Color Purple, The - Alice Walker [23]
Say what? ast Mr.???.
Squeak cheek turn red. She mumble again.
He your what? Mr.??? ast.
Cousin, she say.
Mr.??? look at her.
Daddy, she say. She cut her eye at Harpo. Look at the floor.
He know anything bout it? ast Mr.???.
Yeah, she say. He got three children by my mama. Two younger than me.
His brother know anything bout it? ast Mr. ___.
One time he come by the house with Mr. Jimmy, he give us all quarters, say we sure do look. like Hodges.
Mr.??? rear back in his chair, give Squeak a good look from head to foot. Squeak push her greasy brown hair back from her face.
Yeah, say Mr.???. I see the resemblance. He bring his chair down on the floor.
Well, look like you the one to go.
Go where, ast Squeak.
Go see the warden. He your uncle.
Us dress Squeak like she a white woman, only her clothes patch. She got on a starch and iron dress, high heel shoes with scuffs, and a old hat somebody give Shug. Us give her a old pocketbook look like a quilt and a little black bible. Us wash her hair and git all the grease out, then I put it up in two plaits that cross over her head. Us bathe her so clean she smell like a good dean floor.
What I'm gon say? she ast.
Say you living with Sofia husband and her husband say Sofia not being punish enough. Say she laugh af the fool she make of the guards. Say she gitting along just fine where she at. Happy even, long as she don't have to be no white woman maid.
Gracious God, say Squeak, how I'm gonna tune up my mouth to say all that?
He ast you who you is, make him remember. Tell him how much that quarter he give you meant to you.
That was fifteen years ago, say Squeak, he ain't gonna remember that.
Make him see the Hodges in you, say Odessa. He'll remember.
Tell him you just think justice ought to be done, yourself. But make sure he know you living with Sofia husband, say Shug. Make sure you git in the part bout being happy where she at, worse thing could happen to her is to be some white lady maid.
I don't know, say the prizefighter. This sound mighty much like some ole uncle Tomming to me.
Shug snort, Well, she say, Uncle Tom wasn't call Uncle for nothing.
Poor little Squeak come home with a limp. Her dress rip. Her hat missing and one of the heels come off her shoe.
What happen? us ast.
He saw the Hodges in me, she say. And he didn't like it one bit.
Harpo come up the steps from the car. My wife beat up, my woman rape, he say. I ought to go back out there with guns, maybe set fire to the place, burn the crackers up.
Shut up, Harpo, say Squeak. I'm telling it.
And she do.
Say, the minute I walk through the door, he remembered me.
What he say? us ast.
Say, What you want? I say, I come out of the interest I haves in seeing justice is done. What you say you want? he ast again.
I say what yall told me to say. Bout Sofia not being punish enough. Say she happy in prison, strong girl like her. Her main worry is just the thought of ever being some white woman maid. That what start the fight, you know, I say. Mayor's wife ask Sofia to be her maid. Sofia say she never going to be no white woman's nothing, let alone maid.
That so? he ast, all the time looking me over real good.
Yessir, I say. Say, prison suit her just fine. Shoot, washing and ironing all day is all she do at home. She got six children, you know.
That a fact? he say.
He come from behind his desk, lean over my chair.
Who your folks? he ast.
I tell him my mama's name, grandmama's name. Grandpa's name.
Who your daddy? he ast. Where you git them eyes?
Ain't got no daddy, J say.
Come on now, he say. Ain't I seen you before?
I say, Yessir. And one time bout ten years ago, when I was a little girl, you give me a quarter. I sure did preshate it, I say.
I don't remember that, he say.
You come by the house with my mama friend, Mr. Jimmy, I say.
Squeak look round at all of us. Then take a deep breath. Mumble.
Say what? ast Odessa.
Yeah, say Shug, if you can't tell us, who you gon tell, God?
He took my hat off, say Squeak. Told me to undo my dress. She drop her head, put her face hi