“That’s real good for you.”
“Thanks.” Monette knew Rita and her other
three sisters did not get up early in the morning. They preferred
late hours and sleeping in, a lifestyle Monette had once shared.
“How are your kids?”
“Dayna is pregnant again. Can’t tell her
nothin’, ya know? The others okay. My baby, Keon, is a high school
football star. He’s probably gonna graduate and even get a
scholarship to college. He better. That’s the only way he’s gone
pay for it. You know none of us got any money.” Rita paused.
“That’s great. Looks like it was just
yesterday he was crawling around on the floor in a dirty diaper.”
Monette hoped he would break the family cycle and make it out of
the ’hood for a reason other than going to jail.
“Tall like his daddy, who ain’t paid child
support in years.” Rita went back to the theme of money.
Monette suppressed a sigh. The conversation
was taking a familiar turn. “I left a message for Mama. I hope
she’s not sick or anything.”
“Nah, she’s okay. I mean for her. I keep
trying to get her to slow down on those beers. Hump. You know how
she is.”
Monette could have added that it might help
if Rita gave up drinking, too. Instead she opted to steer in a
safe, neutral direction. “She has her own mind. How is Aunt
Lorraine and the rest of ’em?”
“She’s living with KayKay now. Got too sick
to live on her own.”
Rita went back to dropping hints about too
little money and too much trouble for the Victor family. Still,
Monette was glad to hear that her mother wasn’t ill and the rest of
the family was okay. Despite Rita’s litany of woe, Monette knew
that nothing had changed. She waited for Rita to wind down to the
real point of the phone call.
“And rent is so high. My landlord oughta be
shamed to charge us for living in this shack. He should pay me.”
Rita smacked her lips to make her point.
‘Try living rent free where I just came
from,” Monette deadpanned.
“Girl, you still crazy.” Rita let out another
gruff laugh full of artificial mirth.
Monette glanced up to find Trudy gazing at
her. The director went back to her office. “Listen, I have to go.
We can’t stay on this phone too long. I appreciate you calling to
check on me. I’m doing fine. Tell everybody I said hello.”
“Yeah. I will. Look here, Mama got these
expensive pills she got to take and my rent is behind. Dayna ain’t
half taking care of the two kids she got so I’m takin’ up the
slack. If you let me hold fifty dollars until the first of the
month it would help.” Rita spoke in a rush to get her plea out
quickly.
“I’ll see what I can do.” Monette drew a
circle in the dust on the shelf before her.
“Send it by next Tuesday. If you mail it
today I should get it by then.”
“I can’t make a promise. Like I said. I’ll
try.” Monette ground her back teeth until her jaw hurt. She would
send the fifty dollars. They both knew it.
“Right, right. So, you doing okay.” Rita made
it a statement because she really had no question about Monette’s
welfare.
Monette wanted to reveal her well-hidden
anxiety about being in the spotlight. She wanted to tell someone of
her hope to use those fifteen minutes of fame to help others. But
she knew Rita would only listen to calculate how much money to ask
for next time.
“I’m fine. Maybe you can get Mama to call me
next time.”
“Sure, Nette. I’ll go over there later today.
She’ll be happy to hear you’re doing so good.” Rita sputtered at
her own humor.
“Bye, Rita. Thanks again for calling me.”
Monette hung up fast before Rita gave her any more reasons to feel
depressed. The phone rang back immediately. With a groan she picked
up the receiver.
“Yeah.”
“Nette? It’s me again. You hung up so fast.
What? You got a plane to catch or something?” Rita chuckled deep in
her throat
“What is it?” Monette did not get the joke
one damn bit.
“I’m just kidding around with ya,
“Thanks.” Monette knew Rita and her other
three sisters did not get up early in the morning. They preferred
late hours and sleeping in, a lifestyle Monette had once shared.
“How are your kids?”
“Dayna is pregnant again. Can’t tell her
nothin’, ya know? The others okay. My baby, Keon, is a high school
football star. He’s probably gonna graduate and even get a
scholarship to college. He better. That’s the only way he’s gone
pay for it. You know none of us got any money.” Rita paused.
“That’s great. Looks like it was just
yesterday he was crawling around on the floor in a dirty diaper.”
Monette hoped he would break the family cycle and make it out of
the ’hood for a reason other than going to jail.
“Tall like his daddy, who ain’t paid child
support in years.” Rita went back to the theme of money.
Monette suppressed a sigh. The conversation
was taking a familiar turn. “I left a message for Mama. I hope
she’s not sick or anything.”
“Nah, she’s okay. I mean for her. I keep
trying to get her to slow down on those beers. Hump. You know how
she is.”
Monette could have added that it might help
if Rita gave up drinking, too. Instead she opted to steer in a
safe, neutral direction. “She has her own mind. How is Aunt
Lorraine and the rest of ’em?”
“She’s living with KayKay now. Got too sick
to live on her own.”
Rita went back to dropping hints about too
little money and too much trouble for the Victor family. Still,
Monette was glad to hear that her mother wasn’t ill and the rest of
the family was okay. Despite Rita’s litany of woe, Monette knew
that nothing had changed. She waited for Rita to wind down to the
real point of the phone call.
“And rent is so high. My landlord oughta be
shamed to charge us for living in this shack. He should pay me.”
Rita smacked her lips to make her point.
‘Try living rent free where I just came
from,” Monette deadpanned.
“Girl, you still crazy.” Rita let out another
gruff laugh full of artificial mirth.
Monette glanced up to find Trudy gazing at
her. The director went back to her office. “Listen, I have to go.
We can’t stay on this phone too long. I appreciate you calling to
check on me. I’m doing fine. Tell everybody I said hello.”
“Yeah. I will. Look here, Mama got these
expensive pills she got to take and my rent is behind. Dayna ain’t
half taking care of the two kids she got so I’m takin’ up the
slack. If you let me hold fifty dollars until the first of the
month it would help.” Rita spoke in a rush to get her plea out
quickly.
“I’ll see what I can do.” Monette drew a
circle in the dust on the shelf before her.
“Send it by next Tuesday. If you mail it
today I should get it by then.”
“I can’t make a promise. Like I said. I’ll
try.” Monette ground her back teeth until her jaw hurt. She would
send the fifty dollars. They both knew it.
“Right, right. So, you doing okay.” Rita made
it a statement because she really had no question about Monette’s
welfare.
Monette wanted to reveal her well-hidden
anxiety about being in the spotlight. She wanted to tell someone of
her hope to use those fifteen minutes of fame to help others. But
she knew Rita would only listen to calculate how much money to ask
for next time.
“I’m fine. Maybe you can get Mama to call me
next time.”
“Sure, Nette. I’ll go over there later today.
She’ll be happy to hear you’re doing so good.” Rita sputtered at
her own humor.
“Bye, Rita. Thanks again for calling me.”
Monette hung up fast before Rita gave her any more reasons to feel
depressed. The phone rang back immediately. With a groan she picked
up the receiver.
“Yeah.”
“Nette? It’s me again. You hung up so fast.
What? You got a plane to catch or something?” Rita chuckled deep in
her throat
“What is it?” Monette did not get the joke
one damn bit.
“I’m just kidding around with ya,
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