BOMAW 4-6

by Mercedes Keyes

  The thought that a woman was shortly coming, made him cross. If she was anything like her mama, her nose would be turned up and she would be abhorred. He put on his ornery face because he hadn't invited her, she was coming on her own... so she best keep comment to herself on the state of the place, on the tail of that thought, he shouted out. "ROY-LEE!"

  Then realized his one employee was no doubt deep in the scrap yard in search of car parts as was his habit. He was a young man of early twenties with an ambition for restoring old cars. He hit the button for the yard speaker and spoke into the standing old microphone, "Roy-lee!" There was no need to shout in it. A few minutes later the young man came running, charging - short of breath into the shop front. "Yes Mr. Martin?!"

  "What is you doin'?" Lucas groused.

  "Looking for a door for my mama's Buick. Remember, I just told you and you said it was okay." Roy-lee reminded him.

  "Well - you - you leave off that, get this shop front straighten up! I run a professional business! Got shit everywhere!-...."

  Roy-lee stood stunned, Mr. Martin had never given mind to the condition of the front shop. "Sir this been like this for sometime now, why-..."

  "Look here, don't arga' wit me now! Get that broom and sweep up this flo'! Get - them - them papers there - get that shit off'ah there. An' - an' - all this shit back here, make some order this shit."

  Roy-lee stood with his mouth open. Granted, he reflected back, way back when he first started working for Mr. Martin, he did recall him saying that he wanted him to keep that front shop straight, clean it up every now and then, but some how, he never did get around to it because every time he'd attempted to start, Mr. Martin would call him out to help him with something else. Wasn't long before neither one of them gave a thought to the shop front. Most of their time was spent in the scrap yard or in the garage that was next to the shop, where they stripped off parts from wrecks, salvaging what was usable.

  "What the hell you standin' there for? Get - get yo' ass moving!"

  "Well why is we cleaning up today Mr. Martin? Somebody coming?" Roy-lee asked looking for the push broom.

  "Yeah." Lucas mumbled.

  "Who?"

  "Haa'!" Lucas said pointing to the slightly ripped, frayed edge picture thumb-tacked to the wall. A four year old little girl with a French braid at either side of her head, and blue ribbons tied to the ends, stood posing with a big smile as she held out the flared skirt of her blue dress. She wore blue ankle socks and black paten leather shoes. Behind her, stood two young boys, both older. Haircut close to their heads, as they posed along with their younger sister. There were other pictures of them stuck to the cork board square. Amidst their pictures, important receipts and invoices. Hanging beside the cork board, an old, small ratty teddy bear that had hit the ground more than a few times, it had seen better days when it belonged to the little girl in the picture. Now, oil smudges and dirt had altered its once cuddly appearance.

  "Who? That lil'girl comin'?"

  "Naw! Is you a fu-ool?! You know how old that pit'cha is!?"

  "Way old by the looks of it sir. They your kids Mr. Martin." Roy-lee pointed out.

  "I'on need you t'tell me that! I know who my goddamn kids is! They ain't little like that no mo'! They grown now. That one there..." He pointed at his little girl. "My daughter, she a woman now, got two kids, got two grandkids. Married to a white man! His name Shawn - can you believe that!?"

  "Yes sir I can, it happens. So they all comin' now?"

  "Naw! Just haa'! He just call me and tell me."

  "Who?"

  "Boy - no wonder yo' ass is here working in this yard - 'cause you is simple! Simple as rock gravel. Her white husband was just on the phone. Call me to tell me, she on her way here. My daughter."

  "Ooooh - okay... I see."

  "So get this here stuff all clean up."

  "What's her name again Mr. Martin?"

  "Sylvia Lucinda Martin. I use to call her my lil'lucy." Lucas stood a moment gazing at the picture as he flashed back to when he was still in their lives, when he was home with them trying to make ends meet and satisfy a woman that could never be satisfied with nothing he did. They'd just moved into the new building, in a nice white neighborhood. He'd gotten the building for much lower than it was worth because of faithful service to a Mr. Klanitus. He'd kept the man's old vehicles running when no one else could for the fee he was willing to pay, Lucas had taken the fee and was reliable to be there whenever he called, day or night. He was from Lithuania and loved old cars. Lucas had a knack for them. Mr. Klanitus grew so up in age that he decided to relocate and move from the neighborhood out of the city. With the building being on the market for so long, not getting the type of buyers and offers he wanted, he'd grown tired of the wait and offered the two flat property to Lucas as a token of his appreciation. Had even helped him at the bank to get the loan. There wasn't too many white folks that Lucas liked, but there were a few - he would never forget, the rare ones that had made a change in his life. He remembered bringing Lydia and the kids to the building as a surprise, so proud to have at least moved his family to a nicer area of Chicago. He'd parked the old, long, 1966 Chevy impala in front of the building with the kids, excited, jumping up and down in the back seat, asking over and over. "Ou Ou Ou - daddy can we go in!?" David was the first to beg. Followed by Lucas Jr., "Daddy is this our house now?! This where we gone live?" and finally his Lil'Lucy, "Daddy - I wanna big big'o house, white and pretty - with them black things by the window-..."

  "Them window shutters baby." Lucas grinned informing her.

  "Yeah daddy... and and - a big big yard to play in, and a swing in it! Where we gone put a swing daddy?" She asked leaning over the front seat by her father's side to ask in his ear.

  "One day - we gone have that big house in the country baby-..."

  "Ha!" Lydia had blurted with a curled lip.

  Lucas ignored her, "... right now - this gonna be our home. And and - I put you a swing in this backyard... okay?"

  "Okay daddy ... I'on care where we live - long as I got you." She declared grabbing his face and kissing his cheek.

  "Man you must be crazy, buying this place in this neighborhood. I can smell the smoke from the burning cross now! How come you didn't find nothing nice in a clean BLACK neighborhood?" She asked with her lip poked out.

  "Cause property too goddamn high in nice clean, BLACK neighborhoods, can't afford it. This - this here a nice property. Nice neighborhood."

  "All white folks! If I'm not mistaken, ain't it down pass Western where that Marquette park is? Where the KKK march? And you got us movin' in here! You mus' be crazy - I rather stay my ass in the ghetto!"

  "Well I'on want my kids growin' up there - at leas' give it a chance Lydia!-..."

  "You mean give these white folks a chance to set our ass on fire! It's too many of'em! I ain't seen nobody black yet!"

  "Here I thought you made of stronger stuff that that. You mean to tell me you scared of a few crackas'!? You gone let them put the fear o'God in you?"

  "Man you better quite talkin' all that nonsense! What I look like? We got kids... three... count'em!"

  The argument had gone on for a few moments more. Both boys sitting back in the seat looking at their mother with resentment. Sylvia standing behind her father, staring at her too. "Mama can't we go look please?" Sylvia had asked in her tiny, soft voice.

  "Don't seem as we got a choice sense yo' daddy done bought the damn place now! You could'ah ask me first!" She shouted, throwing her door open.

  "I wanted to surprise you Lydia!" Lucas defended himself.

  "Well I'm surprised ain't I? Shocked too! Get on out the car ya'll!" She held her seat forward for the kids to climb out.

  Lucas sighed as he sat hesitant behind the wheel. She and the kids were standing out on the sidewalk. Lydia bent down to look at him. "Is you comin' or not! Got me standin' out here with these white folks looking at me and my kids... come on or lets go!"

  "Come on daddy...
let's go look." David asked gently, feeling sorry for his father.

  Lucas climbed out, Lydia slammed her door and took her kids nudging them towards the stairs, seeing an old white man come to the door inviting them in to look around, Lucas looked up and saw Mr. Klanitus and rushed ahead of his family with a smile on his face. "We finally made it - got my wife and kids to look at the place."

  Lucas shook off the memory with the ringing of his phone.

  "Where you at? How bad is it? I don't get hold no insurance - you do that yo'self! Who I'm talkin' too?"

  He went on to copy down the persons name, where they were, the state of their vehicle. They wanted a tow. The man hadn't been able to find anyone to tow his vehicle. Someone referred Lucas to him as an alternative. The man would wait with the vehicle and take a taxi the rest of the way to work while Lucas dropped his vehicle off at a repair shop.

  "Well don't look like I'm gone be able to wait for ha'. She show up, you tell ha' where I'm gone." Lucas instructed Roy-lee who was now sweeping and stacking the old newspapers to take out.

  "I will Mr. Martin."

  Lucas went out the shop and walked over to his truck parked by the garage, climbing in, he started it up and drove it towards the gate, clicking his remote to open them just as someone there rang to get in. Hearing it, he stopped and opened his door listening as Roy-lee asked who is it by the intercom system.

  He could hear the soft feminine voice ask, "Is Mr. Lucas Martin here?"

  "Who this?" Roy-lee asked.

  "Sylvia Martin - McPherson... I'm his daughter."

  The gates were triggered from within the shop. Lucas stood quiet as they parted to reveal a young looking, black woman, wearing a black leather jacket, one too big for her if he were to be asked. She was close to being petite, no more than 5'3, very slender, thin neck, soft attractive features, dazzling dark eyes that reflected a touch of fear, insecurity of what she was slowly stepping in to. His Lil'Lucy was a woman now. Last time he saw her, she'd been a teenager, skinny as could be, looking more of a young girl than a teenager in high school. Now, she'd filled out in all the important places. Feeling a jump to his heart, Lucas said without preamble.

  "I'm on my way to a tow. You can wait here for me -or- you can come along?"

  Sylvia and Vivian had parted company at the L-train station. She would be going towards blue Island, while Vivian was heading downtown to meet with Laek Chan's wife. The two women had wistfully spoken of the funny things in life and the directions it could suddenly take. Both lost over the wonder of being in love with the men they were, those men being white and then of all things, brothers. Two brothers who had at one time in their lives been strong and harsh rivals, now - thankfully the best of friends. A sisterly kiss and hug saw them off to separate journey's.

  By the time Sylvia made it to the salvage yard again for the third and final time during her leave of housewife duties, she was hoping there would be no response once again there. She considered that she could have phoned from Vivian's to see if he were there, but she didn't wish to alert him of the fact that she was coming. She wanted the element of surprise to be on her side. Arriving there, she'd stood outside the gate pacing a moment to muster the nerve and ring the buzzer, scared if he were there, fear of the disappointment if he weren't. She really could not hold off any longer about going home. She was getting tired. She wasn't feeling too good, she suspected she was tired from too much running around. Eating out of restaurants, and then her night with Shawn, she hadn't slept sound because he'd been touching her so much through the night.

  When she heard the name, Roy-lee being shouted and then again on the intercom speakers over the salvage yard area, she knew that he was in. Emotion rushed up on her and a bit of nervous shaking set in. Because the fear wasn't going to let up, and it sounded like a truck had been started within the yard, signalling someone was about to leave, Sylvia pressed the buzzer.

  After speaking with someone, sounding like a young man, the gates were opened. Taking her last deep breath, she stepped towards the center of them and made her way forward to stop and stare at the old man before her. He was standing behind the open door of a tow truck wearing dark brown dungarees that had seen better days. He was a bit darker than she remembered, with a whiskered face - showing he most certainly needed a shave. He was very slender, fit for an older man, who reminded her of her son - Mundo in features. She now had an idea of what age would do to her son. Capping him off was a medium peppered with grey afro. The kind the grew more on the sides and back than on top.

  Shocking her, he stood staring at her as if he was expecting her, informing her that he was leaving and inviting her to come along.

  "You know who I am?" Sylvia asked surprised.

  "'Course I know who you are. You comin' or not?" He asked.

  Sylvia looked away from him to the young man standing in the door of the shop office to get a look at her. Lucas turned seeing him there, "Don't you forget what you suppose to be doin'!" He reprimanded.

  "I know!" He answered, and then to Sylvia he nodded and put a hand up as if to saw "How." but said, "Hey." Instead.

  Sylvia nodded in return, "Hi."

  "Well gull! What's it gone be, you comin' o'not?!" Lucas was wanting to get going.

  "I - I'd like to come."

  "Well come on then!"

  Sylvia rushed forward, butterflies still in her stomach, opened the door of the truck and looked in. There was crap everywhere. She was horrified.

  "Here, just shift that shit out yo'way!" Lucas cleared a spot for her to sit. Sylvia gulped, climbed in and put her bag down by her feet.

  "Gone get kind'ah warm for that leather jacket, wanna leave that here in the shop?" Lucas asked looking at her as she put on a brave front, it was obvious she didn't like the fact that the truck was such a mess.

  "No! I'm fine, if I get warm, I'll take it off - I'm okay for now."

  "Up to you." He said climbing in the truck, slamming his door.

  Sylvia felt something pressing into the bony, higher spot of her rear and shifted to feel behind her. A wrench was wedged into the seat there, she pulled it out and laid it beside her.

  "I was wonderin' where that went." Lucas murmured waiting for her to get comfortable, if that were possible. He had more invoices, receipts and other thin, keep copy papers of pink and yellow laying around with oil and ketchup stains on some. Sylvia had to bite her tongue not to make comment about it. After all, this was her father and she'd come to see him, last thing she wanted to do was ruin the visit by pointing out his lack of order and neatness.

  "Been so busy, ain't had time to clean it out." He explained.

  "That's fine, no problem. How is it - that - well, how is it that you remember me?"

  "You my daughter ain't you? Looking like my mama, I ought'ah know you when I see you."

  "Oh. Aren't you surprised?" She asked as he shifted the truck into gear to leave the yard.

  "Not really, bound to happen sooner o'later."

  "So - you were waiting on me - to find you?" She couldn't help the tone of accusation that sprang to life in her voice.

  "If that's what you thank. I don't intrude on folks where I ain't been invited."

  "I'm your daughter?!"

  "Don't mean you wantin' me just showing up on yo' doorstep."

  "I see, well - I should be asking do you even wish that I be here!" She was getting wound up.

  He was pulling out the gates and clicking on the remote device to close them back as he leapt into a lane before an oncoming car just in time. Sylvia sucked in and turned her head away, her elbow on the door window, her hand at her temple. As if that were an everyday move, he went on to say, "I ask you to leave?"

  "I just showed up un-invited - something you don't do." She turned her face back to him to state.

  "Yes you did, but like I say, one of you was bound to show up sooner or later."

  "And if I'd never made the effort to see you - then what?" She asked, her expression far from pleasa
nt.

  "I'd be on wit' my day and you - be off somewhere wit' that white husband of yours, minding your day."

  Sylvia's mouth dropped open for a stunned moment, she recovered and asked, "How? How'd you know my-..."

  "Know you got two kids too. Yous'ah grandma o'two boys, an' if that ain't enough, fixin'ta have another - that right?"

  "How do you know that!?" Sylvia's mind was in a whirl, faces and possible persons flashed through her mind as she tried to figure out who told him these things. Now she wondered if he and her mother were communicating or not.