Read Online Getting Mother's Body by Suzan Lori Parks - Free Book Online

tell me to watch my mouth. Mother told me once that the street’s named for Mr. Sanderson’s father’s father, Gustav Sanderson, who founded Lincoln. Mother said that Mr. Gustav coulda named the town after himself but he wanted to show how fair he was so he named his town after Abraham Lincoln instead. When me and Mother was living with Dill, we seen the younger Mr. Sanderson walking down the sidewalk. He expected us to get off the sidewalk for him and his wife but Mother told him to kiss her behind.
    Aunt June shields her eyes from the sun so she can see Main Bully better, looking for the bus. From inside the store I can hear Uncle Teddy paying for my ticket and getting some candy. “Spot me a Baby Ruth,” he says.
    â€œOh, hell,” Bub Atchity goes.
    â€œMe and June gonna buy two tickets from you tomorrow,” Uncle Teddy says.
    â€œRound-trip tickets too,” June adds, turning her head to yell the news inside.
    â€œWhy don’t you buy em right now?” Atchity goes.
    â€œWe ain’t leaving until tomorrow morning,” Teddy says.
    June leans forward a little on one crutch, getting a better look down the street. The bus will come from the west, from where the night is headed, all bunched up like a dark-blue quilt.
    â€œThat bus is late,” June says.
    â€œWe could go in and sit and wait,” I says.
    â€œIf we inside when it comes it might not stop,” June says.
    I used to think that crutch under her arm hurt, but when she don’t wear sleeves you can see she got a patch of skin ringing her armpit, darker than the rest. She says the dark patch is why the crutch don’t hurt, even though she had the dark patch from since she was born and only lost her leg when she was my age. She says it was like something inside her knew she was gonna need that funny-looking skin.
    â€œYou leaving tomorrow you should buy yr ticket now,” Atchity says. “Save yrself the inconvenience waking me up at five in the morning.”
    â€œYou up anyhow,” Uncle Teddy says and the two of them laugh. Mr. Atchity, he got eight children and Mrs. Atchity is still nice-looking.
    When the bus pulls up, the Driver, a gangly white man with red-rimmed eyes, gets out. He stands at attention like he’s in the army or something.
    â€œLink-on!” the Driver barks. Where his shirt is open at the collar there’s a sunburn. I give Aunt June a hug, surprising us both.
    â€œDon’t forget to eat,” she says.
    The Driver opens up the underside of the bus, like the belly of a big cow. Uncle Teddy takes my grip and slides it neatly underneath. I hold on to my dress box and food, letting Teddy give the Driver my ticket and help me get on. When I get up the bus steps and turn to wave goodbye Uncle Teddy’s right behind me.
    â€œHere go yr candy,” he says, handing me the Baby Ruth he got.
    He’s standing on the steps and I’m standing at the Driver’s seat. The Driver slams the belly-door and comes to get on but can’t. Uncle Teddy’s in his way.
    I hold on tight to the dress box and the candy and the chicken.
    Uncle Teddy turns toward the Driver, looking down on him from his steps-perch. He holds his pointer finger in the air like he’s testing the wind direction or the Driver’s worth.
    â€œI don’t want no Freedom Riders, now,” the Driver says, looking past Uncle Teddy to get a better look at me.
    â€œMy niece is going to meet her husband up in Texhoma,” Teddy says, establishing me.
    The Driver’s face relaxes. “All aboard!” he yells from his place in the dirt.
    â€œTomorrow me and my wife June’ll be riding with you,” Teddy says.
    â€œTomorrow ain’t today,” the Driver says, “I got a schedule to keep.”
    â€œYou best sit towards the back,” Uncle Teddy whispers to me.
    â€œYes, sir,” I says.
    He gives me a kiss on the forehead. Something he ain’t