Read Online The Return of Buddy Bush by Shelia P. Moses - Free Book Online Page A

stop and go back to my uncle Buddy.
    â€œOpen your hand, Uncle.”
    He give me a look like he think I am going to put a worm in it like I did the last time I told him to open up.
    I take one of Grandpa’s obituaries from my pocket and put it in his hand.
    â€œBye, Uncle Buddy Bye, Mr. Tom.”
    We wave good-bye to each other as Uncle Buddy disappears as fast as he had walked around that corner.
    Lord, I feel ten pounds lighter now I know my uncle really is in Harlem. He really is alive!

    I did not breathe a word about seeing Uncle Buddy to BarJean that afternoon. She was sitting in the kitchen waiting for me when I got back. I lied and told her I had just gone for a short walk.
    She don’t believe me. She ain’t saying a word. Just looking at me. This means she is going to tell Ma as soon as she can get her on the phone. BarJean ain’t much on fussing. She is good on tattling. Watch and see. Finally she is talking.
    â€œYou ready to go shopping?” she asks.
    I say yes faster than I ever said it in my life.
    BarJean changes into her walking shoes and out the door we go.
    Our first stop is the fabric store, just like BarJean promised.
    Oh, Lord, BarJean, I ain’t never seen so much fabric in my life.”
    â€œPick five different colors for skirts. Coy said he will buy you some blouses later. And stop saying ain’t in Harlem.”
    I want to scream,
ain’t, ain’t, ain’t,
but Miss BarJean is really silly about this word mess now and I don’t want to make her mad again. She might change her mind and we will not be here in the store shopping. I know what I will do. I will tell Uncle Buddy how she is acting.
    I pick red, blue, white, brown, and light blue fabric for my skirts. BarJean walks over to the counter and gets the thread and she is talking to some black woman who works here.
    â€œCome over here, Pattie Mae,” BarJean calls to me. “I want to introduce you to Miss Sara.”
    Miss Sara. I’m walking slow. She don’t just work here. This is her store. She own it. The sign out front says SARA’S FABRIC . Harlem sure is something. Wait till I tell Chick-A-Boo.
    We talk to Miss Sara for a long time. Her and BarJean talk about everything under the sun except Uncle Buddy. People don’t even mention his name. But when we leave, she hugs BarJean real tight and whispers something in her ear. You know these grown folks are going to force me to put a mason jar for ease dropping in my pocketbook and carry it everywhere I go.
    â€œHi, BarJean,” a voice says from behind us.
    â€œHi, Mary,” BarJean says as she turns around and hug this woman who know BarJean and don’t know me.
    BarJean introduce me to Miss Mary as my new sister-in-law. This is the girl Coy is going to marry. She sure is pretty and a Harlem girl. She is all dress up on a Saturday. She must really love Coy, because she just talking about him and that wedding. She got her arms filled with fabric that she say is for her wedding dress.
    â€œIt was nice to meet you, Miss Mary,” I say, to let BarJean know I am sick of listening to grown folks business. We say our good-byes to Miss Sara and Miss Mary, pay for our stuff, and leave.
    â€œWhere we going now, BarJean?” I ask when we get out on the street.
    â€œTo the jewelry store.”
    â€œThe jewelry store. What we going to do there?”
    â€œI thought you wanted your ears pierced.”
    â€œWell, I do, but what about Ma?”
    â€œLook, if we get your ears pierced now, they will be all healed with your birthstone in them by the time you get back to Rehobeth Road. Ma can’t do nothing about it then but fuss.”
    BarJean don’t know what she talking about. When Chick-A-Boo’s oldest sister, Marniece, took a hot needle and a piece of thread and pierced her own ears, Miss Blanche made her take her earrings out and her holes closed right back up. Marniece got her ears pierced again when