Read Online All the Right Stuff by Walter Dean Myers - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Walter Dean Myers
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âOnce upon a time, there were three little crabs swimming off the eastern shore of Maryland. The three crabs were named Billy Joe, Billy Bob, and Billy Come-Along. All day long these three little crabs would swim in the water right behind their mother. The first crab, Billy Joe, held on to his mother with one claw. The second crab, Billy Bob, would be holding on to Billy Joe, and Billy Come-Along would be holding on to him. When the mother crab would find some sea grub or something like that, she would eat part of it and give the rest to her little babies.
âOne day they were swimming near the pier when the mother crab saw a small trout caught in a trap. Well, she hadnât had any trout for a long time.
âShe went over to where the trout was lying in the trap. Kerblam! â Elijah clapped his hands together. âThat trap closed, and pretty soon it was being pulled out of the water. The three little crabs didnât much know what to do, and in truth, there wasnât much they could do. Their mama was gone. How were they going to get along all by themselves?â
âThe first crab, Billy Joe, looked up and saw a bird flying in the air. He said that looked like something he would like to do, and he climbed out of the water, went up the biggest mountain he could find, and jumped. Killed him stone dead.
âThe second crab, Billy Bob, saw a man walking his dog along the riverbank. Billy Bob thought that looked like a good thing to do, so he got out and walked along the riverbank, too. When the dog saw Billy Bob, he ran over and bit him in the back. Killed him stone dead.
âNow Billy Come-Along had seen all this and was a little nervous. At first he decided to stay right there in the water. But by this time, he was hungry. He swam over to the pier, and he saw a trout tied to another trap. He went over to get himself some trout while he thought things over, and kerblam! He was caught in that trap.
âThe man who had laid out the crab traps had his idea of what a good social contract was. The crabs had their idea of what a good social contract was, and the man fixing to cook up Billy Come-Along and his mama had his idea of a good social contract. When these contracts came together, it was clear that everybody needed to understand where the others were coming from. The moral of this story is that you got to learn about life and whatever social contract you find yourself living in, or youâre going to end up either dead, in hot water, or crawling along the bottom of life wishing you were doing better.â
âElijah, those three crabs were crabs!â I said. âI am not a crab.â
âAnd you think that makes a difference?â
âAll the difference in the world,â I said.
âYou think those crabs would think the same thing about you?â Elijah asked. âThat life was different for them because they had the privilege of being crabs?â
âI think you just say funny things like that when you canât think of a good answer,â I said.
âIâll finish up here later tonight,â Elijah said. âGet your coat. Iâve got someone I need you to meet.â
âSo who is this guy again?â We had locked up the Soup Emporium and were going to see one of Elijahâs friends at the fish market.
âIâve known John Sunday a long, long time,â Elijah said as we walked down Malcolm X Boulevard. âWe met way back in 1981, when I was working at Macyâs in the evenings. The night crew would order lunch around midnight, and John would deliver sandwiches and sodas. I lost touch with him for a while, but then I saw him selling fish in the market here about ten years ago. Interesting man, and an interesting part of the social contract.â
I pictured a guy who looked like Elijah, but maybe a little bit older. He would be sitting between the stalls in the market talking to a group of students or reading
âOnce upon a time, there were three little crabs swimming off the eastern shore of Maryland. The three crabs were named Billy Joe, Billy Bob, and Billy Come-Along. All day long these three little crabs would swim in the water right behind their mother. The first crab, Billy Joe, held on to his mother with one claw. The second crab, Billy Bob, would be holding on to Billy Joe, and Billy Come-Along would be holding on to him. When the mother crab would find some sea grub or something like that, she would eat part of it and give the rest to her little babies.
âOne day they were swimming near the pier when the mother crab saw a small trout caught in a trap. Well, she hadnât had any trout for a long time.
âShe went over to where the trout was lying in the trap. Kerblam! â Elijah clapped his hands together. âThat trap closed, and pretty soon it was being pulled out of the water. The three little crabs didnât much know what to do, and in truth, there wasnât much they could do. Their mama was gone. How were they going to get along all by themselves?â
âThe first crab, Billy Joe, looked up and saw a bird flying in the air. He said that looked like something he would like to do, and he climbed out of the water, went up the biggest mountain he could find, and jumped. Killed him stone dead.
âThe second crab, Billy Bob, saw a man walking his dog along the riverbank. Billy Bob thought that looked like a good thing to do, so he got out and walked along the riverbank, too. When the dog saw Billy Bob, he ran over and bit him in the back. Killed him stone dead.
âNow Billy Come-Along had seen all this and was a little nervous. At first he decided to stay right there in the water. But by this time, he was hungry. He swam over to the pier, and he saw a trout tied to another trap. He went over to get himself some trout while he thought things over, and kerblam! He was caught in that trap.
âThe man who had laid out the crab traps had his idea of what a good social contract was. The crabs had their idea of what a good social contract was, and the man fixing to cook up Billy Come-Along and his mama had his idea of a good social contract. When these contracts came together, it was clear that everybody needed to understand where the others were coming from. The moral of this story is that you got to learn about life and whatever social contract you find yourself living in, or youâre going to end up either dead, in hot water, or crawling along the bottom of life wishing you were doing better.â
âElijah, those three crabs were crabs!â I said. âI am not a crab.â
âAnd you think that makes a difference?â
âAll the difference in the world,â I said.
âYou think those crabs would think the same thing about you?â Elijah asked. âThat life was different for them because they had the privilege of being crabs?â
âI think you just say funny things like that when you canât think of a good answer,â I said.
âIâll finish up here later tonight,â Elijah said. âGet your coat. Iâve got someone I need you to meet.â
âSo who is this guy again?â We had locked up the Soup Emporium and were going to see one of Elijahâs friends at the fish market.
âIâve known John Sunday a long, long time,â Elijah said as we walked down Malcolm X Boulevard. âWe met way back in 1981, when I was working at Macyâs in the evenings. The night crew would order lunch around midnight, and John would deliver sandwiches and sodas. I lost touch with him for a while, but then I saw him selling fish in the market here about ten years ago. Interesting man, and an interesting part of the social contract.â
I pictured a guy who looked like Elijah, but maybe a little bit older. He would be sitting between the stalls in the market talking to a group of students or reading
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