Read Online The Color Purple by Alice Walker - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Alice Walker
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children? she ast.
They all fine, say Harpo. Tween Odessa and Squeak, they git by.
Say thank you to Squeak, she say. Tell Odessa I think about her.
DEAR GOD,
Us all sit round the table after supper. Me, Shug, Mr. ____, Squeak, the prizefighter, Odessa and two more of Sofia sisters.
Sofia not gon last, say Mr. ____.
Yeah, say Harpo, she look little crazy to me.
And what she had to say, say Shug. My God.
Us got to do something, say Mr. _____ and be right quick about it.
What can us do? ast Squeak. She look a little haggard with all Sofia and Harpo children sprung on her at once, but she carry on. Hair a little stringy, slip show, but she carry on.
Bust her out, say Harpo. Git some dynamite off the gang that’s building that big bridge down the road, blow the whole prison to kingdom come.
Shut up, Harpo, say Mr. ____, us trying to think.
I got it, say the prizefighter, smuggle in a gun. Well, he rub his chin, maybe smuggle in a file.
Naw, say Odessa. They just come after her if she leave that way.
Me and Squeak don’t say nothing. I don’t know what she think, but I think bout angels, God coming down by chariot, swinging down real low and carrying ole Sofia home. I see ’em all as clear as day. Angels all in white, white hair and white eyes, look like albinos. God all white too, looking like some stout white man work at the bank. Angels strike they cymbals, one of them blow his horn, God blow out a big breath of fire and suddenly Sofia free.
Who the warden’s black kinfolks? say Mr. ____.
Nobody say nothing.
Finally the prizefighter speak. What his name? he ast.
Hodges, say Harpo. Bubber Hodges.
Old man Henry Hodges’ boy, say Mr. ____. Used to live out on the old Hodges’ place.
Got a brother name Jimmy? ast Squeak.
Yeah, say Mr. ____. Brother name Jimmy. Married to that Quitman girl. Daddy own the hardware. You know them?
Squeak duck her head. Mumble something.
Say what? ast Mr. ____.
Squeak cheek turn red. She mumble again.
He your what? Mr. _____ ast.
Cousin, she say.
Mr. _____ look at her.
Daddy, she say. She cut her eye at Harpo. Look at the floor.
He know anything bout it? ast Mr. ____.
Yeah, she say. He got three children by my mama. Two younger than me.
His brother know anything bout it? ast Mr. ____.
One time he come by the house with Mr. Jimmy, he give us all quarters, say we sure do look like Hodges.
Mr. _____ rear back in his chair, give Squeak a good look from head to foot. Squeak push her greasy brown hair back from her face.
Yeah, say Mr. ____. I see the resemblance. He bring his chair down on the floor.
Well, look like you the one to go.
Go where, ast Squeak.
Go see the warden. He your uncle.
DEAR GOD,
Us dress Squeak like she a white woman, only her clothes patch. She got on a starch and iron dress, high heel shoes with scuffs, and a old hat somebody give Shug. Us give her a old pocketbook look like a quilt and a little black bible. Us wash her hair and git all the grease out, then I put it up in two plaits that cross over her head. Us bathe her so clean she smell like a good clean floor.
What I’m gon say? she ast.
Say you living with Sofia husband and her husband say Sofia not being punish enough. Say she laugh at the fool she make of the guards. Say she gitting along just fine where she at. Happy even, long as she don’t have to be no white woman maid.
Gracious God, say Squeak, how I’m gonna tune up my mouth to say all that?
He ast you who you is, make him remember. Tell him how much that quarter he give you meant to you.
That was fifteen years ago, say Squeak, he ain’t gonna remember that.
Make him see the Hodges in you, say Odessa. He’ll remember.
Tell him you just think justice ought to be done, yourself. But make sure he know you living with Sofia husband, say Shug. Make sure you git in the part bout being happy where she at, worse thing could happen to her is to be some white lady maid.
I don’t know, say the prizefighter. This sound mighty
They all fine, say Harpo. Tween Odessa and Squeak, they git by.
Say thank you to Squeak, she say. Tell Odessa I think about her.
DEAR GOD,
Us all sit round the table after supper. Me, Shug, Mr. ____, Squeak, the prizefighter, Odessa and two more of Sofia sisters.
Sofia not gon last, say Mr. ____.
Yeah, say Harpo, she look little crazy to me.
And what she had to say, say Shug. My God.
Us got to do something, say Mr. _____ and be right quick about it.
What can us do? ast Squeak. She look a little haggard with all Sofia and Harpo children sprung on her at once, but she carry on. Hair a little stringy, slip show, but she carry on.
Bust her out, say Harpo. Git some dynamite off the gang that’s building that big bridge down the road, blow the whole prison to kingdom come.
Shut up, Harpo, say Mr. ____, us trying to think.
I got it, say the prizefighter, smuggle in a gun. Well, he rub his chin, maybe smuggle in a file.
Naw, say Odessa. They just come after her if she leave that way.
Me and Squeak don’t say nothing. I don’t know what she think, but I think bout angels, God coming down by chariot, swinging down real low and carrying ole Sofia home. I see ’em all as clear as day. Angels all in white, white hair and white eyes, look like albinos. God all white too, looking like some stout white man work at the bank. Angels strike they cymbals, one of them blow his horn, God blow out a big breath of fire and suddenly Sofia free.
Who the warden’s black kinfolks? say Mr. ____.
Nobody say nothing.
Finally the prizefighter speak. What his name? he ast.
Hodges, say Harpo. Bubber Hodges.
Old man Henry Hodges’ boy, say Mr. ____. Used to live out on the old Hodges’ place.
Got a brother name Jimmy? ast Squeak.
Yeah, say Mr. ____. Brother name Jimmy. Married to that Quitman girl. Daddy own the hardware. You know them?
Squeak duck her head. Mumble something.
Say what? ast Mr. ____.
Squeak cheek turn red. She mumble again.
He your what? Mr. _____ ast.
Cousin, she say.
Mr. _____ look at her.
Daddy, she say. She cut her eye at Harpo. Look at the floor.
He know anything bout it? ast Mr. ____.
Yeah, she say. He got three children by my mama. Two younger than me.
His brother know anything bout it? ast Mr. ____.
One time he come by the house with Mr. Jimmy, he give us all quarters, say we sure do look like Hodges.
Mr. _____ rear back in his chair, give Squeak a good look from head to foot. Squeak push her greasy brown hair back from her face.
Yeah, say Mr. ____. I see the resemblance. He bring his chair down on the floor.
Well, look like you the one to go.
Go where, ast Squeak.
Go see the warden. He your uncle.
DEAR GOD,
Us dress Squeak like she a white woman, only her clothes patch. She got on a starch and iron dress, high heel shoes with scuffs, and a old hat somebody give Shug. Us give her a old pocketbook look like a quilt and a little black bible. Us wash her hair and git all the grease out, then I put it up in two plaits that cross over her head. Us bathe her so clean she smell like a good clean floor.
What I’m gon say? she ast.
Say you living with Sofia husband and her husband say Sofia not being punish enough. Say she laugh at the fool she make of the guards. Say she gitting along just fine where she at. Happy even, long as she don’t have to be no white woman maid.
Gracious God, say Squeak, how I’m gonna tune up my mouth to say all that?
He ast you who you is, make him remember. Tell him how much that quarter he give you meant to you.
That was fifteen years ago, say Squeak, he ain’t gonna remember that.
Make him see the Hodges in you, say Odessa. He’ll remember.
Tell him you just think justice ought to be done, yourself. But make sure he know you living with Sofia husband, say Shug. Make sure you git in the part bout being happy where she at, worse thing could happen to her is to be some white lady maid.
I don’t know, say the prizefighter. This sound mighty
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