Southern Secrets Society: Magnolia | #Suspense | RomePi™

🏵1🏵

TROUBLE IS A BREWING
August 8, 1991
12:16 pm
Crossing Pointe Country Store

"What the heck's been goin on out there?" Ms. Ailene called out.

"Well, you already know they done found that white man's body down thir by the crick. Now they done called on some mo folks from up dayer in Lil' Rock to come down here n do an investigation," Pawpaw Coop updated her on the latest mess brewing up in their neck of the woods.

"Yass, sur. That sounds about right."

"Y'all betta let dem youngins know to stay off from over dayer." He warned.

"You can say that three times." She agreed.

"It ain't gone be safe fir none of us." Those words were added out of fear for what was to come.

"Yass, sur." She nodded as he spoke.

"Every time dem white folks stump they toe, us black folks gotta pay a price."

"Well, now. You just said a mouthful."

"If'n dat white boy had died over dayer round them white folks, we wouldn't know nothin about it." He continued.

"See... now that's the truth."

"But because that fool done gone and got hisself killed over here in the black folks quarters, dem white boys'll be lookin fir one of us to pay for it." Pawpaw had a way of voicing the worries that everyone thought of but nobody had the nerve to say out loud.

Jeanie B had just walked around the corner at the beginning of the old folks' conversation. It was considered impolite to interrupt seniors, so she leaned against the old rust-covered ice machine and waited for them to come to a stopping place.

In a town as small as theirs, news traveled at the speed of light. Soon as word began to spread about the dead white man found a few days earlier, that was all anybody talked about.

Since she had only heard a little bit of information about the tragedy, Jeanie B was glad to catch Pawpaw Coop in one of his long conversations. That man knew everything about everybody, and he rarely left his home or the rocking chair he had parked right next to the front entrance of the country store.

It's strange that I never considered how hot it was until I stopped walking and stood by waiting for a chance to pass the elderly folks lost in the latest juicy gossip.

"Jeanie B, you better stay from up there at that white woman's store." Ms. Ailene directed at me.

"Oh. Yes. Yes, ma'am." I replied.

"I know that tongue of yours is just a waggin to get me off ya back. Y'all youngin's don't listen to nothin ya elders tell ya no mo.  You think cause that no good cousin of yours works for that hateful witch you will be exempted from trouble. But mark my words, nothing good is gonna come from you hanging around over there."

"Yes, ma'am."

"I know you ain't listenin. But you'll find out. Mark my words."

When the gray-haired granny finished her typical warnings of death and destruction, I excused myself and hurried inside the little store to pick up the foodstuff mama had written on her grocery list.

Though we was blessed to have a pretty big garden, some chickens, two cows, and a goat, the rest of our needs had to come from somewheres else. Sugar, flour, meal, and a few other fixins were found on the shelves of Crossing Pointe Country Store. It wasn't the first time I'd be sent to run errands and it sure wouldn't be the last.

I walked around the store making sure I got everything on the list or I would face my mother's wrath for leaving without her stuff. Of course, old mister Pike walked around actin like he was dusting the shelves. That man acted like every black person who entered the store came with one thing in mind.

"Steal everything you can get your hands on". Any fool could see those words scribbled in his glassy eyes as if they would convict you of a crime you never dreamed to commit.

No matter how honest a person might be, the white folks in this town look at all black folks like they is thieves. The worse part is when a brothah or a sistah go around acting just like they is some kind of 'Uncle Tom' or 'Aunt Jemima'.

Uncle Pike was as dark as the night sky, but that never stopped him from followin me all through the store, and he only found something else to do when another person strolled inside the shop. This gave him somebody else to watch as I paid for my items and made my way home.

As I made my way back to the house, I started second-guessing the commitment I made to my cousin with all that was going on with the death of a white stranger in our town.

🏵🏵🏵

August 6, 1991
8:45 pm
MT - Mighty Mart Gas Station

"You need to hurry up, and come on before you get left." She whisper-yelled.

"I'm coming. Give me a second." The young man insisted as he waved motioning her to be quiet.

"You already said that fifteen minutes ago."

"Well, I mean it now, too. Damn. Why you always gotta bust my balls?"

"You asked for a second. I gave you 60 of them. I'm out." There it was. The attitude she had been holding at bay reared its ugly head.

"Bertha Jean. So help me god. If you leave, I ain't never gonna help you with another one of your stupid money-making schemes again."

"Oh, so I'm stupid now? Okay. Bet." She started motioning her hands punctuating each word.

"You know I didn't mean it like that." He realized his plans wouldn't turn out well if he pissed her off. She had a short fuse and it was on the verge of being lit.

"So how did you mean it?'

"Bertha..."

"If you call me that name one more time, so help me god, I'm gonna beat the living daylights out of you." The mean scowl creased lines across her face screaming volumes over her words.

"If you wasn't my cousin, I promise you I would've already kicked your ass." He let his displeasure slip.

"Oh, so now that you done went up to Little Rock and got ya self a little piece of education, you feel bold enough to start cussin folks out."

"What the heck is your problem? You been on my ass since you got here?"

"How bout I leave you and that foul mouth of yours to it. I'm goin home and I'm tellin auntie you up here cussin like a sailor."

"Jeanie, don't act like that. You know I can't do this without you. Please, Jeanie B. Please. Just stand out here for a few minutes and let me settle up with these fellas."

"You said we'd be done by now. What if that old witch finds out you been selling her stuff?"

"She ain't gonna find out nothin."

"That's what ya big mouth is always saying, but I have a bad feeling about this. You know she'll have the both of is thrown under the jail if she finds out."

"Look, you let me worry about her. Stand here and keep a watch out like you said you would. You know we had a deal. I helped you move some stuff last month. Now, you need to own up to your end of our deal and stop bumpin ya gums. All you gotta do is keep your eyes open and make sure nobody catches us."

🏵🏵🏵