The Sittin' Up

The Sittin' Up by Shelia P. Moses Read Free Book Online

Book: The Sittin' Up by Shelia P. Moses Read Free Book Online
Authors: Shelia P. Moses
just wanted the night before to be a bad dream, but I knew it wasn’t. I knew he was lying back there in the Low Meadows, waiting for Mr. Gordon to come for him.
    By the time I had eaten my fourth biscuit my belly and heart were both hurting.
    I looked out the window at the menfolk.
    It scared me to death when Mr. Gordon opened the double doors to the casket factory. I could see caskets stacked on top of one another like ’bacco in the ’bacco barn after we finished priming.
    â€œBean, how do you know all of this? Were you in the room with Mr. Bro. Wiley when he died?” Mrs. Gordon asked.
    â€œNo, ma’am. I was in the hallway. I reckon I was acting just like somebody with no manners. I was listening in and I peeped sometimes to see all that I could see.”
    I wanted Mrs. Gordon to stop asking questions so I could hear what the menfolk were saying. That way I could go back and tell Pole. But she never broke a row. She asked me a million questions.
    Next thing I knew TJ and LJ drove up. I reckon they enjoyed having a telephone. Mr. Gordon put one in the twin brothers’ house, because he knew that death might come at any time and he would have to call them. TJ and LJ married twin sisters named Lessie and Bessie. They all lived together and them sisters sho’ did some bragging about having a telephone. Miss Lottie Pearl said there was no need for them to brag ’cause they ain’t got a soul to call. The only other coloreds with a telephone are the Creecys. But Lessie and Bessie weren’t thinking about Miss Lottie Pearl. They bragged whenever they pleased.
    â€œTime-time to go,” Papa yelled to me.
    â€œThank you for the biscuits,” I told Mrs. Gordon. “Bye, Miss Margie,” I said.
    â€œSee you later, young man,” she said as kindly as if I was a white boy.
    Mrs. Gordon followed me to the back door and waved at the men.
    â€œGood morning, fellows,” she said to the twins.
    â€œMornin’, Mrs. Gordon.” TJ and LJ tipped their hats and waved back.
    While she was waving, I remembered what Miss Lottie Pearl told us to ask Mrs. Gordon.
    â€œMrs. Gordon, Papa forgot to tell you that Miss Lottie Pearl would like for you to call up to Chicago to let the white folk know that Mr. Bro. Wiley dead. She want them to get word to Willie as soon as possible.”
    â€œYou tell Lottie Pearl that I will do it today and for her not to worry.”
    â€œHop in, Bean. We-we riding home with Mr. Gordon. I’ll come back for Mule Bennett before the sun goes down,” Papa said.
    â€œOkay, Papa, and I told Miss Gordon what to tell Willie’s boss.” I said it with pride because I remembered. Then I looked at the hearse.
    â€œWe riding in the dead folks’ car?”
    â€œNo, son, in my car,” Mr. Gordon said. “The hearse is to bring the body back to town.”
    I couldn’t believe it. I had never been in a new car before. I rode in Mr. Thomas’s work truck all the time and Uncle Goat’s car even though it broke down once a week. Mr. Gordon held the back door of his Ford for me—and just for a moment, I was a king. I looked at the silver dashboard with the nice radio. I could smell the black leather. I rubbed my hand on the seat. It was soft as butter.
    Mr. Gordon winked at Papa. He was grown and he could wink all he pleased, but I was as happy as a tick on a dog.
    The rest of the coloreds might be in a Depression but judging from his car I could tell Mr. Gordon wasn’t hurting for money. Papa always said folk ain’t gonna stop dying, so Mr. Gordon won’t run out of money.
    TJ and LJ followed us in the hearse. Folk walking and driving on Main Street slowed down for the funeral car out of respect. The colored women downtown shopping for the white folk waved.
    Mama’s friend and Mrs. Carter’s maid, Miss Lillian, yelled out to Papa: “Iz Mr. Bro. Wiley gone?” She had enough smarts to know

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