A Family Thing Page #7

And he worked all the time

and once a month, he

took their spare money,

and he took her to Little Rock,

and he bought her something.

One time it would be a dress,

and maybe next time a little doodad

or earrings or something.

Then me and daddy used

to go round to his shop

every now and then

'cause daddy always liked people

who didn't talk much, you know,

and Bill, he didn't say much.

And so... but every time

I was over there

when it was getting time

to take her to Little Rock,

he talked a little more,

and he had this spark in his eyes.

That's what he lived for, see?

And I thought that was pathetic.

I thought, why,

that simple-minded

son of a b*tch.

I mean, I felt sad for him

'cause that's all he had.

And after being married

10 or so years,

she died from something, some kind of cancer

or leukemia or something,

and he quit talking

altogether for a while

till he got approved

to adopt a boy.

And the same thing started over.

Every fourth saturday,

him and that boy

went to Little Rock.

And when he was little,

he bought him a toy or two.

And when he got older,

it would be a suit and tie

or a book on baseball

or whatever else, you know.

But he spent every bit of himself-

body, mind, soul, and money,

on that boy.

And I was over there

a few years ago,

and somehow I got around

to asking the poor son of a b*tch

about the bad luck he'd had.

And he said one thing,

and went back to

sharpening an ax blade.

He said, "Being happy

ain't nothing more

"than having something to look forward to

and helping your people

"have something to look forward to.

"I reckon that's what

gets me through till tomorrow. "

Now, you and me...

Let me tell you...

have something in common

besides-you know what I mean.

I mean, we both find out

one day later on in life

that life wasn't going to

be what we thought it was.

Now, your knee's

busted all to pieces.

Now, you ain't never going

to be a football star.

And me, I'm not all Scots-Irish.

I'm going to have to

go face my family

and tell them they're going

to have to get used to it.

Now, two things, Virgil.

You better get something

to look forward to

instead of backwards at,

and you got a woman

and some children

that you owe them something

to look forward to.

And it ain't all about you.

Now...

Heh. Your daddy's a good man.

What can I say?

I mean, I'm, uh...

Hell, I'm...

I'm proud to call myself his brother.

Don't tell him I said that,

or I'll kick your ass.

Don't think I can't do it.

Yes, sir, I'll tell him.

Ok.

Thank you.

Earl, that you?

Yes, ma'am.

That was the police.

They found your truck.

It was just sitting on the street

over there in Rosedale.

They found it?

Was it all right?

Say it was fine except

for the bullet holes.

Bullet holes?

They say you can

pick it up tomorrow.

They just checking it out right now

for fingerprints and such.

Hold on a minute there.

What happened?

Them fools that took it

robbed a bank,

shot it out with

the security guard.

Well, ain't that some sh*t.

Huh.

Collect call from Earl.

Ruby?

Yeah. Heh...

I'm fine.

I'm still in Chicago.

Uh, I'm coming home

tomorrow, Ruby.

I didn't find my wallet,

but I found my truck.

Yeah. I'm fixin' to tell you about it.

Whoa. I'm fixin' to tell you,

hold on a sec.

You know, just because

you found your truck,

you shouldn't feel like

you got to r-r-rush off

if you want to hang

around a couple days.

No, I need to get back.

That nephew of mine

has probably run my business

into the ground by now.

All right, I got to get

something off my chest.

If i don't, it's going

to come out sometime,

and I'd just as soon

be done with it.

What do you want to tell me?

It's your daddy,

the way I feel about him.

Haven't we already been through this?

Damn.

I just want to make

you understand.

I've lived my life with

a hatred of that man...

and no way to get it out.

Since there's not much chance

of me having it out with him,

I guess you are the

closest thing to it.

You saying you want to

have it out with me?

I mean, we already wrestled

all over this neighborhood once.

Now, that wasn't

good enough for you?

I've always wanted

to kill your daddy

because I always felt

that he killed my mama.

That's it.

Just had to say it

to you that way.

I know it's not right,

or so they say,

but I just don't think I

can ever forgive him.

I'm gonna get me something to eat.

Virgil?

Yes, ma'am?

There's a big envelope

on top of the chest of

drawers in there in my room.

Get it and bring it in here to me.

Here you go, Aunt T.

Come on over here. I want

to show y'all something.

Come on, now, both of you.

Pull that footstool over aside me.

Sit down...

Raymond, that you

looking at the picture?

Yes, ma'am. Well, when you

get through looking at it,

I want you to hand it

to your brother.

You were a pretty

woman, all right.

Fool, there ain't

nothin' wrong with

the way I look now.

That ain't me, anyhow.

That's your mama...

That is, if Virgil brought me

the right envelope.

It's the right one, Aunt T.

Earl, put that picture

in your pocket.

Don't bend it and don't lose it.

That's your mother.

You don't have to give me this.

I ain't got to do nothin'.

Now, you take good care

of that picture.

You was born may 4, 1933.

It was somewhere around

about 10:
30 at night

in the old house

on section line road

by the tracks.

I was always told I was

born on november 23rd.

You always been told

a lot of things.

And there wasn't any real doctors

down there in that part of town.

Old man collins down the road

knew some doctoring,

but he has a stroke,

so Maotis Jones come

down to the house.

When I come in the house,

Maotis was lookin' for peppers

to put in the bed.

She told me the pepper

would ward off evil things.

Heh.

Most time, Maotis was lit up

like a christmas tree,

but she'd been a midwife

a long time

and could sober up right off

when there was a baby comin'.

Willa Mae was breaking

out in a sweat

and gettin' worse and worse.

Maotis said the baby was

turned around all wrong...

and maybe the cord

was around its neck,

and if it was gonna make it,

we was gonna have to hurry,

and she wasn't sure

she could do it.

Willa Mae... your mama...

took my hand.

Told me she hurt bad

and she didn't want

her baby to die.

She asked me if I thought

the good Lord was punishing her

for how the baby come to be.

I told her to stop that talk

and that every little baby

that was supposed

to be born is born...

the good Lord love

all the little babies.

Then she say,

"Tiara, go get Raymond. "

She wanted to see you

'fore she got any worse off

and couldn't see you so good.

So I went in the kitchen

and got you and took you in

to see your mama.

You were so scared to

see your mama like that.

She held onto your little hand,

and just for a minute or two,

she held up and acted like

there wasn't nothing wrong.

Then she pulled you in closer,

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