Leaving Lymon

Leaving Lymon — page 5 — 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

Leaving Lymon — page 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

Leaving Lymon — page 7 — Daddy whistled through his teeth and shook his head Vera and Shirley send their best Grandpops told Daddy Clark got a good job at the new foundry in Milwaukee They told us to come up and join em Y'all thinking about going Daddy asked Nah I can't get this woman to leave Vicksburg for noth ing in the world right Lenore Grandpops laughed looking at Ma I saw a little smile at the corner of Ma's mouth First one all day Ain't no need dragging my tail all the way to Milwaukee when I got all I need right here in Mississippi She's talking about me Grandpops leaned over and kissed Ma a big kiss on her cheek She laughed then Stop that fuss Frank You are a fool One of the white man started clanging a bell and told every body visiting time was over Folks started picking up all their food and fixings and saying goodbye and kissing even more I couldn't help but stare then And Ma didn't stop me Someone was crying loud We stood up and I hugged my daddy tight round the waist You coming home with us I asked I saw the water in his eyes Not today son but I'll be home soon is all he said Grandpops took my hand Come on Lymon When Daddy bent down to kiss Ma I heard him say Don't 8

Leaving Lymon — page 8 — bring him back here no more I don't never want to see him inside this place again Ma pulled away from Daddy You should have thought about that before Hush Lenore Grandpops said mad Me and Ma walked onto the bus as Daddy and Grandpops hugged goodbye When the bus pulled down the long dusty road my daddy was the last one in a line of men in pajamas walking back into their house 9

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