" Kim, don't let that boy come in here and grease-up me kitchen," I
hear her say. Now I is a man don't come here in me work-clothes but
because she know I work in a mechanic shop she always got to throw some
nasty remarks at me.
" What happen to your Old Lady, she drunk or what," I say to Kim.
" Don't say them kinda things 'bout me mother," she says seriously.
" Then why she got to throw all them nasty things at me when I come
here," I complain.
" Because when you come here you're not respectful to her," Kim say.
"You don't even be respectful to me."
" What you want me to be respectful to you for," I grumble.
" For one thing, I is the mother of your child," she says.
" So?" I shoot back at her.
" So if you want Junior growing up seeing he father disrespecting he
mother and grandmother that just show the kind of slacker you are for a
father," she says.
" Look, I ain't come here for all this aggravation," I say. I don't
like how this conversation going at all.
" You is the one that start it," she says.
" Me? Girl, is how I start it?"
" You know Mammy in the verandah there. You tell she good-afternoon
when you pass in?"
" No, I ain't see nobody out there." I kept a straight face.
" I ain't believe that. You always pretending you ain't see her when
she out there and you does come in here straight."
" Look, the fact is that you mother don't like me."
" Not since you get me pregnant and out of school just when I was to
write me exams."
" Well, you ain't had to get pregnant you know."
" And you didn't have to pretend you is this responsible caring person.
If you did come straight and show me the real you nothing like me
would've got mix up with you," she says and I could see she mean that.
" Look, the child done born already and I ain't think the time is right
for me to get married yet," I say and try to sound responsible.
" Marrid!" she says with scorn. " Lennox, I know I was stupid enough to
give in to you but what in the world make you think I want to marrid a
lout like you."
Now, she didn't have to go and say that. She really getting on me
nerves now with this kind of talk.
" That is exactly what you' mother want, and since I ain't coming up
with no proposal she don't like see me here at all," I strike back.
" Good Lord! My mother would kill me if I decide to marry the likes of
you. Since she see you ain't the sweet respectable boy that used to
come home here to visit me she ain't want nothing like you
contaminating the family tree. Lord, give me a break Lennox. You does
go on like you is the best thing that fall down this side of heaven."