soft snoring in the dark
the lingering scent of this night’s
pig’s knuckle stew and Daddy’s boots.
-Mama…Daddy…. Mama
It’s me. Ruthie.
Bedclothes stirring, the snoring continues.
She steps further into the room.
-Mama….
-Ruthie? Is that you? What are you
doing here? What’s wrong?
She pokes her husband.
-Reggie, wake up. Ruthie’s here.
-What? Ruthie? What you doin’ here?
-It’s me, Daddy. You need to get up,
troubles on the way.
-Hold on child, let me get the light.
One 60 watt bulb hangs from the ceiling.
Reggie blinks in the unshaded glare,
Leona rolls out of the iron-framed bed.
rushes over to Ruthie and folds her
into a mother’s loving hug.
Reggie now composed, says
-What’s this trouble?
-Some real bad men are on their way,
could be here any minute.
-What bad men, what’s going on, baby?
-Bobby. And a roughneck from Oildale.
a white man. He’s worse’n Bobby.
-Well that Bobby never been no good.
I knew he’d be the cause of something
bad sooner or later.
-Yeah, I know. You warned me when I
moved in with Loretta. Right now we
don’t have time to discuss it.
Loretta’s here. He means her harm too.
-What’s this all about? Who’s this white man?
-Bobby wants to turn me out. Sell me
to that roughneck.
-Oh no he ain’t! I’ll straighten that man out......
-Daddy, they aren’t foolin’ around. Bobby’s
bad news for sure, but the two of them together...
-We’ll see ‘bout that.
-Daddy, I think they have guns.
-Well what you want to do?
-There’s another man, a good man. He’s
the one who drove us up here. And he’s,
he’s...I…I wanted you to...
-you involved with him, baby?
-yes, Mama.
-I can tell. What about Junior? We been praying
real hard for him. You got to trust the Lord.
-I know, Mama, I’ve tried. But you know he
ain’t getting any better. I don’t think he ever will.
Maybe that’s what the Lord has in mind for him.
Maybe that’s His plan.
-You can’t know that Ruthie, only He knows
what his plan is.
-I know Mama, but I don’t think that I’m gonna
be part of it.
Leona sighs, shakes her head,
-Oh, Ruthie, who is this man?
-His name is Henry. He protected me from that
roughneck. The one who’s comin’ with Bobby.
Reggie says, He must be a righteous man.
-He is, Daddy. Decent and brave.
-What does he do?
-He works up at the oilfields. He’s the payroll clerk.
-The payroll clerk? How’d he get that job?
-He’s real smart.
-Decent, brave an’ smart. And must be livin’
a charmed life if he got hired up at the oilfields.
Well ain’t you going to bring him in?
-Yes. I’ll go fetch him and Loretta. You better
get some clothes on. We’re gonna have to be
prepared for those two devils or get out of here.
On this moonless night, the only light,
is the bright river of the Milky Way.
the hulks of crude shacks,
crouch low and black against the stars.
The flathead motor’s cooling ticks,
the songs of crickets , the crunch
of her oxfords on the sandy yard
the only sounds of the late hour.
-I told them you were here.
-Is everything ok?
-They’re worried.
-of course they are.
-they want to meet you.
-okay. let’s go in.
-well I didn’t tell them everything.
-About me?
-yeah, they’re gonna find out now.
-you didn’t tell them I was white?
-Was? Looks to me you still are.
-yeah. maybe a little darker after all that sun today.
-yeah, well. I just told them that you’re a good man.
-and?
-they want to meet you.
-I’m ready. Are you?
-Yes.
-Ruthie?
-What?
-I love you.
-Get out of the damn car, boy.
She jumps up on him, clings for a moment,
then drops back to her feet.
-okay, baby, lets go in.
Loretta says, I’m gonna stay out here.
Hate to miss the introduction, but somebody
needs to watch out for the shitheads.
-Good idea.
Ruthie goes in first, pulls in Henry by the hand.
-Daddy, Mama, this is Henry Nalbandian.
These are my parents, Reggie and Leona Brown.
Silent stares. Leona’s chair scrapes on the floor.
-Pleased to meet you, ma’am.
-Mr Henry.
-Please, it’s just Henry.
-Daddy?
-Oh. sorry. Pleased to meet you Mr Henry.
Thank you for what you did for my girl.
Ruthie tugs Henry over to the threadbare sofa
where Reggie is sitting, sits him down. Eases
herself down between the two men.
Leona recovers her hospitality and offers,
-Can I get you something to drink?
Some cherry cider? ‘fraid that’s all we got
‘cept some still water.
-Take the cider. I’ll have a glass too Mama, please.
Leona goes to a heavy cupboard, takes out a jug.
-I’m afraid it ain’t real cool.
-I’m sure that it’ll be just fine, thank you, ma’am.
Reggie clears his throat,
-Ruthie says you protected her from a bad man.
-Yes sir. He’s a nasty old boy, done time for hurting a girl up in Fresno.
-Mmm. I think I know the type. So he was tryin’ to harm my girl?
-Yes sir, he was. I believe he still intends to if he gets the chance.
-And nobody going to stick up for her ‘cept you?
-I don’t who else is a position to.
-No help from the police?
Ruthie looks at Reggie.
-What do you think Daddy?
-No, I guess you right. Police don’t care about some little colored girl.
So what are you fixin’ to do?
-They’re on their way here. Probably armed. Smith has a gun.
I don’t know about Bobby.
-He never was no good. Thinks he’s the sharp cat. You know what I’m sayin’?
-Yes sir, I do.
-Ruthie, you say he tryin’ to pimp you to that roughneck?
-Yeah, Mama, He figures since I’m staying with Loretta I owe him.
And there’s only one way he’s got in mind to pay up.
-Only thing he ever had in mind. I never did like that boy. Way too slick
and full of hisself. What about Loretta? She know about all this?
-’Course she does. That’s why she’s here. She helped me get away
from Bakersfield before Bobby could sell me to that man.
-Well bless her for that. But how did you and Mr Henry meet?
-the night the earthquake hit, he was at the hospital before the quake.
in the ER. and that animal tried to molest me. right there in the ER.
None of those roughnecks and cowhands said a word. then Henry
backed him off and took me out of there...
-god bless you, Mr Henry-
-that wasn’t the end of it Mama, when the quake hit everybody ran
out of the building it was crazy panic like and felt like the whole
world was falling apart……..so I was running out in the street and
that Smith was running up behind me with a pipe. and Henry
stopped him again and took me home.
-I don’t know how to thank you enough, Mr Henry. for saving my girl.
-I’m just glad that I could, Mr Brown.
Leona leans back on her chair: Ruthie’s lookin’ at that Henry like he’s
pure sugar and she’s got a sweet tooth and he’s got wings sproutin’
outa his back wrappin’ round her. And Henry. he ain’t taken his eyes
off her. got eyes like that puppy Ruthie once had. kind of a scarecrow
idn’t he, mess of hair, boy needs a comb, oh lord help ‘em, they in love.
-What are your plans, Mr Henry?
-I think we should leave the house.
-’course, yes. I meant after that?
-Me and Ruthie want to be together.
-You know how much pain and trouble you’re gonna have?
-Yes, Ma’am I do. We’re already in it. Right here. right now.
Loretta opens the door.
-They’re here.
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