Old Enough

While Clara and I were instructed to "play nice" with Jolly and Bertie outside it was far much harder than usual knowing Jolly wanted me to be his girlfriend. Why is it that the more a boy likes someone they act more stupid than ever? It's like the rooster walking around the barnyard crowing his fool head off, all puffed up about nothing while the hens busy themselves with more serious affairs like laying eggs and digging for worms. Soon as Jolly started showing off his cartwheels and tree climbing skills, us girls got busy drawing in the dirt with sticks. Clara and I were designing a house and Bertie, well, she just made circles with that, "I'm so bored I could die" look on her face. It was scorching hot but grown-ups want kids outside so they can have some peace. At least that's what Clara says.

Just when I had added a front porch to me and Clara's dream house here comes Jolly skipping along and of course steps right on the dang roof. Clara grabbed his ankles and instructed me to tie his "Dollar Store" shoe laces together; I did. Jolly starts hollering just as his Momma comes to the side door, "Momma, they be tryin' to kill me, let me inside please!" His Momma, Pearl's sister, did not buy it and just shook her head and put four apples on the steps. Bertie, Clara and I ran for them and Jolly, well he had no sense whatsoever. Instead of just bending down and untying his own shoelaces he hopped like a crippled frog to the porch. Why on earth would any girl want a boyfriend period, much less the likes of Jolly chipmunk cheeks!

As we sat crunching and munching a yellow taxi cab pulled up right in front of the house. Now this is exciting as none of us have ever been in a taxi or seen one up close. Of all things to happen out comes Pearl and my Paw-Paw; all of our mouths drop as we run to see this spectacle. The neighbors and the cousins' cousins all are staring at my big, white, Paw-Paw walking right up to the front door with Pearl. I run and give him a hug and Pearl snaps "don't go pulling on him, child." Then she wipes off a green, metal rocking chair with her hand and asks Paw-Paw to have a seat while she fetches sweet tea. I am full of questions and Clara and the others are all silent, not sure what to say to him.

"Paw-Paw, why were you in the hospital? Did you know we need to get saved at a church? Guess what? I have a best friend now! Meet Clara, oh and those two are her cousins Jolly and Bertie." I have my arms around his neck from one side of the chair as he is far too big for me to put my arms all the way around him.

Paw-Paw looks at the others and says in his gentle, best voice, "Well nice to meet you. Has May been a well behaved house guest?" Jolly starts to blurt something out but Clara elbows him in the stomach hard and steps up to speak. "Yes sir, Mr. Paw-Paw; May's been right good here." I am thinking, what in the world just came out of Clara's mouth, "Mr. Paw-Paw and right good?" Paw-Paw chuckles and tells us all he has something called a hernia in his stomach. At least that's what I think he said for as soon as he began to talk about it Pearl swung open the door with tea and tells us all to "skedaddle." I have never had to skedaddle so much in my whole life as I have at Pearl's house. How much peace do grown-ups need?

While we wander around looking not interested the whole street just happens to mosey by and take a hard look at Paw-Paw sitting fine with his tea and Pearl chatting away next to him. Clara said it's cause white men don't sit on black people's porches but deep down I think it could be because the word on the street is we're wild, white, heathens from yonderville.