Call Me by My Name Read Online Free PDF

convenience store called the Fill-A-Sack, and I told myself it would be a long time before I ever went there again.

    â€œShe Loves You” wasn’t playing over the park speakers, but you might’ve thought it was to see Tater on his way out. I figured he was trying to give the appearance that everything was fine. Still, I was sick for him. I thought about running after him, but then Angie jumped down from the bleachers and took off in his direction. I waited with Mama and Pops until she came back.
    â€œI invited him to my swim meet Friday,” she said.
    â€œYou did what, Angela?” Pops said.
    Angie didn’t answer. She knew he’d heard her the first time.
    â€œThey won’t let a colored boy anywhere near that pool,” Mama said. “Rodney, ride your bike on up ahead and tell him politely that your sister made a mistake.”
    â€œWhy me, Mama? Make Angie do it.”
    â€œJust go tell him, please. That poor young man doesn’t need another situation, and I certainly don’t need the whole town talking about the colored boy who watched my daughter gallivant around half-naked at the pool.”
    â€œI don’t do that,” Angie said. “It’s a swim meet, Mama. I swim.”
    â€œRodney, go on, boy,” Pops said.
    I rode through trees and past the picnic grounds crowded with barbecue pits to where Tater was crossing the pedestrian bridge over the bayou. I tried to figure out what to say to him, and I didn’t know what that might be until I finally said it. “Hey, Tater, they don’t have swim meets on the north end?”
    His expression let me know the question wasn’t one he’d expected, especially from me. “What are you trying to say, Rodney?”
    â€œThey’ll just treat you bad again. It’ll be worse than today.”
    â€œIf I let things like that worry me, I’d never leave the house.” He was standing in the middle of the bridge, and he leaned against the railing now and spat at the water below. “Was it Angie who sent you?”
    I shook my head.
    â€œYour mama’s a nice person, Rodney. I heard her yelling at that ump. But it was Angie who asked me to come see her swim, and unless Angie takes the invitation back, I plan on being there.”
    He spat one more time before leaving.

    A tall hurricane fence surrounded the pool yard, with three strands of barbed wire running along the top. About ten feet from the fence were two stands of bleachers that were close enough to some oak trees to get shade, which made it tolerable for Mama, even on the worst summer days. Whenever Angie had a meet, we tried to arrive about an hour early to claim seats up on the top bench for the best shade and the best view. We arrived earlier than usual today, with more than an hour to spare, and Tater was already there waiting.
    He was wearing a white button-down shirt with long sleeves, navy dress pants, and penny loafers with soles barely scuffed. He also had on a new cowboy belt, carved with his name, TATER HENRY , in the brown leather.
    â€œI wish I could get you to dress like that,” Mama said, and cut me a look. It was July and hot, and I had on cutoffs, a T-shirt, and flip-flops—what I always wore on days like this one.
    Pops was quiet. He couldn’t have been happy seeing Tater, and he’d had only about three hours of sleep all day. His feet banged against the board planks as he led us up to our spot. To protect against splinters, he’d brought a pair of foam seat cushions, and he set one down for Mama, then used the other for himself.
    â€œTater, how are you, son?” Mama asked, and looked over.
    â€œDoing pretty good, Mrs. Boulet. How are you?”
    â€œWill you tell your auntie something for me? Will you tell her I said you shine like a brand-new copper penny today?”
    â€œI appreciate that, Mrs. Boulet. She’s the one that bought me this outfit. I hope it isn’t too