Stories of Erskine Caldwell Read Online Free PDF Page B

road straightened out, Candy-Man swung into town. The old folks riding, and the young ones walking, they all made way for those flapping feet. The mules to the buggies and the sports in the middle of the road all got aside to let him through.
    “What’s your big hurry, Candy-Man?”
    “Take care my dust don’t choke you blind, niggers. I’m on my way.”
    “Where to, Candy-Man?”
    “I got a gal what’s waiting right at her door. She don’t like for to be kept waiting.”
    “Better slow down and cool those heels, Candy-Man, because you’re coming to the white-folks’ town. They don’t like niggers stepping on their toes.”
    “When the sun goes down, I’m on my own. I can’t be stopping to see what color people be.”
    The old folks clucked, and the mules began to trot. They didn’t like the way that big coon talked.
    “How about taking me along, Candy-Man?” the young bucks begged. “I’d like to grab me a chicken off a hen-house roost.”
    “Where I’m going I’m the cock of the walk. I gouge my spurs in all strange feathers. Stay away, black boy, stay away.”
    Down the street he went, sticking to the middle of the road. The sidewalks couldn’t hold him when he was in a hurry like that. A plateful of frying catfish, and he would be on his way. That yellow gal was waiting, and there was no time to lose. Eight miles covered, and two short ones to go. That sawmill fireman would have to pull on that Monday-morning whistle like it was the rope to the promised land.
    The smell of the fish took him straight to the fish-house door. Maybe they were mullets, but they smelled just as good. There wasn’t enough time to order up a special dish of fins.
    He had his hand on the restaurant door. When he had his supper, he would be on his way. He could see that yellow gal waiting for him only a couple of miles away.
    All those boys were sitting at their meal. The room was full of hungry people just like him. The stove was full of frying fish, and the barrel was only halfway used. There was enough good eating for a hundred hungry men.
    He still had his hand on the fish-house door, and his nose was soaking it in. If he could have his way about it, some of these days he was going to buy himself a whole big barrel of catfish and eat them every one.
    “What’s your hurry, Candy-Man?”
    “No time to waste, white-boss. Just let me be.”
    The night policeman snapped open the handcuffs, and reached for his arms, Candy-Man stepped away.
    “I reckon I’d better lock you up. It’ll save a lot of trouble. I’m getting good and tired of chasing fighting niggers all over town every Saturday night.”
    “I never hurt a body in all my life, white-boss. And I sure don’t pick fights. You must have the wrong nigger, white-boss. You sure has got me wrong. I’m just passing through for to see my gal.”
    “I reckon I’ll play safe and lock you up till Monday morning just the same. Reach out your hands for these cuffs, nigger.”
    Candy-Man stepped away. His yellow gal was on his mind. He didn’t feel like passing her up for no iron-bar jail. He stepped away.
    “I’ll shoot you down, nigger. One more step, and I’ll blast away.”
    “White-boss, please just let me be. I won’t even stop to get my supper, and I’ll shake my legs right out of town. Because I just got to see my gal before the Monday-morning sun comes up.”
    Candy-Man stepped away. The night policeman threw down the handcuffs and jerked out his gun. He pulled the trigger at Candy-Man, and Candy-Man fell down.
    “There wasn’t no cause for that, white-boss. I’m just a big black nigger with itching feet. I’d a heap rather be traveling than standing still.”
    The people came running, but some of them turned around and went the other way. Some stood and looked at Candy-Man while he felt his legs to see if they could hold him up. He still had two miles to go before he could reach the top of the ridge.
    The people crowded around, and the night