Arkansas State press., 1942-07-10
"NatiVe Son"
BY Richard Wright


trustfully upon his face. He hel
! his body in an attitude that So
gested that he was delicately bal
anced upon a hairline, waiting t
K see If she would push him for
T ward or draw him back. Her lip
9 smiled family and she lifted he,
y hand and touched his face will
her fingers. He knew she Wa
lighting out in her feelings tn,
question of just how much h.
Q meant to her. She grabbed hi.
d hand and squeezed it, telling him
| in the pressure Of her finger that
, she wanted him.
/; "But, Bigger. honey 49,. Let's
don't do that. We getting along
= all right like We is now. :" "He
drew his hand away. "I'm GOING
|, he said.
"When I'll see you. honey?" 81
don't know.
He started of again and she
overlook him and encircled him
with her arms.
! Bigger, honey "Come on,
Bessie. What you going to do?"
She looked at him with round,
helpless black eyes. He was still
poised, wondering if she would
pull him toward her, or let him
fall alone. He was enjoying her
agony, seeing and feeling the
worth of himself in her bewild-
cred desperation. Her lips trem-
bled and she began to cry. "What
you going to dot" he asked again.
"K | do it, it's cause you want
me to-" she sobbed.
He put his arm about her
shoulders. Come on, Bessie, che
said. Don't cry:
She stopped and dried her eyes;
he looked at her closely. She'll do
it, he thought, II got to CO." he
said. II Amt going in right now"
"Where you going?" He found
-
that he was afraid Of what she
did, now that she WAS working
with him. His peace OF mind de-
pended upon knowing what she did
and why,
"pm going tn get a pint" That
was all right; she was feeling as
he knew she always felt. well.
Ill see you tomorrow night
hunh?"
80. X, honey, But be careful"
"Look, Bessie, don't worry none.
Jcht trust me, No matter what
happensl they WORT catch A1sl
And they WON'T even know you
they start after us, where could
they start after us, where cocld
we hide, Bigger? You know Yves
black, We can't 60 just any
where .....
He looked around the lamp
lit, snow-covered street.
"There's plenty of Places" he
said. 81 know the South Side
from A to z. We could even
hide out in one Of those old build.
ings, see? Like ! did last time.
Nobody ever looks into 'em" He
pointed across the street to a
black, looming empty apartment
) building. "Well." Sc sighed, 81
hm going" he said.
$50 long, honey
He walked toward the car line;
when he looked back he saw her
still standing in the snow; she
had not moved, She'll be all right
. he thought. She'll 60 alorg.
, Snow was falling again; the
!. streets were long paths leading
: through a dense jungle, lit here
and there with torches held higl
. invisible hands, He waited tel
!. minutes for a ear and none came
!. He turned the corner and walk,
> ed, his head down, a:5 haads dus
into his pocket, going te
Dalton's,
He was confident, DIrin thu
last day and night new fears hat
come, but new feelings had helpet
/, to allay those fears. The moment
when he had stood above Mary
had and found that she was deat
the fear Of electrocution had ente
" ed his flesh and blood. But a
: home at the breakfast table witt
I, his mother and sister and brother
' seeing how blind they were. an,
overhearing Peggy and Mrs, Dial
ton talking In the kitchen, a ne,
. feeling had been horn In him
!" feeling that all but blotted o,
. the fear Of death. As long as h
:, moved carefully and knew VIII;
II he was about, he could hand
y things, he thought. Az long q
. he could take his life into his ow
T. hands and dispose of 1t as h
! pleased. as long as he could d.
eide just when and where he woul
I,1ip tn ha paaJ mt ha afraid