most.
Mary Royal quickly took the packages from Raymond Taylor and set them on the counter. He smiled and nodded to Goldah. Goldah stood and extended his hand.
“Hello, Mr. Taylor. Good to meet you.”
Raymond’s eyes flashed. His smile remained fixed even as he shot a glance at Mary Royal, whose back was to them. She continued to unpack the bags.
“Take his hand, Raymond. He’s putting it out there for you.”
Raymond bobbed another nod and then took Goldah’s hand and shook it. “Yes, suh, Mr. Ike. Pleased to meet you.”
Mary Royal said, “Raymond comes every Saturday with groceries when Miss Pearl and Mr. Abe praying.”
“And I do deliveries sometime, too, for Mr. Jesler. I got a truck, take it down to Jacksonville or up to Charleston. Every third week or so.”
“He don’t need to know your schedule, Raymond. He knows it soon enough working with Mr. Abe in the store and all.”
Raymond nodded, as if to remind himself. “Mr. Jesler tell me about that. That sounds fine, Mr. Ike.”
“Raymond was in the war, too,” she said. “In Italy. I keep all the letters he sent, and I got a scarf he get me.” She opened the icebox and set a few packages in paper along the shelf. “He was in the fighting, not like most. Most Negro boys who come back did graveyards and mopping up. Raymond was a fighting man in Italy. We all real proud a Raymond.” She went back to the bags.
Raymond said, “She’s bragging on me too much, Mr. Ike. I just did what I was told.”
Goldah said, “Doesn’t make you any less brave.” He saw Mary Royal smile at this as she placed the last of the boxes on a shelf.
“Why don’t you take Mr. Ike down to the store,” she said and closed the cupboard. “He ain’t seen the store inside andI got things to do here and you got to get yourself going. That sound good to you, Mr. Ike?” When Goldah didn’t answer, she said, “Raymond’ll have you back in time for lunch. Then when Mr. Abe take you down this afternoon you already feel like you know the place. You meet Calvin and Jacob. Make it easier on you.”
Goldah realized the decision had been made long before he had come down this morning. “Yes,” he said, “that sounds fine.”
Raymond stepped over to Mary Royal and she put her hand on his chest. “He knows you get to kiss me, so you don’t need to show it in front of him. Take him down Drayton by the big park so he sees everybody walking out.”
She took a rag and stepped over to the drying rack and started in on the plates. Raymond leaned over and kissed her on the back of her neck before quickly heading for the door.
“That’s just fresh,” she said as she continued to dry.
“But mighty brave,” Raymond said. He opened the door and waited for Goldah to step past.
Out in the truck, Raymond said, “I drive a bigger one for Mr. Jesler when I make the city runs.” Raymond kept his elbow propped out the window as he took them by the park. In the wind his arm seemed larger still. He said, “This one just for inside Savannah.”
It was a Ford from before the war but Raymond had kept it up, the engine easing into gear each time he shifted. Goldah had placed his white fedora between them on the seat and was tilting his head toward the window so as to feel the air run past him. Goldah liked the way Raymond spoke.
“Sometimes I take Mary Royal and her people out to Tybee for picnics and such. We do some fishing, dancing. Make a day of it. You been out to Tybee, Mr. Ike?”
Goldah watched as the large houses began to grow closer to each other, the porches with only narrow strips of land between them.
“No,” he said. “Not yet. Pearl said the beach is better when the weather cools down.”
“That’s smart. Too hot right now. Better when the weather cools.” Raymond looked over at Goldah. For a moment he seemed unsure of himself. He looked back at the road. “That’s a fine hat, Mr. Ike.”
“White for the heat,” said Goldah. “Pearl made sure it
Mary Royal quickly took the packages from Raymond Taylor and set them on the counter. He smiled and nodded to Goldah. Goldah stood and extended his hand.
“Hello, Mr. Taylor. Good to meet you.”
Raymond’s eyes flashed. His smile remained fixed even as he shot a glance at Mary Royal, whose back was to them. She continued to unpack the bags.
“Take his hand, Raymond. He’s putting it out there for you.”
Raymond bobbed another nod and then took Goldah’s hand and shook it. “Yes, suh, Mr. Ike. Pleased to meet you.”
Mary Royal said, “Raymond comes every Saturday with groceries when Miss Pearl and Mr. Abe praying.”
“And I do deliveries sometime, too, for Mr. Jesler. I got a truck, take it down to Jacksonville or up to Charleston. Every third week or so.”
“He don’t need to know your schedule, Raymond. He knows it soon enough working with Mr. Abe in the store and all.”
Raymond nodded, as if to remind himself. “Mr. Jesler tell me about that. That sounds fine, Mr. Ike.”
“Raymond was in the war, too,” she said. “In Italy. I keep all the letters he sent, and I got a scarf he get me.” She opened the icebox and set a few packages in paper along the shelf. “He was in the fighting, not like most. Most Negro boys who come back did graveyards and mopping up. Raymond was a fighting man in Italy. We all real proud a Raymond.” She went back to the bags.
Raymond said, “She’s bragging on me too much, Mr. Ike. I just did what I was told.”
Goldah said, “Doesn’t make you any less brave.” He saw Mary Royal smile at this as she placed the last of the boxes on a shelf.
“Why don’t you take Mr. Ike down to the store,” she said and closed the cupboard. “He ain’t seen the store inside andI got things to do here and you got to get yourself going. That sound good to you, Mr. Ike?” When Goldah didn’t answer, she said, “Raymond’ll have you back in time for lunch. Then when Mr. Abe take you down this afternoon you already feel like you know the place. You meet Calvin and Jacob. Make it easier on you.”
Goldah realized the decision had been made long before he had come down this morning. “Yes,” he said, “that sounds fine.”
Raymond stepped over to Mary Royal and she put her hand on his chest. “He knows you get to kiss me, so you don’t need to show it in front of him. Take him down Drayton by the big park so he sees everybody walking out.”
She took a rag and stepped over to the drying rack and started in on the plates. Raymond leaned over and kissed her on the back of her neck before quickly heading for the door.
“That’s just fresh,” she said as she continued to dry.
“But mighty brave,” Raymond said. He opened the door and waited for Goldah to step past.
Out in the truck, Raymond said, “I drive a bigger one for Mr. Jesler when I make the city runs.” Raymond kept his elbow propped out the window as he took them by the park. In the wind his arm seemed larger still. He said, “This one just for inside Savannah.”
It was a Ford from before the war but Raymond had kept it up, the engine easing into gear each time he shifted. Goldah had placed his white fedora between them on the seat and was tilting his head toward the window so as to feel the air run past him. Goldah liked the way Raymond spoke.
“Sometimes I take Mary Royal and her people out to Tybee for picnics and such. We do some fishing, dancing. Make a day of it. You been out to Tybee, Mr. Ike?”
Goldah watched as the large houses began to grow closer to each other, the porches with only narrow strips of land between them.
“No,” he said. “Not yet. Pearl said the beach is better when the weather cools down.”
“That’s smart. Too hot right now. Better when the weather cools.” Raymond looked over at Goldah. For a moment he seemed unsure of himself. He looked back at the road. “That’s a fine hat, Mr. Ike.”
“White for the heat,” said Goldah. “Pearl made sure it
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