there. I really do. You got a good client base from here and they’ll follow you. Trust me, you’ll make
good money, more money than you make here, because you’ll get to keep your extra tips all to yourself.”
“For real?” said Daisy, thinking of Calvin’s greedy fingers letting her touch her money. “Okay, I’m in, I’ll do it, but Calvin,
I need more than a hundred dollars to get me through the rest of the week.”
“Aaww, damn, no you don’t. See, there you go, always got to mess up a good thing,” he said as he slid another hundred off
the wad of cash he had in his pocket.
“Thanks, Calvin,” said Daisy as she kissed his cheek. “You know what, Calvin. You sort of all right.”
“You just sort of be all right when you come back to work. Shit, don’t make no sense. All upside down on a pole, looking like
you the one that died,” he said, mumbling to himself.
Tildie and Kimmie Sue arrived two days later, just in time for the memorial service that Daisy had planned in her mother’s
honor. Tildie, a devout follower of the Trinity Spirit Worship House of God, was utterly dismayed by the fact that Abigail
had been cremated. She literally refused to sit in the same room with the ashes and was so angry at Daisy once she found out
what Daisy had done with her sister’s remains that she cried her heart out.
“Why did you do that to my sister!” she screamed at Daisy. “Why didn’t you call me? I would have buried her, I would have
buried my sister. Why did you do that? Why?” Daisy didn’t understand faith or beliefs and the principles associated therewith,
but she learned enough that day to know that the last thing her aunt would have done was cremate her mother.
After the memorial service, the three went out to eat. A small local restaurant that served soul food was only a few blocks
down the street. Kimmie Sue was taken in by the big-city streets and big-city signs. The lights, the colors, the fast-moving
traffic, and a brick on top of brick city opened Kimmie Sue’s eyes to a world that she hadn’t known existed. Her mother would
be packing up and leaving to head back to Tennessee in the morning, and of course, Kimmie Sue would be going with her. She
wished she didn’t have to. She wished she could stay and get to know her cousin, get to know Philadelphia. It seemed like
a nice town, with much to offer.
The next morning, Kimmie Sue and Aunt Tildie piled back into their Chrysler and made their way onto I-95 headed back to Tennessee.
Daisy watched the car as it traveled down the block.
In her head, she could see her cousin. “I sure do wish I could stay right here with you. You are so lucky living in this big
city and all. It’s sort of scary. You don’t get scared?”
“No, not scared, more tired than anything, I guess. City life is a harder life, I think, than living in the country. Just
something about the concrete that makes living in the city a little tougher, I guess.”
“I guess too,” said Kimmie Sue. “But, I’m fittin’ to come back here real soon.”
“I want to come and visit you too, Cousin Kimmie Sue.”
“Well, you’re welcome, just come on down and I’ll be waiting for you.”
They hugged each other and then Kimmie Sue pulled out a small button from her jacket pocket.
“This was Aunt Abbie’s.” She handed the button to Daisy, who stood looking quite confused. “It come off her shirt one day.
Momma said they were schoolgirls and it was the most embarrassing thing ’cause Momma said Aunt Abbie’s titties flew out her
shirt right smack in front of Wilson Carter, who everybody in the school had a crush on. Momma said Aunt Abbie wouldn’t come
out the house for a week, she was so embarrassed. Momma gave it to me and after she told me the story she said to always remember
to keep my buttons buttoned so I don’t reveal nothing that nobody needs to see.”
Daisy looked down at the button and closed her hand. She
good money, more money than you make here, because you’ll get to keep your extra tips all to yourself.”
“For real?” said Daisy, thinking of Calvin’s greedy fingers letting her touch her money. “Okay, I’m in, I’ll do it, but Calvin,
I need more than a hundred dollars to get me through the rest of the week.”
“Aaww, damn, no you don’t. See, there you go, always got to mess up a good thing,” he said as he slid another hundred off
the wad of cash he had in his pocket.
“Thanks, Calvin,” said Daisy as she kissed his cheek. “You know what, Calvin. You sort of all right.”
“You just sort of be all right when you come back to work. Shit, don’t make no sense. All upside down on a pole, looking like
you the one that died,” he said, mumbling to himself.
Tildie and Kimmie Sue arrived two days later, just in time for the memorial service that Daisy had planned in her mother’s
honor. Tildie, a devout follower of the Trinity Spirit Worship House of God, was utterly dismayed by the fact that Abigail
had been cremated. She literally refused to sit in the same room with the ashes and was so angry at Daisy once she found out
what Daisy had done with her sister’s remains that she cried her heart out.
“Why did you do that to my sister!” she screamed at Daisy. “Why didn’t you call me? I would have buried her, I would have
buried my sister. Why did you do that? Why?” Daisy didn’t understand faith or beliefs and the principles associated therewith,
but she learned enough that day to know that the last thing her aunt would have done was cremate her mother.
After the memorial service, the three went out to eat. A small local restaurant that served soul food was only a few blocks
down the street. Kimmie Sue was taken in by the big-city streets and big-city signs. The lights, the colors, the fast-moving
traffic, and a brick on top of brick city opened Kimmie Sue’s eyes to a world that she hadn’t known existed. Her mother would
be packing up and leaving to head back to Tennessee in the morning, and of course, Kimmie Sue would be going with her. She
wished she didn’t have to. She wished she could stay and get to know her cousin, get to know Philadelphia. It seemed like
a nice town, with much to offer.
The next morning, Kimmie Sue and Aunt Tildie piled back into their Chrysler and made their way onto I-95 headed back to Tennessee.
Daisy watched the car as it traveled down the block.
In her head, she could see her cousin. “I sure do wish I could stay right here with you. You are so lucky living in this big
city and all. It’s sort of scary. You don’t get scared?”
“No, not scared, more tired than anything, I guess. City life is a harder life, I think, than living in the country. Just
something about the concrete that makes living in the city a little tougher, I guess.”
“I guess too,” said Kimmie Sue. “But, I’m fittin’ to come back here real soon.”
“I want to come and visit you too, Cousin Kimmie Sue.”
“Well, you’re welcome, just come on down and I’ll be waiting for you.”
They hugged each other and then Kimmie Sue pulled out a small button from her jacket pocket.
“This was Aunt Abbie’s.” She handed the button to Daisy, who stood looking quite confused. “It come off her shirt one day.
Momma said they were schoolgirls and it was the most embarrassing thing ’cause Momma said Aunt Abbie’s titties flew out her
shirt right smack in front of Wilson Carter, who everybody in the school had a crush on. Momma said Aunt Abbie wouldn’t come
out the house for a week, she was so embarrassed. Momma gave it to me and after she told me the story she said to always remember
to keep my buttons buttoned so I don’t reveal nothing that nobody needs to see.”
Daisy looked down at the button and closed her hand. She
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