Color Purple, The - Alice Walker [77]
But Shug spoke right up for you, Celie, he say. She say Albert, you been mistreating somebody I love. So as far as you concern, I'm gone. I couldn't believe it, he say. All along in there we was as hot for each other as two pistols. Excuse me, he say. But we was. I tried to laugh it off. But she meant what she said.
I tried to tease her. You don't love old dumb Celie, I said. She ugly and skinny and can't hold a candle to you. She can't even screw.
What I want to say that for. From what she tell me, Shug said, she don't have no reason to screw. You on and off like a jackrabbit.
Plus, she say, Celie say you not always clean. And she turn up her nose.
I wanted to kill you, said Mr.??? and I did slap you around a couple of times. I never understood how you and Shug got along so well together and it bothered the hell out of me. When she was mean and nasty to you, I understood. But when I looked around and the two of you was always doing each other's hair, I start to worry.
She still feel for you, I say.
Yeah, he say. She feel like I'm her brother.
What so bad about that, I ast. Don't her brothers love her?
Them clowns, he say. They still act the fool I use to be.
Well, I say, we all have to start somewhere if us want to do better, and our own self is what us have to hand.
I'm real sorry she left you, Celie. I remember how I felt when she left me.
Then the old devil put his arms around me and just stood there on the porch with me real quiet. Way after while I bent my stiff neck onto his shoulder. Here us is, I thought, two old fools left over from love, keeping each other company under the stars.
Other times he want to know bout my children.
I told him you say they both wear long robes, sort of like dresses. That was the day he come to visit me while I was sewing and ast me what was so special bout my pants.
Anybody can wear them, I said.
Men and women not suppose to wear the same thing, he said. Men spose to wear the pants.
So I said, You ought to tell that to the mens in Africa.
Say what? he ast. First time he ever thought bout what Africans do.
People in Africa try to wear what feel comfortable in the heat, I say. Of course, missionaries have they own ideas bout dress.
But left to themself, Africans wear a little sometimes, or a lot, according to Nettie. But men and women both preshate a nice dress.
Robe you said before, he say.
Robe, dress. Not pants, anyhow.
Well, he say. I'll be dog.
And men sew in Africa, too, I say.
They do? he ast.
Yeah, I say. They not so backward as mens here.
When I was growing up, he said, I use to try to sew along with mama cause that's what she was always doing. But everybody laughed at me. But you know, I liked it.
Well, nobody gon laugh at you now, I said. Here, help me stitch in these pockets.
But I don't know how, he say.
I'll show you, I said. And I did.
Now us sit sewing and talking and smoking our pipes.
Guess what, I say to him, folks in Africa where Nettie and the children is believe white people is black peoples children.
Naw, he say, like this interesting but his mind really on the slant of his next stitch.
They named Adam some other name soon as he arrive. They say the white missionaries before Nettie and them come told them all about Adam from the white folks point of view and what the white folks know. But they know who Adam is from they own point of view.
And for a whole lot longer time ago.
And who that? Mr.??? ast.
The first man that was white. Not the first man. They say nobody so crazy they think they can say who was the first man. But everybody notice the first white man cause he was white.
Mr.??? frown, look at the different color thread us got. Thread his needle, lick his finger, tie a knot.
They say everybody before