Juba! Read Online Free PDF Page A

upstairs,” Miss Lilly said.
    We watched as Cissy started to leave, then came back for the mop and pail and carried them off with her.
    â€œMiss Lilly likes that girl because she’s polite, but she’s also hardheaded,” Pete said. “She can’t figure out that nothing comes for free. Everything you get in life has got some kind of price to it. The only things that are free are air and water, and one day somebody is going to figure out how to get air and water in a bottle and sell that. You’re not looking for a wife, are you?”
    â€œNo, I’m not,” I said.
    â€œBecause with you dancing for Pete Williams and her washing floors for Pete Williams, the both of you could become famous,” Pete said. “Maybe you could get her out on the dance floor and have her sweeping the floor around you as you danced. Then maybe I’d have that platform built. We’d call it the Master Juba stage.
    â€œYou know your boy was here earlier—what’s his name, the one walks like he got a stick up his butt?” Pete asked.
    â€œI don’t know who you’re talking about,” I said. “None of my friends carry sticks in that position.”
    â€œThe one who speaks so proper and wants to be a cook,” Miss Lilly said. “He was here when Mr. Reeves was talking about hiring some dancers and singers. I know he told you about that.”
    â€œHe didn’t mention anything to me,” I said. “Who is Mr. Reeves?”
    â€œYou remember that theater that was closed about eighteen months ago?” Pete asked. “The one over the Playhouse?”
    â€œSomething about it not being safe?” I said.
    â€œWell, he’s got a chance to get a license to open it up again,” Lilly said. “He wants to invite some people here from City Hall and some backers to talk it over. It should be kind of informal, but he wants a nice show. That’s why he’s holding auditions this weekend. If you’re interested, maybe Pete can put in aword for you. You work for Mr. Reeves and a lot of people are going to be seeing you.”
    â€œHe wants to put on a show here ?”I asked.
    â€œYou got a problem with Almack’s?” Pete asked.
    â€œNo,” I said. “None at all.”
    My mind was working hard, but I couldn’t come up with anything that made sense. There was nothing wrong with Almack’s for giving a show, but there were a lot better places. Pete kept talking about how he could put in a good word for me if I signed a contract to work for him for one year. I told him I would think about it.
    â€œDon’t think yourself out of a good chance to get ahead in the world,” Pete said.
    â€œI’ll try not to, Mr. Williams,” I answered him. “I’ll certainly try not to.”
    Home, and Stubby wasn’t back yet, so I sat out on the stoop to wait for him. I knew he would be rushing back with something to cook for supper. Sure enough, I spied him coming down the street with a package under his arm.
    â€œWhat’s going on?”
    â€œYou tell me!” I said. “Pete said you were over to Almack’s and they were talking about having auditions for a show. He said they were looking for dancers and singers. Why didn’t you tell me?”
    â€œI was going to tell you when I got off work.” Stubby was trying to sit down with me, but I got up and faced him. “I was going to tell you, but it slipped my mind when they said I wasn’t working today.”
    â€œWhen are they going to have the auditions?”
    â€œSaturday,” Stubby said. “Let’s go inside, Juba. What’s wrong with you?”
    â€œPete said he’d put in a word for me with Mr. Reeves if I wanted,” I said. “This could be the break I was looking for.”
    â€œI told Freddy,” Stubby said.
    â€œYou told Freddy, who is looking to get the same job I’m trying to get, and