The Castle Cross the Magnet Carter (31 page)

 

7

My breathin breathin heart thump thump. In come Mr. Holliman.

Oh hello there, Randall. Well I ain't gonna beat aroun the bush with ya. Demand's down. Tryin not to have the whole mill shut. We gotta let some men go.

I try to speak. Nothin.

It ain't personal. Your work's fine, we had to go random. Well some lazy bums got their asses fired, they went firs. An the new guys. But wa'n't enough of em. We had to go to the capable workers, we had to go random. Sorry to ruin your weekend.

He look at me like he want me say somethin. I wanna but.

Things were boomin a while. But guess no business stay profitable forever. Thankin the Lord we was good long as we was, sure supported a lotta Lefferd County for a long spell.

Mr. Holliman. Mr. Holliman, I'm sorry about lass week. I'm sorry about missin Thursday, the doctor, he said with the concussion nex day, he advised—

Randall, you ain't called in sick a day in fifteen years, you think I'm s'heartless to fire someone cuz they missed one Thursday in fifteen years? This ain't a firin no way. A layoff, nothin to do with work quality. Your work's fine, I give ya a good recommendation. Jus economics, supply n demand. Nothin nobody can control.

My father.

I know your father, I know you got legacy. Know who else's father worked here? Everbody's!

My father died.

Oh. Oh yeah, accident. Mr. Holliman look down. He sure was a good man.

He keep lookin down. I wonder is he cryin, or prayin, or jus bein respectful. I don't know what Mr. Holliman talkin about, my father was a good man, Mr. Holliman was in fourth grade when my father died. Maybe
his
father told him bout mine? Mr. Holliman lookin down at his feet, an right where his feet is is a patch a mud somebody tracked in. After Mr. Holliman spend a respectable amount a time respectin my father, he take a tissue from his desk an wipe up the dirt.

Why the buyout people buy out if demand's down?

The buyout people bought out sayin they know how to run things more efficiently.

We lookin at each other, don't know who gonna speak nex.

B.J.?

B.J.'s stayin. You don't got to worry boutcher mother.

Phone.

Hello? Oh hi Charlie!

Mr. Holliman smilin, sittin on the edge a his desk, turnt away. The phone call go on, him turnt away whole time, so finally I turn to go.

Sarah gotcher lass check, Randall. Now he lookin at me, his han over the receiver. You can leave anytime you want, we already covered your pay for the day.

Buppie unloadin logs from the truck. They pay B.J. peanuts, he says, that's how come they kep B.J.

The head saw screamin, B.J. shootin planks through. His face showin the moisture but never do I see him wipe his brow.

What about you?

I'm the random luck a the draw. An maybe they worry, half my family works here, maybe they thinkin fire one of us we all quit. But listen, Randall. You wanna job, I can get you a job.

B.J. look up at me, signs, They pay me peanuts. That's why they keep me.

I look over at Mr. Holliman's office. Kirby Wright who I went to school with an whose pa lost two fingers from a mill saw come walkin out slow, somebody shut the door behind him. Kirby starin in space like he in shock, starin at the pink paper in his hand.

I take no charity, I work my whole day an end of it I see Mr. Holliman comin outa his office. He give a start, sprised to see me there waitin for him.

Eighteen
years. You said fifteen. Eighteen years, I been workin here since I's fourteen years ole. Then I walk out, wipin all the perspiration an wonderin whether the swelterin dog days ever end.

 

 

8

Why you got that damn ham sanwich? Buppie keep his eyes on the road while he ask it, not even the speck of a glance my way even though ain't another car for miles.

I ain't had supper. An you said they ain't servin supper, only cocktails.

I bet you didn't even bring your toothbrush. Meetin potential employers smellin like ham an mustard.

I look in the rearview. Wipe the mustard, corner a my mouth. Dressin up my Sunday suit an they ain't even feedin us.

We'll stay a few minutes, politeness, do our business an leave. It's a fundraiser an I don't think you exactly there to write out no checks.

Cocktails. All I see's them big weeds. Chuckle.

That's
cat
tails.

I
know
that.

Look air. Some gum in that glove compartment. An spit it out fore we walk through the door. An spit it out in this here ashtray, not on his front lawn!

Mansion. Bay windas, figures millin aroun inside, who they are you can't even tell behine the curtains.
Ding dong
.

Buppie! Come in. And Randall! I'd forgotten he was bringin you.

Hi. I don't say his name in the moment cuz I'm a little unsure. Dr. Mattingly or Earl?

May I get you gentlemen a drink?

Whatever you're havin, says Buppie.

Whatever you're havin Earl, I say. I ain't got to call nobody who ain't at present examinin me doctor.

What Earl's havin an thus me an Buppie is scotch. I have a swallow then take in my surroundins. Bout twenty men in the room, they have their drinkin huddles. I was a mite confused when Buppie tried to explain this affair to me, but now I see it. Meetin a the minds: the high court a the Klan an high society. How Buppie got me into this gatherin a professionals I don't know but I don't question. He ushers me over so we're standin nex to Ike Martin a Martin's Shoes. Ralph Goody the lawyer says he'll give money to the Klan but he feels more comfortable claimin membership to the White Citizens Council. Earl Mattingly says he'll contribute but won't take out official membership in neither. Ike Martin says I give no money to no group I'd be ashamed to proclaim active membership in, an ya might note I've given to the Klan
an
to the Council.

Mr. Martin this here's my cousin Randall. I mentioned him to ya.

Ike Martin gimme the long look. Whatchu know about shoes, Randall?

My mouth open but nothin come out.

He's in the Klan. An his daddy, Ben Evans. Was.

Oh yes, I remember Ben. Tragic. Tragic.

From this angle I catch a glimpse a the kitchen, spyin a colored maid lookin over the snacks. Hors d'oeuvres. No one else see her, an she never make her appearance out here in the party.

Sellin shoes is a knack, either ya got it or ya don't. Think ya got it?

I glance at Buppie, his eyes hard on me, tellin me I better answer right, true or lie.

I think I got it.

Comin downstairs there's Dr. Mitchum, full robe regalia, everything but the hood. Not sure why he's dressed to the T's an no one else but no one else seem bothered. Big grin, he always bright up a room, maybe that's what makes him a good pediatrician. Still recollect his teasin when I was six, makin my visit for a diptheria vaccination almost pleasant:
Here it comes, Randall, it gonna tickle! And then a big cherry sucker! Or grape?

I have an employee leavin to start her family in a couple weeks. Tell ya what, you come in Monday, you can overlap with her for your trainin. Course you're paid for the trainin. That be fine?

That be
very
fine. Thank you, sir!

Trial basis. Like I said, sellin shoes is a knack. You be on probation a month.

I understand.

Monday 10 a.m. An by that I mean 9:45. Monday's the firs. August already, don't the time fly?

The maid in the kitchen done set down, chewin on a olive on a toothpick. By accident I meet her eye, an I expect now she'll feel caught, jump up an hurry on back to work. But she jus turn away an go right on chewin, like not carin if the grass ever grow.

 

9

You are on trial for four weeks an while you are on trial you will get minimum wage. Minimum wage is one dollar. If you make it past the trial you will get minimum plus a nickel plus commission. Commission starts after you have sold more shoes than minimum. In other words, if I work ya forty hours a week that's forty dollars for your minimum, an if in that week you only sell shoes add up to a thirty-dollar commission, all you get is your basic forty dollars. However, you sell enough shoes add up to a sixty-dollar commission, well! You just traded your forty-dollar paycheck for a sixty. Understand? After your four weeks a trainin you should definitely be makin more than minimum. If not, you an I will have to have a talk.

He speakin to me in the back storeroom. I'm a sweater an I can feel it already! Erma sewed pads into my shirt armpits so they won't be soppin.

Sellin shoes is a professional job. You come to work clean, wear a tie an a smile, you're halfway to your commission right there.

Ting-a-ling.

Don't worry, Brenda Jean an Diane's out on the floor. Can't be a customer yet anyway, keep the door closed till ten.

Hi Mr. Martin.

Hi Imogene. This is Randall, startin today.

Hi Randall.

You show him aroun?

Sure. She go someplace to put her pocketbook down. She clearly expectin.

You shopped at Martin's Shoes before? he ask.

Yes, I lie. Martin's far outa my price range, an growin up we never seen the adjoinin room neither, Martin's Children's, for the rich kids. Our loafers came from Discount Denny's.

After your trial, as an employee you may buy Martin's Shoes at a substantial reduction, cost plus ten percent. An I expect you will. What kinda business our salespeople not even wearin our shoes?

On a shelf behind him's a gold trophy cup:
WORLD'S BEST DAD
.

Randall. We are brothers in a vital organization and that got you your trial. I just need to reiterate it did
not
get you a permanent position,
that
you'll have to earn.

Home I flip through the dictionary: Di.

Whatchu doin? She bastin the roast.

There's a word. I knew this word.

Meatloaf be done five minutes. An boiled potatas. You want applesauce?

At the table she pourin the ice tea.

Well. How was your firs day?

A dichotomy. Sellin shoes is a dichotomy. You know why?

Shake her head, cut her groun beef. I know damn well she don't know dichotomy an illiterate can't look it up like me, but she hopin if she pay attention she catch up.

You go in shirt n tie, they tell ya professional. Then all day you kneelin before customers! Take off their shoes, touch their feet. Pretend it don't smell, ack like you see no corns.

Don't fill up eatin biscuits fore the resta your food.

Dress like a lawyer, kneel like a slave.

I felt somethin! Oh Randall, I jus felt somethin new. The baby. The baby moved. Feel it here. No here!

I don't feel nothin.

Here, Randall! Here!

I don't feel nothin.

I think it's a girl. I know it's a girl! I was thinkin Ruby, she was my favorite aunt. Ain't Ruby a pretty name for a girl?

In bed starin at the ceilin. I
did
feel somethin. All them prior pregnancies, can't remember anything ever movin in there. But think I tell her that? Always the joke on her. Now ya feel it, now ya don't.

 

10

 

Walk out to the kitchen, Erma an B.J.

Would you say Henry Lee was crippled?

Huh? she ask.

What happened to Henry Lee. Would you call that crippled?

You gonna write that?

Is that what he was?

I don't think that's the word you oughta use. Maybe wounded.

I consider it. Then I say, I don't think wounded works for what I'm sayin.

Well I don't think you oughta say crippled.

Well I don't think wounded quite captures he had half his face blowed off.

Randall, watch!

She scratch on a paper.

Look! My firs word! I mean I already wrote it once, this is the second time for practice.

Her paper say ERMA.

B.J. teachin me to read!

Back in the livin room, starin at the paper.

 

It seems kinda dry.

What?

Maybe I should write somethin about
us
. Me an him.

Like what? Then she turn to B.J. What's that word?

B.J. pronounce it bess he can, motions like coverin up himself.

Cover? Oh, covere
d
!

I think I gotta find somethin more personal.

What kinda personal?

I don't know. Like we useta sneak out on the school fire escape at lunch an smoke.

I don't think people wanna hear that. You gotta find the good, Randall. What's that word?

B.J. holds up ten fingers, which Erma counts. Then B.J. holds up two fingers.

Twelve
?
Oh,
twelve
!

Well it's dry. It's borin.

Well I don't know what to tell ya. It ain't like it's sposed ta be a USO comedy hour.

Slow, slow, she sound it out, book on her lap.

In an old house in Paris

that was covered with vines

lived twelve little girls in two straight lines.

Paris, France?
I
always
wanted to go to Paris, France! Let's go there, Randall! Tenth anniversary. Never too early to start plannin somethin that big!

 

I could ask B.J. how to spell it but guess I done interrupted em enough. I get the dictionary. Courageous. In the kitchen I hear her slow workin out the readin a somethin he wrote for her.

Erma loves her mother and father.

Erma loves her sisters, Lizzie Jo, Amanda, and Toodie.

B.J. loves his mother and his sister Benja and his brother
Randall.

A family should be together always.

Outside the winda a chirpin. Eastern bluebird. Plenty here the winter escapin the Yankee cold, but there's also loyal ones stays, spy em in July, August, all year roun. An the neighbor's spider lily finally come to bloom after a couple a rains, butterfly flittin over it, Henry Lee sure liked them spider lilies. Summer's the months Henry Lee seem to favor. Me an his ma walkin him up an down that sidewalk an while resta the population draggin in the sultry, him all aglow, laughin, hearin the bluebirds, reach out try n touch the butterflies, Ooolg he say an I remember once a butterfly alight right on his knees, all three of us don't speak, this miracle we a part of, delicate, we don't wanna make no move don't wanna make it break, make it break—

Randall! Randall, honey whatchu cryin for? Aw come on, honey. I know he was your friend.

I gotta call her! I gotta call Marietta, I can't write no eulogy, I ain't no writer! Way he liked August, why'd them spider lilies have to wait till
now
? They bloomed just a few days ago he coulda seen em, why they have to wait till
now
?

B.J. hans me my pad, which is to say jot down what I jus said. I look at him. I ain't sure. Then I write.

He signs. What else?

I think about it. His trains, I say it an sign it. The Ole Smoke Escape. I sign it don't say it so Erma can't hear.

Hours pass, Erma gone to cook supper an my brother pulled up the hassock, sittin on it close to me, my han runnin nonstop the pages, I ain't suffered writer's cramp like this since the eighth grade.