whistled. He leaned forward and stared Michelle in the eye. “Girl, you gonna lose your job. And I don’t know whether you know it or not, but the rent man don’t take
pride
for payment, and you can’t deposit
I know I’m right
in the bank.”
“Shad. Come on, give me a break.” Michelle would not let the tears that popped into her eyes—tears that surprised her—fall. “Shad, this is not the time to be difficult. I could get fired here.”
Shadrach scooted his chair forward and lowered his voice. “That’s exactly what I’m trying to get across to you. That’s what I’m talking about. What did you think was going to happen?”
“I didn’t think. I just saw red. I’m sick of her, Shad, with all the stupid books, cards . . . and the Bible. This is a job, and she’s my team leader, not my momma or my supervisor. I’m sick of her telling me what to do and when to do it. I’m sick of her signifying, looking down her nose at me and trying to throw off on me with all her religious stuff.”
Shadrach’s expression softened. “Do you think that’s really what Tonya’s trying to do?”
“What else? She doesn’t know me. Why would she do something for me—just out of the goodness of her heart? Tonya makes me sick. She thinks she’s so holy.”
“Maybe Tonya is trying to do what she thinks will help.”
Michelle tapped the perfectly manicured, acrylic-tipped nail of one index finger on the table. “I don’t need her help, or anybody else’s for that matter.”
“That may be. You may be the one person alive who doesn’t need anybody. May be, but I doubt it. But, seriously, Tonya might be trying to be a friend to you in the only way she knows how.”
“Why? What for? Look, this is just a
job.
I didn’t come here looking for friends, or for a new momma—I already had one and that was enough.”
“That may be, too, but life is funny like that. We’re always finding things where we least expect them. Maybe she’s just trying to be good—”
“I don’t
need
anybody to be good to me! When people are good to you, it always has a price. I’ve already given; I’m not paying anymore!”
Shadrach closed one eye and cocked his head. “Whew! Where did that come from?” He looked straight at Michelle. “What I was about to say is that I think she is trying to be good people. You know what I mean?”
Michelle frowned.
Shad continued talking. “You know how it is. Most people go through life and they don’t give a good kitty for other people. You on your own—it’s every man for himself. They may not try to hurt you, but they sure as living are not going to go out of their way to help you. I think Tonya tries to be good people. Maybe she’s trying too hard, but I think her heart is in the right place.”
Michelle narrowed her eyes. “What do you know about Tonya’s heart?”
Shadrach placed one of his ankles on the opposite knee. “I keep my eyes open.” He shrugged. “I’ve just seen and heard of her doing things for people. You know, I’m old school. I watch a long time, taking notes and names. I’m pretty sure that Tonya is not doing stuff for show—I’ve heard of her giving people a little change or car rides, showing up at people’s family member’s funerals. Just stuff like that. It’s not a big deal, but these are folks that can’t do nothing for her. I’ve never heard of her running back and telling what she’s done. If the other people don’t tell it, the story never gets told.” He shrugged. “That says something to me.”
Michelle pursed her lips. “Well, if you’re so impressed, why aren’t you eating lunch with
her?
”
“Because I asked you, that’s why.”
Michelle rolled her eyes. “Mm-hmm.” She wasn’t so sure she believed him.
“I just think she’s good people.”
Michelle picked up another fry. “You keep saying that, but she’s dull and dried up.” She dipped the fry in a little pool of ketchup. “No spice and no
pride
for payment, and you can’t deposit
I know I’m right
in the bank.”
“Shad. Come on, give me a break.” Michelle would not let the tears that popped into her eyes—tears that surprised her—fall. “Shad, this is not the time to be difficult. I could get fired here.”
Shadrach scooted his chair forward and lowered his voice. “That’s exactly what I’m trying to get across to you. That’s what I’m talking about. What did you think was going to happen?”
“I didn’t think. I just saw red. I’m sick of her, Shad, with all the stupid books, cards . . . and the Bible. This is a job, and she’s my team leader, not my momma or my supervisor. I’m sick of her telling me what to do and when to do it. I’m sick of her signifying, looking down her nose at me and trying to throw off on me with all her religious stuff.”
Shadrach’s expression softened. “Do you think that’s really what Tonya’s trying to do?”
“What else? She doesn’t know me. Why would she do something for me—just out of the goodness of her heart? Tonya makes me sick. She thinks she’s so holy.”
“Maybe Tonya is trying to do what she thinks will help.”
Michelle tapped the perfectly manicured, acrylic-tipped nail of one index finger on the table. “I don’t need her help, or anybody else’s for that matter.”
“That may be. You may be the one person alive who doesn’t need anybody. May be, but I doubt it. But, seriously, Tonya might be trying to be a friend to you in the only way she knows how.”
“Why? What for? Look, this is just a
job.
I didn’t come here looking for friends, or for a new momma—I already had one and that was enough.”
“That may be, too, but life is funny like that. We’re always finding things where we least expect them. Maybe she’s just trying to be good—”
“I don’t
need
anybody to be good to me! When people are good to you, it always has a price. I’ve already given; I’m not paying anymore!”
Shadrach closed one eye and cocked his head. “Whew! Where did that come from?” He looked straight at Michelle. “What I was about to say is that I think she is trying to be good people. You know what I mean?”
Michelle frowned.
Shad continued talking. “You know how it is. Most people go through life and they don’t give a good kitty for other people. You on your own—it’s every man for himself. They may not try to hurt you, but they sure as living are not going to go out of their way to help you. I think Tonya tries to be good people. Maybe she’s trying too hard, but I think her heart is in the right place.”
Michelle narrowed her eyes. “What do you know about Tonya’s heart?”
Shadrach placed one of his ankles on the opposite knee. “I keep my eyes open.” He shrugged. “I’ve just seen and heard of her doing things for people. You know, I’m old school. I watch a long time, taking notes and names. I’m pretty sure that Tonya is not doing stuff for show—I’ve heard of her giving people a little change or car rides, showing up at people’s family member’s funerals. Just stuff like that. It’s not a big deal, but these are folks that can’t do nothing for her. I’ve never heard of her running back and telling what she’s done. If the other people don’t tell it, the story never gets told.” He shrugged. “That says something to me.”
Michelle pursed her lips. “Well, if you’re so impressed, why aren’t you eating lunch with
her?
”
“Because I asked you, that’s why.”
Michelle rolled her eyes. “Mm-hmm.” She wasn’t so sure she believed him.
“I just think she’s good people.”
Michelle picked up another fry. “You keep saying that, but she’s dull and dried up.” She dipped the fry in a little pool of ketchup. “No spice and no
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