Legend of Buddy Bush (9781439131824) Read Online Free PDF Page A

because he might die waiting for an answer. “Besides,” he said, “ain’t nothing wrong with a woman who can pick two bushels of strawberries a day. Nothing.”
    I wait as Grandma wipes her hands in the end of her apron and start thinking about when she might tell me how she’s feeling. First, she takes out her breakfast dishes and puts them on the table. One by one, she pulls out the white plates with the dancing white ladies on them. I want her to hurry up because I can’t tell her I cried in my eggs anddidn’t finish eating my breakfast until after she finish her ritual.
    Finally the words come. “Child, Grandma don’t feel so good today.”
    There, she said it.
    â€œOh, I’m sorry, Grandma. What’s wrong?”
    â€œNothing special, just old age I guess. How are you this mornin’?”
    â€œI’m okay. Just hungry.”
    â€œWhat you doing hungry, child? Didn’t Mer fix you breakfast?”
    â€œWell, she did, but I didn’t get to finish because Mr. Charlie came to get her.”
    I start praying immediately that Grandma will forget the lie that I just told and don’t tell Ma. The last time Ma caught me in a lie she wore my behind out with a plastic cake-mixing spoon. Grandma don’t look like she believe me. But she never could stand the sight of a hungry man, woman, or child. “Never mind, just sit down and let Grandma fix you someteat.”
    That’s her word for something to eat. I don’t dare correct her or any of the old folks on RehobethRoad. We all understand what they mean. Besides Uncle Buddy swears that them old folks are a lot smarter than us schoolchildren. They have their own words, like “dor” for “door,” “yes-ciddie” for “yesterday,” “yonder” for “over there,” and “boot” for “car trunk.”
    Right now all I need is someteat and some information about Grandpa.
    â€œGrandma, can I ask you a grown folks question?”
    â€œDepends on what it is.”
    â€œWell, what’s wrong with Grandpa and why didn’t you go with him to the doctor?”
    Grandma sits down and pours herself another cup of coffee from the white and blue teakettle that’s almost black from fire that comes out of the potbelly stove that she loves so dearly. She doesn’t even use milk and that means she needs something strong to help her through the day. Before I know it, Grandma is standing up and getting an extra saucer with white ladies dancing on it out of the cupboard. I’m so happy because I know that I am going to get a saucerful of coffee. “Our littlesecret, of course,” Grandma says. She’s the only person on Rehobeth Road that thinks that I am old enough to have at least a taste of coffee. Grandpa and Ma said that coffee makes children crazy. When I told Uncle Buddy what they said, he said, “That’s the craziest damn mess I ever heard.” Now I ain’t old enough to curse, but I know he is right about that being the craziest mess we ever heard.
    I was getting ready to sit down when I notice that Grandma got herself a new kitchen set.
    â€œWhy, Grandma, you have a new table and chairs.”
    â€œYes, I do. Ain’t it nice?”
    â€œYes, it’s real nice, but when did it come? I didn’t see the Sears truck pass our house.”
    â€œThat’s because it didn’t come from Sears. Now don’t get me wrong, ain’t nothing the matter with their furniture. But I have always wanted to order me something out of that Helig Myers catalog that Doleebuck gets in the mail.”
    I can’t believe it. Furniture from Helig Myers. New furniture.
    I rub my hand along the table and think abouthow many Helig Myers stores they must have in New York.
    â€œThis is really nice, Grandma.”
    â€œThank you, child. Your grandpa bought it for me. He finally sold the lumber off of them ten acres