The Castle Cross the Magnet Carter

by Kia Corthron

  Nineteen hundred an eighteen. Back home, Humble. Humble sweet Humble, ain’t that where yaw live? I was born there too, fore it got all built up. Shoulda burned that bastard uniform but stead I’m wearin it, wearin it proud. Spiffy-lookin are ya? say the white men. Take it off. Take off that goddamn army uniform, who you think you are. Better n a regular nigger? If that’s whatcha think you made some huge mistake, take it off. I wouldn’t. More they said Off, more it stayed on, practically livin in it, eatin in it, not sleepin in it, I kept it clean. Pressed. One time middle a the night here they come. Hollerin, carryin the torches.

  KKK? I ask, my eyes wide. I remember Mama an Daddy talkin bout em. I think I see Dwight stir, but now still again.

  Sure, some of em. But all in regular clothes, didn’t matter, those days most whites Klan or sympathetic to. My mama an me had a fishin dock stuck out into the crick. We slip into the water under the pier, our faces barely peep above, just enough to breathe. Icy water, we open our mouths wide cuz we close em, our teeth chatter so loud it draw attention. Prayin silent in our heads. We hear the cracklin flames.

  Daybreak we slip out. House burnt to the groun, to nothin. My mama siftin through the rubble, see what she find. I run over to Mr. Gibson’s, two mile away. Mr. Gibson got a boat, take me an my mama outa here, far away, leave damn Humble forever. I get the boat, bring it back to her.

  Cricket cricket cricket. I wait. Dream Man gonna finish his story?

  There she be. They didn’t call my mama Tiny for nothin, half my height. The breeze is gentle but that enough to sway her. Lookin like she asleep, so peaceful. Hangin from that oak.

  Uncle Sam puff that cigarette one more time, then he gone. I look to Dwight. Dwight’s eyes wide open. Dwight, I whisper. He turn away from me.

  Breakfast! Mama call.

  Gettin dressed, I had a dream lass night, Dwight. Bout Uncle Sam, wanna hear? Dwight fass in his pants an out the door.

  Pick at my fried egg. Eat that, Eliot, Mama say. I never knowed that boy to be picky before. Come on, we gotta get on the road. Aunt Beck say, Lon, what kinda breakfast jus black coffee. I’ll fix you an egg. Don’t shake your head at me.

  In the car everbody quiet. Finally Mama say, She’s the oldest, Lon. You know she always gotta be the oldest, I didn’t think she was bad as lass time. Daddy say nothin.

  I speak quiet. Was a dream lass night, Dwight? That was the Dream Man, he wa’n’t real. Right?

  Yeah, was a dream, now shut up.

  In our beds I stare at the nickel from Uncle Sam’s magic. Dwight ain’t said much a anything since Dream Man which never happened he say. I put my nickel under my pilla.

  My dream we on the playgroun at school. There’s Japanese families, lot of em all scrunched up locked inside the monkey bars. Walkin all aroun free’s the white people kilt Aunt Tiny. Some of em wear their Klan clothes. I’m there but nobody see me. I don’t know nunna these people. I never met nobody Japanese before not nobody Chinese, I only seen em on the movie news, all I ever see in real life is colored an white but in the dream I feel like I know the Japanese people like they some cousins but the white people ain’t. I stan there thinkin an thinkin how can I get them Japanese cousins outa the bars an put the white people into the bars, scratchin my brain but never do I figure it out.

  DWIGHT

  Two A’s, three B’s, two C’s, flyin colors for me. One teacher writes Has a good head on his shoulders if he’d only apply himself an another teacher writes nex to it Yes! Lass day’s sunny an hot like it oughta be. We had a half-day an I step out on my porch, stretchin, breathin the summer: freedom.

  Up the street Roof standin out in his yard. I don’t usually expect to see him till day after lass day, lass day he’s always inside, report card punishment.

  What’s that you’re hummin?

  In a cavern, In a canyon, Excavatin for a mine, Lived a miner forty-niner an his daughter Clementine. Then he starts hummin it again. That smile.

  For real?

  For real. Hm hm hm hm

  When you gonna start?

  Tole my daddy I’m ready to go in tomorra, but he say he wamme be a kid one lass week a my life. So week from Monday. Hm hm hm hm

  Blackface. Like the rest of em.

  Sixty-two cent a hour? Sure, I be blackface.

  My mouth fly open, calculatin the dollars that add to in a day! I don’t say it, try hidin the envy but he caught it, his eyes twinkly.

  Oh my darlin, the boss gonna set me an Daddy up same shiffs. So I ride with him every day. Oh my darlin, hm hm hm hm, hm hm hmm hm hm hm hm

  You waited the whole school year for summer, now throw summer away for the caves. Dark.

  Roof jus keep hummin.

  An what if you find out it ain’t nothin but misery?

  Then I know the difference between misery a school an misery a the mines is I get paid.

  We stare at each other. I look away firs.

  Wanna make a tower?

  Can’t. I’m on report card punishment. Like it really matter now. Whistlin. She’s at the store so thought I come out for a breath. Prolly oughta go back in fore she turn at corner. He lookin the direction she gonna come from. Or maybe not. She didn’t yell loud like usual, maybe she ain’t gonna big enforce the punishment. Like she see it all a new way now, me a man. He resume the hummin. I turn to leave.

  Come tomarra though. I still got nine days a vacation.

  Okay. Whaddya wanna do?

  He think. Messengill’s.

  Okay.

  Roof! Lucy Deucy callin from a second-floor winda. You fix me a jelly samwich?

  Dwight. Sundays. Sundays I have off. You an me, okay? Nobody else. Well maybe Zack if we need three for whatever we doin. But nobody else. Okay?

  I’m hungry, Roof! Lucy Deucy got a mess a hair one side in a pigtail, other side hangin loose, wild.

  Sundays my only play day here on out, jus you an me. An maybe occasionally Zack. Okay?

  Okay.

  Roof turn to go back in his house. Dreadful sorry, Clementine.

  ELIOT

  You don’t haveta go. She hot-combin her hair.

  I wanna go.

  Okay, she say, puttin on black gloves. When you see Jeanine remember to tell her you sure are sorry bout her uncle.

  I never been to a funeral before. It’s at Jeanine’s house. Mama an me an Aunt Peg-Peg an Uncle Rick in Jeanine’s front room an Mama an Aunt Peg-Peg tellin Jeanine’s grandmother an Jeanine’s aunts an uncles I’m sorry I sure am sorry. Sometimes people breaks out cryin, sometimes they jus look tired. Jeanine’s front room packed with people an chairs, some people brung their own chairs.

  Can we set up front?

  Up front is for the family.

  Oh. Hot in here!

  Don’t complain. I asked you if you wanted to come.

  I wanted to come!

  Then try n be quiet. Respectful.

  This your youngest, Claris? ask a ole lady.

  Yes, this is Eliot.

  Well hello there, Eliot. How old are you?

  Seven.

  Seven! Then she set down in fronta us.

  Mama. I’m whisperin. What’s in that little box?

  That’s the casket.

  I look at her. I look at it.

  How it fit him? It don’t look big enough fit me!

  Don’t say that, she say sharp. After a while she whisper but her eyes front, Those are his remains.

  Please be seated, say Reveren Keyes from our church. Now I see Jeanine an her mother in the front row.

  When the inside part done we walkin, ack like a parade to the cemetery. Mama say at a funeral say casket not coffin, cemetery not graveyard, passed on not died. I wanna ask what is remains but I think I better hold that till we back home. At the cemetery they put the little casket in a little hole. Then the
y cover up the little hole an stick a flag in the dirt. That flag from the goverment, some man behine us say. Naw, say some woman, the undertakers done it, then they argue soft a minute. Then we walk back to Jeanine’s house. The chairs been moved up against the walls an a table with all kindsa food in the middle a the room. People’s eatin, me an Mama eatin. Then we see Jeanine’s mother.

  I sure am sorry to hear boutcher brother, say Mama.

  Jeanine’s mother sigh, nod. Ramonlee was the baby. Then she pinch my cheek. It don’t hurt. An how’s Mr. Eliot today? Her smilin eyes all glassy.

  Fine. Few minutes later I see Jeanine near the door.

  Hi Eliot! She all cheery.

  Hi Jeanine. Jeanine bein cheery make me wanna be cheery but I make my face sad. I sure am sorry boutcher uncle.

  She whisper to me. It ain’t my uncle. It’s a rabbit.

  I look at her, whisper. In the casket?

  She nod. How Uncle Ramonlee fit that little box? He jus hidin out, waitin for the war be over to come home. Then Jeanine look up an smile, Hi, Mr. D’Angelo!

  As we leavin I hear Jeanine’s other uncle say to Jeanine’s mother, How’d it happen? He ain’t gone nowhere, he hadn’t even leff the States!

  I know, Jeanine’s mother say quiet.

  He hadn’t even leff the States!

  Walkin home I see Liddie waitin for us on the porch. We got relatives! Mama’s relatives. Aunt Peg-Peg an Uncle Rick, Liddie an Mitch the baby. They in the guess room. Liddie’s six but she only goin into the firs, I’m seven an goin into third cuz my birthday come late, October. Me an Liddie same size, I’m little in my class. Liddie don’t go to my school, she go where she live in Bear, West Virginia, but they all come lass night for the funeral today. I wave to Liddie! Liddie, here I come!

  Daddy an Uncle Rick in the livin room, talkin bout the war. Daddy jus got back from Boddimore, not in time for Jeanine’s Uncle Ramonlee’s funeral. Mama an me an Liddie an Aunt Peg-Peg changin Mitch the Baby in the guess room.

  I remember babysettin Ramonlee, say Aunt Peg-Peg.

  I remember Ramonlee had a big ole crush on you, say Mama. She pull out a ole album, all kindsa pitchers. Picnic. Mama an Aunt Peg-Peg an Jeanine’s mama an Uncle Ramonlee look like Dwight’s age.

  Liddie turn to me, I got a dog. Home.

  I got a cat.

  Me an Liddie go outside. Parker, I call, Parker. Liddie join in: Parker!

  Parker don’t come. Liddie say, My school start nex month, September. I say, Me too! Then me an Liddie swing on the tree branch an make the mud pies an eat the mud pies an then we in trouble, we gotta get a bath an No playin! Jus worsh!

  Nex day Aunt Peg-Peg an Uncle Rick an Liddie an Mitch the Baby at their car huggin bye to Mama an Daddy an Dwight an me an I feel somethin at my leg. Parker! Aunt Peg-Peg take a picture a me and Liddie and Parker, then they drive off. Playin on the back porch with Parker, Mama in the yard hangin clothes. When she come carryin the wicker basket I say Mama, Jeanine tole me there was a rabbit in that casket. She say her uncle Ramonlee wouldn’t fit.

  Mama stop, look at me. It’s Ramonlee in that box alright, what’s left of him. His remains. He got hurt an they had to cut his legs off, then he passed on. But don’t go contradictin Jeanine. Nobody can’t tell nobody else how to grieve. Then Mama take the basket inside.

  Nex day after Sunday school, hot! Parker waitin for me on the porch! I rollin aroun with Parker! We ain’t never passin on, Parker! We got nine lives!

  Dwight come out on the porch, set on the edge, drop his jacks. I play?

  Nope. He drop ball, grab one. Drop ball, grab two.

  You wanna pet Parker? I know he gonna say no.

  Drop ball, grab three. He look at the sky. You think it gonna rain?

  The mornin sunny, then cloud over, sunny, then cloud over. Nope. I say it cuz I know it what he wanna hear. Now Dwight roll Parker on his stomach, tickle him. We both ticklin Parker, it too much! Parker run from us but not far, starin. Then Dwight go back to his jacks an when he miss he say, Your turn. Takin my turn!

  You wanna camp in the backyard tonight?

  We jus camped in the backyard.

  No! That was lass week!

  Bounce, pick up three. Maybe.

  Maybe! I’m happy about maybe! but I don’t say nothin, jinx it. Usually when Dwight say Maybe he mean yes, he jus wanna play like maybe he don’t mean yes. Here come Carl.

  Hey.

  Hey, Dwight say.

  Been to D’Angelo’s today, say Carl all smiley. He prolly got candy an ain’t even offerin to share it with me. Dwight stan like him an Carl got business. Carl pet Parker but pet him backwards. Parker hiss. Carl do it again. Parker sink his teeth in.

  Ow!

  Who don’t know not to rub a cat the wrong way? Dwight laughin a little.

  I’ll get you for that Tabby, says Carl.

  Where you goin? I ask Dwight.

  Out, but I spy his trunks peekin over belt loops.

  Better not go swimmin, I say. Might rain.

  Thought you said it wouldn’t, say Dwight, still walkin, not even turnin roun to look at me.

  Crazy like your crazy owner Crazy Onnie, I won’t forget that Tabby, says Carl.

  My cat! I say.

  Come on. Dwight already out the yard. Carl run to catch up.

  I take Dwight’s red jacks ball, roll it by my cat. Fetch, Parker! His eyes follow the ball, right to leff. Fetch, Parker! His eyes follow the ball, leff to right.

  I’ma follow Dwight. I think I’ma follow Dwight, I know him an Carl gone down by the crick. You stay here, Parker. You stay here, stop followin me, Parker. Stop followin me, hahaha. Now you runnin ahead a me, how you even know I’m goin that way?

  I hug my kitty cat! I heard dog is man’s bess friend, well cat is boy’s bess friend! I got Mama an Daddy an Parker an Dwight. I love my brother even though sometime he mean. There’s big kids racin down the street on scooters. Some a the big kids is colored, some a the big kids is white. Early Auguss, school just roun the corner but today everbody fun in the sun like it all go on forever, easy easy.

  DWIGHT

  I won’t forget that, Tabby. Carl talk like some gangster movie, Only a dang cat, Carl, an you hadn’ta been rubbin it the wrong way it wouldn’ta bothered you. In my head but I don’t say it.

  Not hard gettin to the water from our side a town, but findin the swimmin place with dock an tire swing’s trickier, trek through the woods. The trees is thick an still a scorcher bearin down, wipe my brow. Carl ahead, leadin despite I know the way an he don’t. Lass summer I took a dip only the one time, spotted Marco an Mokie headed in the direction so joined em. Outside a that I was either with Roof who don’t go for swimmin or with Carl who I placed in some head box with badminton an backgammon, not The Crick.

  The heat don’t slow down Carl’s chatter chatter, how this mornin he heard his sister tell his father bout some ole house the police raided wunst again, teenagers drinkin, smokin. The authorities say the foundation’s shaky, say high time tear it down fore it fall in on itself, kill somebody. But here’s the mystery: In the basement all these painted wall murals. Obscene things. Negro things.

  I pick up a stick, hurl it to the trees. I never took Carl to Messengill’s but funny Carl never ventured there hisself. Lookin at it, backa his blond head an somethin come to me: I’m Carl’s only friend in the neighborhood. Further, I ain’t seen Carl’s white school pals in a spell, which make me wonder whether Carl fell out with some of em, or all of em, which make me wonder if at the present I’m Carl’s only friend period. Then again in the buddy census who I got outside a Carl an Roof? An Roof seem gone, graduated into the grown-up world a hard labor an little time for anything else cep eatin an sleepin.

  Jus me an him Sundays. That’s what he say, demand, so there I am knockin. Miss Ray Anne: Roof’s too tired, Dwight h
oney, sleepin his day off. We got together that week between school an when he started, but after that like some play played every week, that scene with me knockin an Miss Ray Anne like his receptionist He ain’t in honey repeat the nex Sunday, an nex. After the fourth I’m sick of it, stop tryin. Ain’t seen Roof in near two months, thus back to me-an-Carl every day, lass summer all over again.

  Peekin over Carl’s hip pocket I spy the toppa his billfold, catch me by surprise since he never seem to carry one before Polly an now Polly an him’s bust. For a while all roses, him discoverin she liked him much as he liked her, him smilin goofy an taken to carryin a wallet jus to always have her photograph in reach. Finished out seventh a couple and on into the summer—ice cream parlor, occasional picture show. Then she start to soun funny on the telephone, other times he hear her mother callin Telephone! an then suddenly her mother revise her previous: she ain’t home. Come to find out she got her eye on some high school boy, ninth goin into tenth an gainfully employed behine the ice cream counter. Wipe that ear-to-ear grin off Carl’s face, he back to his regular hot n cold but with Roof excavatin coal who else I got to play with? Well. Not quite same as lass summer. Now he come to my door. Only fair, an anyhow I just as soon not be no household guest a his these days. Since misery tend to appreciate company I don’t even wanna imagine what kinda relay baton his broken heart been passin on to his poor mother.

  But mostly we been okay. He gimme tennis lessons at the playgroun in the sun, or carry his Monopoly to my porch in the rain. Yet an still he been askin bout the crick all summer an me puttin him off. I like to keep Carl an his moods in familiar territory which the crick is not. Then yesterday he confrontin: Why you keep dawdlin? An I don’t feel like answerin so here we are.

  She said some kids from her class got arrested, getting expelled. Carl tossin the words back to me over his shoulder. But about those murals. I don’t know. Rumors.

  I sigh too low for him to hear. Be sorry to see Messengill’s go. On the other han no Roof to explore it with, like it already long history.

  Oh geez.

  I look up. Carl snappin through the brush to see it better, even while we can view the tree jus fine from where we’re standin. Thick trunk, an on it in colored chalk there be ole Barney Google in U.S. army fatigues. Lynched. Hangin over a bubblin brook, still smilin with his goo-goo-googly eyes.