"Oscar, O.T," Jim Allen pulled off his hat. Well the wind would have had it off in a minute.
O.T. nodded. Oscar just stood and waited.
"Sorry to come round bothering you right at lunchtime."
"Figure it was the only time you could find us all at home," Oscar said, then waited again then: "Must have something on your mind, I reckon." When Jim Allen still didn't say anything, O.T. tried. "Must be something pretty important. to get you away from Miss Eulane's cooking."
O.T. shot a look at Jim Allen to see how he'd take that. He took a lot of guff on account of Miss Eulane taking care of him like she did. But Jim Allen was smiling it looked like. Something like a smile anyway, his face all pulled to one side like a scar.
But Jim Allen just said, "Mamma's gone into Newport to do some shopping." Then he looked at his boot. Scuffed it around in Clio's hard swept yard. He was staring at it hard it seemed. Or maybe he was just listening to the wind. Feeling the humidity go up. Thinking that it would probably rain again later that day and slow down the crop.
Still scuffing his boot, Jim Allen cleared his thoat, glanced up at the house, then spat off to one side. He looked up over their heads again toward the house and said, "You men been hearing any talk around the place lately?"
It seemed like Oscar was thinking about that.
"What kind of talk?" O.T. said. "Seems like all we hear day and night is from the women. Wish Mr.Alden'd have these houses painted, Jim Allen. Maybe you could talk to him about it. Our women are at us day and night about the houses and the outhouses the water table's got up so high."
Jim Allen looked at O.T. and his face crumpled up on one side again. "I'll get him to do it, O.T. Likely those outhouses need to be dug out. And the houses need a new coat before the winter sets in anyway. Can't guarantee the color though."
"What's on your mind?" Ocar said. Almost butting in, but not quite.
Jim Allen looked at him then, "Well I'll just tell you," he said and looked from one to the other. "There's been some men up this way. Not from around here either. You men ever heard anything about the STFU?"
"Heard about the SCU," Oscar said. "Niggers in Alabama. Don't think any of them would come around this farm." .
"Yeah. No, this is not SCU. It's a new one. Got Blacks and whites," said Jim Allen. "I heard they've been over to Cassel's farm."
"Cassels a long way from here."
"Not that far if you've got a car."
"Nobody's been coming round here, if that's what you're asking," Oscar's voice hadn't changed, but his face looked hard. "None of the men on this farm would want to join up with the Niggers I expect. Not as long as your pappa keeps to his word. Our kids are in school and most of our women don't have to work. Nobody wants to risk losing his home in these times."
"Yeah, I guess you're right about that. Just thought I'd check." He was looking at the house again when Clio came out onto the front porch. She had come out in mid-sentence, yelling something at Purity or the boys and looking for the men. Bad as children, they were. How long did it take to wash up. On the porch she stopped. She still had her apron crumpled in one hand and she knew she had wet spots under her arms on her dress. Well she had to work didn't she? At least the yard looked good. Swept clean by Purity every morning to get off all the droppings. She frowned at the truck up on her yard. Those tires of his had left ruts. The ground had dried up since that last big rain, but it was still soft enough for that. Well Purity would fix that right enough. Looked like rain again anyway. The big dog nosed his way out the screened door and stood beside her. His tail folded in the skirt of her dress so that when he wagged it, her dress wagged with it. Looking down at him, Clio said, "Hello Slim."
"Mz. Forrest." Jim Allen said.
Clio straightend her back and came down the steps with the dog at her heels. Her skirts dragged the ground and the hem of her dress, already stained, got dirtier.
"Jim Allen," she said. Well she was entitled. She'd been raised in that church over in Newport for all the good it did her now.
"I see you're here again keeping these men away from their dinner. Or is it just that Miss Eulie's off shopping again and you're hungry yourself."
Jim Allen smiled then, and this one almost got to both sides of his face. Well now, Momma did say something about going into town this morning.
"I thought so, Clio said. "I guess you'll want to eat with us then."
"The man's got work to do Clio." Oscar said. "He doesn't need to spend an hour sitting in that house sampling your cooking."
"Oh, I don't mind if I do." Jim Allen broke in, "All this talking's hungry work.
"All right then," Clio said and brushed at a stray piece of hair that had fallen out of it's pins. "I'll go tell Purity to set an extra plate. I can see that you'll want to wash up like these two. Only try to be quicker about it. That food's already been waiting a quarter of an hour."
All three men watched as she walked away. The dog did for a minute too, then took his leave from the men and followed her into the houe.
11:33:13 AM 
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