Read Online Mama Black Widow by Iceberg Slim - Free Book Online

cause Ah know thet sheriff is cumin’ at noon time.”
    Mama and Junior stood frozen, staring at Carol and Bessie.
    Papa patted her and said, “Ain’t no sheriff cumin’. Me an’ Junior gonna’ dig up th’ thief an’ take him tu the big house fer his justiz on th’ punish spot. Mr. Wilkerson don’ welcome no law on his place iffen he kin help it.”
    Carol wailed, “Oh, Papa, the sheriff got tu come, ’cause thet money ain’t out there en sumbody else’s shack. It’s right en this shack! Junior took th’ money frum the big house! Papa, please don’ let th’ sheriff take Junior tu th’ pen.”
    The big vein at Papa’s temple ballooned out lividly like his head was going to explode. He roughly stood Carol on her feet andturned and seized Junior by the shoulders. He thrust his face close and moved his eyes up and down Junior’s face like he was reading a printed page.
    Junior’s eyes were bucked wide and his lips trembled to speak.
    Papa shook him hard, and he sobbed piteously, “Papa, God en his Heaven knows Ah ain’t stole nuthin’ en mah heart. Ah found forgot money, Ah thought. Ah figured we all ketch th’ Chicago train. Papa, whut you gonna’ do?”
    Papa embraced him for a long moment, and tears rolled down Papa’s cheeks.
    Then Papa flung him away and said very quietly, “Ah’m takin’ yu tu th’ big house so’s Mr. Wilkerson knows Ah ain’t hidin’ th’ thief’s face ’cause he mah flesh an’ blood. Yu goin’ tu git justiz on the punish spot fer stealin’. Where them greenbacks?”
    Junior moaned, “Mama got ’em. Please, Papa, don’ take me! Don’ take me!”
    Mama took the bills from her bosom and stepped between them.
    Her words were rapid and impassioned. “Frank, ain’t no need tu take mah chile up there fer white folks tu tear his hide off. Fact is, ain’t even no wiz reasun tu take this money back. Ole man Wilkerson were bull scarin’ us ’bout ole Miz fetchin’ the sheriff en tuday. Ain’t no way fer him not tu smell thet funky still stinkin’ up th’ place.
    â€œAn’ sumthin’ else. How we know Wilkerson ain’t ben robbin’ us wid his pencil all these years? How we know, Frank? Remember whut thet niggah tole us en Meridian even ’fore we cum tu wurk here. We ain’t cumalated nuthin’. Don’ be no fool, Frank. We keep this money an’ tuff it out. Few months we ease off this plantashun an’ ketch th’ fust thing smokin’ tu Cheecogo.”
    Papa had been standing with an unbelieving expression on his face.
    He snatched the bills from Mama’s hands and said carefully, “Sedalia, Lawd have mercy on yo’ soul. Ah ain’t nevah gittin’ off this plantashun iffen Ah got tu steal to git off. Yu done fergot th’ Lawd said, ‘Thou shalt not steal.’ ”
    Papa took a firm hold on Junior’s wrist and led him out the door.
    Mama went to the doorway and cried out to Papa’s back, “Niggah, yu ah uh star natal fool tu take thet money back tu them cheatin’ white folks. Forty cents uh hundard ain’t uh precious gift no way yu look at it. Ah’m gonna’ quit yu, niggah, iffen yu don bring mah chile an’ thet money back heah. Fool, forty cents uh hundard ain’t uh precious gift.”
    Papa didn’t even turn his head. He just kept marching Junior to the big house. We all went to the window and watched them go up the hill to the big house followed by people from the shacks who sensed that Junior was the thief, and they were eager to break their awful boredom at the punishment spot.
    The twins and Mama sprawled on the floor and bawled. Carol was pitiful the way she told Mama over and over how sorry she was that she told Papa the secret.
    Mama cried bitterly and shouted over and