fightin. But she don't say it mad.

When I was a girl, my mama told us those were the people dancin in the streets. See em? The splash when the hard raindrops hit the pavement, people dancin in the streets. See em?

I look. I see em! I see em! I'm clappin!

Dwight nod. I don't know why he look sad.

Nex day's a flood! Water up near toppa the curve! Curb! I wanna go out play in the flood but Mama say no, flood carry you away. It ain't that high! Then she let Dwight go to Carl's! She watch him, make sure he don't play in the flood, Mama watch me I go find Parker! She still say no!

Then the sun come out hard. Flood gone! I'm sad, then I see Miss Onnie feedin the birds. I run over! I help, Miss Onnie?

Take some crumbs. Me an Miss Onnie feedin the birds!

Dwight! Eliot! Supper!

I come back from Miss Onnie's. Dwight on Carl's porch, him an Carl laughin bout I don't know what.

Dwight! Mama call supper!

Dwight look right at me, then turn back to Carl,
still
laughin. When she swing open the door like to get mad he come off Carl's porch fass, head our way!

I helped Miss Onnie feed the birds!

He suckin his pigs' feet, look at me. Dontcha mean feed the cats?

She also feed the birds. She lock up the cats in her house, throw out the bread crumbs. I suck on my pigs' feet. I love pigs' feet!

Him an Miss Onnie big buddies now.

Well, she say. Nothin wrong with that.

Nothin wrong with it?
He's six, only friend he got some crazy ole lady? Pourin hisself ice tea from the pitcher.

Stop sayin crazy, boy.

I say, Lease
my
friend's colored.

The pitcher slip outa Dwight's han. Commotion to clean it up, Mama hollerin but Dwight jus stare at his shirt n pants all wet, like he froze jus starin.

Gettin ready for bed he don't say nothin. I feel like I wanna say, I got friends, I got Jeanine an em, sometime I go over to Colored Street an play but I prefer playin with Parker but I don't say nothin. We in the dark a long time, his eyes stuck on the ceilin.

Then he say, How many colored kids my age
in
this neighborhood? I ain't playin with no Kimmie an Talia. Girls.

There's Marco an Mokie.

This
neighborhood.

There's Richard.

Richard's miles away!

There's—

Nobody!

Then Dwight don't say nothin a while. Then he say, Me an Richard don't speak no more.

You tryin to pass?

I don't mean it mean, I jus wondered. Dwight chuckle to hisself. I wait for him say somethin else but he don't say nothin. Somethin keep me all night dreamin then wake, dreamin then wake an every time I'm wake I see Dwight ain't budged, eyes still starin at the ceilin like he tryin to do some arithmetic problem an the answer he hope written up there.

 

DWIGHT

I got a funny feelin. Carl wrote come down day after he get back, we set up the volleyball net but I got a funny feelin like I go to his house, he ack like he don't know what I'm talkin about, all different after three weeks away at camp. Also I really do wanna start dolin out my time more even between Carl an Roof. Maybe I oughta jus stay inside, wait for Carl come to me. But what if he don't?

Sketchin on my bed, almost eleven. Sky grayin over, seem like rainin every day. Maybe Carl at his house wonderin where I am after he wrote the invitation. If I'm goin, better now before the torrent.

Soon as I step out my front door I get shook. There's Carl on his porch lookin down at Roof on the sidewalk below. Engaged in conversation. Now Carl turn my way. Wave, smilin. Roof see me too. I wave not smilin, stroll down, no kinda rush.

The firs day do
not
wear red, Roof's sayin to Carl. That's Humble East, cross town. Rival, you musta heard of em by now. Blue's nice to wear, Humble West blue, or you can wear some other color, jus not red.

Never?

Football days, when there's games, always blue. If ya can. Maybe all your blue's dirty. But not red. You can wear red any day but football days an the firs day.

How're the teachers?

I ain't heard much. Be my firs year secondary too. I did hear pray you don't get ole Miss Englewood, English.

Pick your classes?

Uh-uh, not till ninth. Seventh an eighth they assign sections. All the sudden thunderclap an a streak.

Whoa! says Carl. You all wanna play Monopoly? Indicatin the porch.

Roof look at me a second, like he need my permission. I say nothin. Okay, he say to Carl. Well, I ain't never played it before.

I'll teach ya. I taught Dwight, an Carl goes inside to get the board as the big drops start ploppin. I notice the two of em jus decided it's Monopoly, ain't neither one bothered to wait for my two cents.

On Carl's porch Roof says, He was askin about school. Cuz almost August, an me an him at the same school after Labor Day.

I thought you didn't like him. Lower my voice.

Roof shrugs. Foun a penny in the yard, on my way to D'Angelo's get some bubble gum he stops me, talkin. Roof shrugs again. Guess he okay.

You have a choice of the iron, the thimble, the rocking horse, the purse, the cannon, the hat, or the lantern, Carl comin out says to Roof. I like the sports car, Dwight likes the shoe, and we lost the battleship.

Maybe I wanna be lantern today, I say.

I be the shoe then, says Roof.

We set cross-leg, board in the middle while Carl explains every stupid lass detail to Roof. The worth a each property, land versus the railroads, how to get sent to jail, developments.

Since ya brought it up. We say limit to one hotel, or no limits?

I see Carl's eyes glance to Mediterranean and Baltic.
My
strategy! Buy the cheap land an cover it in prime real estate!

Well, strictly according to the rules, only one. But if we decide to bend the rules—

Let's stick by the rules, I say.

Who wants to be banker? You probably shouldn't since you never played before. Dwight?

This the firs time that question's been put to me. Every other instance Carl jus automatically appoint himself
banker. I wanna say No thank you jus to catch him by surprise, but say no now I might never get the question asked again.

After two passin goes for which I give him his two hundred an a lotta property bought, Roof is happy with rollin two trays an ecstatic followin em up with boxcars, thinkin he on a doubles streak, till Carl remines him three doubles is a jail sentence, so then Roof look more serious rollin an rollin an rollin the dice in his hand, prayin not to repeat his good luck which suddenly be bad. I imagined this day different, Carl's firs full day back. Sunny an puttin up the volleyball net an me askin him about camp an what is tetherball an maybe his daddy an sister joinin in to volleyball an his mama bringin out the lemonade. I could ask Carl about camp now but I don't wanna. It was somethin I had in my head to be a conversation between two friends already knowed each other pretty good.

Roof!

His mother hollerin. After all Carl's explanations, we ain't been playin long enough for anybody to buy up a whole lot so them green houses and red hotels Roof been eyein the whole game don't never even come out the box. Roof let go a big groan an despite the monsoon drag his feet all the way up the street to his house.

Carl look at me.

You wanna keep playin?

I shrug.

Wamme teach you piano?

We set on the bench side by side. He liffs the cover. My eyes dancin. All them keys!

Listen to this.

Okay, that's Middle C. I'm gonna teach ya the C Major scale now. It's all white so don't worry about the black now. C D E F G A B and now you're back to C. Listen to this C, now this C. That's an octave.

Why don't it start with A?

Huh?

You jus went by the alphabet, C D E F G A B. Wouldn't it be easier A B C D E F G ?

A's not in the middle.

Well maybe it oughta be.

Well it's not. Now play that C Major scale.

Huh?

What I just did. Not so fast! you need to hear every note. Yeah. That's good. Okay, chords. A chord is at least three notes at the same time. See? Try it.
Why'd you hit that black key?

I like the black keys.

That sounded terrible! You're not ready for the black keys yet, they're sharp.

After supper I think about goin to Roof's but the rain pourin again, how we sposed to do our outdoor tower ritual? Anyhow I already seen Roof today. Carl's.

Nex mornin still drizzly. I knock on Roof's door early. Miss Ray Anne holdin the baby, smilin.

Oh hello there Dwight. Roof ain't up yet.

Could you tell him I be aroun for the Dusk Club if it ain't rainin?

The Dusk Club?

Uh-huh.

Okay.

That was luck. If it'd been Roof he'da wondered why I couldn't play
now
. Though I kinda covered myself there, I could say I gotta do my chores now which wouldn't be a lie cuz I leff the house before my work, now gotta go back hit it. But
after
your chores, he'd surely say nex, an then I'd be stuck. Cuz
after
my chores I planned to go to Carl's. I
do
plan on splittin time between em but I ain't seen Carl in three weeks so we gotta catch up.

The sun suddenly out bright. Takes a while to set up the poles for the volleyball net, his dad comin out to help. When it's ready we play two against one, firs game Mr. Talley on my team, second Mr. Talley versus me an Carl. Mrs. Talley come out with some kinda fruit punch she say she been experimentin with. She happy to see me, she missed me. Then me an Carl one-on-one till supper.

What's tetherball?

Stupid camp game. (I don't say but recall Carl mentionin in his letter he liked it.) Ball tied to a rope, rope tied to top of a pole. You hit it one direction, your opponent hits it back at you. Poor man's volleyball, then he tells me at camp he learned the 1942 volleyball official new rule: touchin the ball anywhere from the knees up is legal.

Sky clouded over again but I can't exactly cancel the Dusk Club cuza overcast. Roof's dirt yard's muddy, which I enjoy. The tower pretty much decimated from the rains, the pieces lyin in a pile roun the foundation so we rebuild from scratch, embracin the opportunity to make it better. It's fun, but tomarra I want more volleyball or another piano lesson. I don't know what I'm gonna say when Roof asks me about tomarra, but he never does. Instead he jus seem grateful I bothered with him at all with Carl back. Walkin home I turn aroun at my house an sprised to see Roof still standin there, lookin at me kinda sad.

Flood! I beg her can I go to Carl's an firs she say no, then she relent but watch me from our porch, make sure I don't stop to play in the water. Like I'm really gonna drown, four-inch deep.

After my piano lesson Carl pull out Criss-Crosswords. Carl got so much indoor stuff rainy days ain't never a disappointment! Mrs. Talley bring us brownies an milk. Carl spells BELCH the same time he does, loud. We both crackin up. Then I take his C and CADET. Then he take my T an TRASH.

I was thinkin of whatshisname up the street. Then he roll over laughin again.

Till that moment I had no idea if maybe Carl felt different about Roof, him actin all cordial that Monopoly day. I start up again too, all contagious, howlin till the tears. Then I try to take the S for JUDAS, J tile's eight points, but Carl says no proper nouns so I pass.

When I knock on Carl's nex day his mother answers. She done sent him to D'Angelo's for eggs, but Come on in, Dwight, you can wait for him in the family room with Mr. Talley.

I'd just as soon wait out on the porch but I do like I'm told. I like Carl's family but without Carl I feel kinda funny.

Listen to this, Dwight, says Mr. Talley. You know it?

He got his phonograph playin. I seen it before but this the firs time it been turned on while I'm here.

Touch it if you want, Mr. Talley says. Gentle, don't make the record skip. You know Jelly Roll Morton?

I hearda him.

Stride piano. The right hand playing the melody while the left brings in the bassline. Rhythm. Morton could play the melody with just his right
thumb!
In the bass he moved in major and minor sixths instead of octaves. New Orleans sound. You hear it in Satchmo. You know Louis Armstrong?

I nod. I think, I didn't imagine colored music be comin outa this record player!

God, I wish Bolden's recordings had survived! Not many were made, the technology wasn't yet in place. His band was the start of it all. Jazz.

Dwight, say Mrs. Talley enterin with her tray, have a cookie?

If the Bartons had a phonograph surely be nothin but country n western comin out of it. An never know when nigger gonna pop outa one a them Barton kids' mouths. I kep waitin for that here, but guess it ain't gonna happen. Whole different brand a white people, like they don't even notice I'm colored. Carl walks in the door. Badminton or volleyball? he say to me.

Walkin home for supper I think maybe better I spend more time at Carl's. Good for me, make me on bess behavior, show em how Negroes can be. Up the street I notice Mr. John's pickup parked, muss be his day off. He don't get many days off. Mr. John an Miss Ray Anne's nice. Still, bein with Roof an his family I sure ain't improvin on myself. I ain't tried at all to be on good behavior there, I jus am what I am.

Some days go by I forget about the Dusk Club, or playin till dark with Carl then too late for the Dusk Club. One evenin Carl an his family go out to some barbecue they was invited to an I use the opportunity to walk up to Roof's. Miss Ray Anne answer the door.

Oh hi, Dwight. Where's Roof?

I step back. I come over here lookin for
him
.

Oh. She look confused. Oh. I
thought
that was odd. Lass couple days he say I'm goin out with
my friend
, I thought Why don't he jus say Dwight? But guess he meant some other friend. I didn't know he had no other friends! She laughs. From inside the house Beaver an Cath Cath start fightin over somethin. Oh I better see what that's about. You come aroun again soon, honey. An she shut the door.

I turn aroun to walk on home, then stop. Go back, take a glance in Roof's backyard. Not a remnant left a the castle we built, cleared away clean like it was never there.