ONE parchman Farm Sunflower County Mississippi 1938 ΜΑ and Grandpops didn't tell me nothing cept we were going on the train From our house I could sometimes hear the train whistle on quiet nights Grandpops used to tell me sto ries about trains that carry people to places far away to a town I thought was called North Turns out that wasn't the name of a town at all just a place people bought a ticket to Ma made a mess of food She spent all Saturday cooking and the house smelled like frying grease and pickles and choc olate cake I told her twice I was hungry just to get a taste of something but she hit me so hard on my backside I stopped asking after that Way past supper and bedtime Grandpops came in my room whispering Lymon c'mon now Time we get going He dressed me quiet in my church shirt and pants wrapped my blanket round my shoulders and carried me out to his truck I remember the truck smelled like all the food Ma had been cooking and that smell woke me up good We going on the train now I asked 3
4 Sure are said Grandpops Ma just closed her eyes laid her head back against the seat and didn't say nothing I thought she was tired from all the cooking We drove quiet through the night till we pulled up to a small building Here we are Jackson Depot Grandpops said Grandpops lifted me out first and kept my blanket round my shoulders Then he helped down Ma Last he got the basket of food Ma made While Grandpops stood in line for tickets I looked round at all the other folks Most looking as tired as Ma and nearly all with food and bags and packages The ladies had on fancy dresses I grabbed Grandpops hand tight when I saw the lights from the train and heard its loud whistle when it pulled into the station huffing and puffing smoke Back home it sounded like a whisper but here it sounded it like a long scream I covered my ears and Grandpops laughed I nearly peed myself I was aching so bad to get on that train Stop that jumping Ma snatched my arm The train was so tall I didn't know how we were gonna get all the way up there but then a man opened a door and let down stairs Grandpops helped me up the steps and I walked into the train car It looked like it went on forever and when we walked through I ran my hand on the backs of the seats we passed I didn't care it was crowded and hot with people smells and food smells Felt good to be going somewhere new Skinny as I was I sat on the hard seat between Grandpops and Ma
5 You Train man yelled All aboard the Midnight Special When we gonna get there I asked Grandpops go on and sleep now We got a ways Be morning before we pull in Heard Ma suck her teeth and look away I told myself I'd stay wake the whole time so I wouldn't miss a thing Liked hearing the train men in uniforms ask for tick ets and listen to the folks talking and babies crying But it was so warm and tight in my seat I couldn't keep my eyes open I woke with my head in Grandpops lap and heard the conductor shouting Parchman Farm This it I asked sitting up straight Everybody got up to get off the train and there was a beat up bus waiting and we all got on that Wasn't near as fun as being on the train but Grandpops said Not long now and I mashed my face against the cool of the window In the back of the bus someone started singing a song I some times heard in church Few others joined in Out the window I saw rows and rows and rows of cotton as we drove up a long road and under a gate As soon as we stepped off the bus I heard someone shout Pops And there was my daddy His face was so fuzzy in my head I almost forgot what he looked like He was smiling big and walking fast toward us His black and white striped paja mas looked too big for him and I heard Ma breathe in fast
