As you probably know, I've missed my September 15th deadline for submitting my manuscript to my editor and believe it or not she's not that mad. You see, she's engaged and in the throws of planning for her big day. However, that didn't stop her from giving me a new deadline.
Anyway, I'm still being asked by my beta readers to see the revised work. Here another excerpt.
Again, this is a draft but copyrighted. The period is 1930s.
The Redemption of Sadie Burrell:
Satisfied after her supper, Lu Dell headed to the porch for her nightcap. She plopped into her rocking chair, pulled a tin of Skoal from her bosom, pinched the strong smelling leaves between her fingers and stuffed her mouth.
“Grandma, I can’t believe you’re still sucking on that nasty stuff,” Sadie said, as she lowered herself at her grandmother’s feet.
Lu Dell chuckled and stroked Sadie’s hair. “When I was a young girl, married to yo’ grandpappy, we used to sit on the steps of our house and dip before we went to bed. Couldn’t afford, the nightcaps like the white folks so dippin’ be what we do.”
She closed her eyes and began to rock, remembering her beloved husband and the short years they’d spent together. Her Israel had been gone more than sixty years, but her memories of him had never faded.
“Would you like for me to read to you?” Sadie asked.
“Was wondering when you was gonna ask? Can’t wait to hear a new story.”
Sadie reached for her book. “This one is called the Chinaberry Tree, by Zora Neal Hurston.”
“Just go on and read. Nightfall be coming soon.” She leaned back and closed her eyes, as she listeneded to her granddaughter.
“She was an intelligent girl, a lady, decent, and amazingly clear vision. It was only her color that kept her, the daughter of a poor Alabama farmer in menial service. In another…”
Lu Dell slowed her rocking, and said, “You sick of readin’ to me? ‘Cuz it sure ain’t no joy in yo’ voice. You know I loves to hear you read, gal. I sure is glad you learned. Humph. I couldn’t even do nothin’ like hold a book in my hand when I was yo’ age.”
“I know grandma. You’ve told me before,” Sadie offered, as she swatted at the fly that settled on her lap.
“And I’m gonna tell you again, so you can appreciate the learnin’ you was able to get. Massa didn’t allow no readin’ for the slaves. Got whupped, or sold off if they find out we know how. But I sure glad you able. Me and yo’ grandpappy wanted dat for our chil’ren, but the boys been gone up yonder to glory a while ago, and yo’ mama decided to marry. ”
“Yes ma’am,” was Sadie’s absent-minded reply.
Lu Dell reached down and held Sadie’s face in her hands. “Sadie, don’t want you frettin’ none about the decision yo mama and papa made. Things ain’t like it used to be. Yo’ papa done lost a lot of his land when the crops failed. Be no more money to pay for yo’ schoolin’.”
Sadie sighed and rolled her eyes. “Grandma, I don’t understand.”
“Be some things dat done happen. Business decisions dat shouldn’t have been made.”
May Belle and George should have explained it to Sadie. She saw no harm in telling truth to your children, but it wasn’t her place. She saw the twinkle of interest in Sadie’s eyes. “What business decisions?”
Lu Dell rocked harder.
“That’s why I glad you got some schoolin’. Folk won’t take the advantage of you.”
“Grandma. Please tell me,” Sadie begged.
Lu Dell fixed her gaze on the open field in front of the house. It was now overgrown with weeds. Too much work had to be done on that patch of land before it would be right for cropping. She felt Sadie’s eyes peering at her. She looked around nervously. The child had to know what was no longer apart of her future. “Solomon Rogers…,” she whispered.
“Ida Mae’s papa!” Sadie positioned herself on her knees.
Lu Dell nodded. “Be wantin’ to buy a patch of land from yo’ papa. Said he felt ready to farm for hisself. He and yo’ papa agree that Solomon farm it and if he can bring in a good crop, he’d sell him the land. Um hm.”
“Anyway yo’ papa borrowed twice against the land, one for his own crops and another for Solomon. Instead of using what supplies yo’ papa bought with the bank money, Solomon went to Timmonsville braggin’ about how he gone be his own farmer. Dat ol’ cracker, Cooper Etherson done talk him into buying some special seeds and fertilizers and all kinds of foolishness. When the crops didn’t produce none, Solomon couldn’t pay, and yo’ papa be responsible for two bank notes.”
Sadie’s eyes widened with disbelief. “Is that why I can’t finish college?”
Lu Dell nodded, and said, “Sadie, yo’ papa had to decide if he was gonna keep you in that college or put food on the table. So don’t be selfish.”
“Grandma, I’m not selfish. Papa’s the one who’s selfish. He didn’t take into consideration what I wanted.”
“Sadie! Now gal, you just hush up dat talkin’. You got more than the rest of us ever had.”
Sadie stood. Angry. Defiant. “This is what you wanted! You could’ve done better. But…”
Rage boiled in Lu Dell, she stood as swiftly as her old bones would allow. Her palm, as if it had a mind of its own, slammed against Sadie’s cheek.
“You best be mindin’ who you talkin’ too. You done gone up to that learnin’ institution and now you smellin’ yo’self. Always been a selfish child. Always!” she hissed and then shuffled into the house. How dare that child think she could speak to her that way? It wasn’t allowed from none of her chil’ren and it wouldn’t be allowed by a grandchild.
Other...: www.carolinewilsonbooks.com
Recent Comments