Jackson advocate., 1942-03-07

with me, in the Officer"
mo, want to work among Ne
groes. That's where people are
needed. Tt seems as though they've
been pushed out of everything
That's true.
when I see what they've done
to those people, it makes me SO
mad. -
Eyes; its awful
sand I feel SO helpless and USE
less. want to do something"
Il knew all along you'd come
through"
'Say, Jan, do you know manv
negroes? want to meet some.,' az
oont know any very well. But
youll meet them when you're in
the Party "They have so much
emotion! What a people! If we
could ever get them going. -
We can't have revolution
without 'em," Jan said. 'Tbey've
got to be organized. They've got
spirit. They'll give the Party some
thing it needs.''
And their songs-the spirituals!
Aren't they marvelous?'' Bigger
saw her turn to him. "Say, Bigger,
can you sing?'
Il cant sing he said.
Jaw, Bigger" she said. poutine.
She tilted her head, closed her
| eyes and opened her mouth
swing. Swing low, sweet chariot
Coming fer to carry me home. >,
Jan joined in and Bigger smiled
cerisively. He'll, that amt the
| tune, he thought.
Come on, Bigger, and help lis
sing it, Jan said.
Il can't sing he said again
They were silent. The car purred
along. Then he heard Jan speak
ing in low tones.
| Where's the bottle?"
Right here"
II want a sip"
TIL take one, too, honey"
Going heavy tonight, amt you?'
About as heavy as you, They
laughed. Bigger drove in silence
He heard the faint, musical gurgIe
of liquor.
| "Jan.''
| "What?"
| That was a big sip!'
Here, you get even.'
Through the rear mirror he saw
her tilt the bottle and drink.
Maybe Bigger wants another
| one. Jan. Ask him." "Oh, say Big
ger! Here; take swigp' He slow
&c the car and reached back for
the bottle; he tilted it twice, TAX
ing two huge swallows.
"Woow!!" Mary laughed.
you took swig, all right Jan
said.
Bigger wiped his mouth with the
back of his hand and continued
driving slowly through the dark
park. Now and then he heard the
half-empty bottle of rum gurgling
They're getting plastered, he
thought, feeling the effect of the
rum creeping outward to his
fingers and upward to his lips
Presently, he heard Mary giggle
He'll, she's plastered already! The
car rolled slowly round and round
the sloping curves. The runs soft
head was spreading fanwise out
and floating along smoothly
through darkness.
His hands rested lightly on the
steering wheel and his body
slouched lazily down in the seat
He looked at the mirror; they were
drinking again. They plastered, all
right, he thought. He pulled the
car softly round the curves, look
ing at the road before him one
second and up at the mirror the
next. He heard Jan whispering;
then he heard them both sigh. His
lips were numb I'm. almost drunk.
he thought. His sense of the city
and park fell away; he was float
ing in the car and Jan and Mary
we're in back, kissing. A long time
passed.
TITS one o'clock, honey Mary
said. IT better go in."
20. X. But let's drive a little
more. It's great here"
s'I'm sorry, darling"
It'll call you in the morning be-
fore I CO."
'iSure. What time?"
"About eight thirty"
Gee, but hate to see you go
to Detroit"
IT hate to go too. But I got to. |
You see, honey, I got to make up |
for being bad with you down in |
got to do what Mother |
and Father say for awhile
7 bate to see you 80 Just the