Cottonwood Night (11)

Cottonwood don’t have streetlights

but at least it don’t stink like crude.

Light spills out the doorless entry

of the Ex Service-men’s Club

a barnwood and tarpaper shack.

A sandwich board sign out front

reads, Open All NIght

The happy drunks are laughing,

and the thwarted ones are griping,

and the juke box keeps on rocking

with the latest hot rhythm and blues.

Oh, now lawdy lawdy lawdy, Miss Clawdy

girl, you sure look good to me

Well, please don’t excite me, baby,

tho’ it can’t be me.

Henry slows to listen,

You like to ball in the morning,

don’t come back until the night

Waits at Loretta’s with the motor running.

Quarter til eleven. Loretta looks out

the screen door and walks over to

the passenger side window.

All she’s got on is a green satin robe,

two inches short of indecent,

it gapes at the top and the bottom.

and all of her stuff is in motion.

Henry kills the motor. 

She ain’t here. She’s already gone.

Where? I told her I’d pick her up.

Yeah, well Bobby took her in.

Who’s Bobby?

My fiance.

Why’d she go with him?

Look Mister Henry, is that your name?

Yeah.

We take care of ourselfs. We don’t need

no help from outside, you understand?

Henry shakes his head.

No one was helping her last night til I did.

She tell you what happened?

Yeah, she did. And I appreciate it, I’m sure she

appreciate it. But like I say, we help ourselfs.

Better that way, you know what I’m sayin?

Don’t stir up no trouble that way.

It’s no trouble for me.

It ain’t you I’m concerned with.

I see. Well tell her I’d be happy

to give her a ride anytime she needs it.

Loretta leans into the window,

her robe gaping wider,

exposing more of her breasts,

gin breath, and jasmine perfume.

I’m sure you would. If you lookin’ for a ride

why don’t you come on inside,

I’ll give you a ride you’ll never forget.

or anything else you favor.

More’n that child know how to do.

Or right here in this car.

Anything you want. Introductory rate.

That ain’t what I mean.

Ain’t it? Why you messin with her then?

I don’t know. She was in a jam.

Seemed like the right thing to do.

Uh huh. Well that’s over an’ done, son.

She don’t need no ride from no white boy.

Sure you don’t wanna come inside?

Monday night special, honey.

Thanks, but no. Anyway what about your fiance?

Bobby! Ha, he be real happy to have a new client.

Yeah. Well. Just tell Ruthie I was here, alright?

Sure honey, I’ll be real sure to tell her.

Go on, get out of here, Cottonwood ain’t

a place you want to be less you got business

and Bobby be back soon, so unless we do

some business, you best be on your way.

Henry nods, yeah. Starts up the car

and drives back out to the highway.

The jukebox’s still blowing hard

at the Ex Service-Mens Club

I’m gonna write a letter,

and I better send her a telegram

She left me soon this morning,

and she’s got me in an awful jam