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
Ma he said kissing her on the cheek Grady is all she said But Grandpops pulled him in close and hard How you makin it son I'm making it Pops I'm making it And who is this young man growing tall as a weed Daddy asked looking down at me I'm Lymon I told him I know who you are boy He laughed and swung me up high Seemed like a big party All the men there dressed in the striped pajamas like Daddy There was music playing from a radio and couples were dancing close and kissing too Stop staring Ma told me and moved me away We laid down my blanket under a tree and Ma put out all the food she made Daddy and Grandpops talked and talked Ma barely ate You ain't hungry Ma I asked her My belly was hurtin cause I ate too many deviled eggs She didn't answer Just looked out past the trees Daddy showed us where he and the other men slept In one big house with beds all lined up next to each other He held my hand when we walked It was hard and dry and cracked but it still felt good holding mine After Ma cleaned up the food and cut the cake Daddy took out a harmonica He took his hands and made a cup around it and made music come out that sounded a lot like the train whistle 6
back at the depot As he was playing more and more folks came over standing round my daddy His face got wetter and wet ter the more he played Folks were clapping and moving to the music But then the white men with guns came over too and folks quieted down some When Daddy finished playing one of the white men stepped forward Your boy got talent he said to Grandpops Grandpops looked down Yessir he said quiet He behave hisself in here maybe he make you proud one day right boy he said to my daddy Yessir my daddy said and put his harmonica back in his pajama pocket Folks started moving away I went and sat up close to my daddy So how's my Lymon doing he asked smiling down at me Good Daddy How's your momma he asked I shrugged You know he ain't seen her since she left Why you asking foolishness She's there and he's here That's how she's doing Ma started coughing like she do whenever she starts yelling Alright now Lenore You getting yourself all worked up Ain't a need for all that today He's just asking a question is all Ma got quiet again Heard she went up to Chicago with her sister not too long ago Grandpops said into Daddy's ear Got another one on the way 7
