Jackson advocate., 1942-08-01
(INSTALLMENT 81

|
He paid the money, put the pack
age into his pocket and went ou
to the corner to wait for a cal
One came; he got on and rode east
ward, wondering what kind of not,
he would write. He rang the bel
for the car to stop, got off anc
walked through the quiet Negro
! streets. Now and then he passed al
empty building, white and silent ir
the night. He would make Bessie
hide in one of the buildings
a n d W t C h for Mr.
Dalton's car. But the ones he pass
ed were too old; If one went into
them they might collapse He walk
ed on. He had to find a building
where Bessie could stand in a win
dow and see the package of money
when it was thrown from the car
He reached Langley Avenue and
walked westward to Wabash Ave-
nue.. There were many empty
buildings with black windows, like
blind eyes, buildings like skeletons
standing with snow on their bones
in the Winter wind. But none
were on corners.
Finally, at Michigan Avenue and
East Thirty-sixth Place, he saw the
one he wanted. It was tall, white,
silent, standing on a Lighted
corner. BY looking from any of the
front windows Bessie would be able
to see in all four directions. OH!
He had to have a flashlight! He
went to a drug store and bought
| one for dollar. He felt in the in
| ner pocket of his coat for his
gloves. Now, he was ready. He
crossed the street and stood wait
ing for a car. His feet were cold
and he stamped them in the snow,
surrounded by people waiting, too,
for car. He did not look at them:
they were simply blind people,
blind like his mother, his brother,
his sister, Peggy Britten, Jan, Mr..
Dalton, and the sightless Mrs. Dal-
ton and the quiet empty houses in
their blank gaping windows.
He looked round the street and
saw a sign on a building: THIS
PROPERTY is MANAGED BY
THE SOUTH SIDE REAL ESTATE
COMPANY. He had heard that Mr..
Dalton owned the South Side Real
Estate Company, and the South
Side Real Estate Company owned
the house in which he lived. He
paid eight dollars a week for one
rat-lnfeSted room. He had never
seen Mr.. Dalton until he had come
to work for him; his mother always
took the rent to the real estate Of
flee. Mr.. Dalton was somewhere
far away, high up, distant, like a
god. He owned property all over the
Black Belt, and he owned property
where white folks lived, too. But
Bigger could not live in a building
across the "line." Even though Mr..
Dalton gave millions of dollars for
Negro education,he would rent
houses to Negroes only in this pre-
scribed area, this corner of the CITY
tumbling down from rot. In a sui
len way Bigger was conscious of
this. Yes; he would send the kid
nap note. He would jar them out
OF their senses.
When the car came he rode south
and got off at Fifty-first Street
and walked to Bessies. He had to
ring five times before the buzzer
answered. I bet she's drunk! he
thought. He mounted the steps and
saw her peering at him through
the door with eyes red from sleep
and alcohol. His doubt of her made
him fearful and angry.
Bigger she asked.
Get back in the room," he said.
What's the matter?" she asked
backing away, her mouth open.
Let me in! Open the door!"
She threw the door wide, almost
stumbling as she did so.
Turn on the light"
Whats the matter, Bigger?"
How many times do you want
me to ask you to turn on the lighti.
She turned it on.
Pull them shades"
She lowered the shades. He stood
watching her. Now, I don't want
any trouble out of her. He went to
the dresser and pushed her jars
and combs and brushes aside and
took the package from his pocket
and laid it in cleared space.
Bigger"
He turned and looked at her.
"What?"
"You amt really planning to do
that, sure 'nough?"
What the hell you think?"
Bigger, now!'
He caught her arm and squeezed
IT IN q grip Of fear and hate. "Yor