Taking Care of Moses Read Online Free PDF Page B

stopped when they heard Althea’s voice.
    â€œHey, Miss Frieda.”
    â€œAlthea. How you doin’, lamb?”
    â€œI’m doing fine, but T.J. ain’t.”
    â€œWhat you mean?”
    â€œHe lit a firecracker and made somebody cry.”
    â€œA firecracker?” Miss Frieda hollered. “Who cried?”
    â€œInez Dawson,” Althea said. “And then her big ole son come out and grabbed T.J. You know her son? That man named Henry?”
    Randall and Jaybird watched through the lattice as Miss Frieda stormed off up the street, her shorts making a swish, swish, swish noise.
    Althea skipped toward the porch, clutching a paper bag.
    â€œI got somethin’ y’all want,” she sang into the fort.
    â€œOh, yeah?” Jaybird hollered through the lattice. “Well, that’s good, ’cause we want something to make you drop dead and disappear.”
    â€œOkay,” Althea said. “I reckon I’ll just give these ole firecrackers to somebody who wants ’em.”

    Randall and Jaybird scrambled out from under the porch.
    â€œGive me that,” Jaybird said, grabbing for the bag.
    â€œIt’s mine.” Althea jerked the bag behind her back.
    â€œGive it here.”
    Jaybird dove for Althea’s legs, knocking her into the dirt with an “Oompf.”
    â€œGet that bag, Randall,” he called out while he held Althea down. Her skinny legs kicked and flailed in the air.
    Randall looked up at the porch to make sure Mrs. Gilley and his mama hadn’t come back out. Then he snatched the bag away from Althea and peered inside.
    â€œIt is firecrackers,” he said.
    Jaybird shook Althea’s shoulders. “Where’d you get them firecrackers?”
    â€œT.J. give ’em to me.”
    â€œHow come?”
    â€œâ€™Cause that man Henry was gonna bust him one for scarin’ Mrs. Dawson, and T.J. was crying and all and saying it wasn’t him and then he threw that bag to me and I come on home.”
    Althea grabbed at the bag, but Randall jerked it away from her.
    â€œI hate you, Randall Mackey,” Althea said. “And you ain’t invited to the party for Moses.”

    â€œWhat party?”
    â€œThe party I’m having when I baby-sit.”
    â€œYou lie like a rug, Althea,” Jaybird said.
    â€œI do not.”
    â€œI already told you, Althea. Nobody’s gonna let a ninny-brain diaper head like you baby-sit.”
    â€œI am too.” Althea stamped her foot. “I’m gonna be a mother’s helper, and I start tomorrow.”
    â€œTomorrow is church day,” Jaybird said.
    â€œI know that, you smelly rat-breath baby,” Althea said. “I get to hold Moses while Mrs. Jennings sings with the Celebration Choir. And then when I win the Bible drill, I get to be a mother’s helper every Sunday.”
    â€œWhat if you don’t win the Bible drill?” Randall said.
    â€œI am winning.” Althea tossed her head and skipped off down the sidewalk.
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    That night, Randall crawled way down under his sheet with a flashlight. He made a fist and inspected it. Then he tried to draw it. Fists were tricky, but he kept trying until he got it right. Then he drew another fist. Perfect, he thought. Two punching fists. One black, one white. Then, up at the top, he drew the floppy hat and the wild black hair, looking down at the two angry fists.

7
    â€œ A nd what else do you think needs to be planted in your Garden of Life?” Preacher Ron said.
    He put both hands on the pulpit and leaned over to gaze out at the congregation. The room grew quiet. A few church bulletins flapped as folks fanned themselves. Someone coughed. A ceiling fan whirred lazily above them.
    Preacher Ron had already told them about how they needed to plant plenty of peas, like “politeness” and “prayer.” And then they needed squash in their Gardens of Life, to squash gossip and squash