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John Amos Jackson--just where did he fit into the picture? Why would a loving grandmother and mother anted to be reunited with her son and his wife and her grandsonould she bring that hateful oldwith her?
Honor Thy Mother
He never bothered to look around He thought I was safely asleep, in that little bed where they liked to keep randmother? Wish everybody'd leave her alone, so I could have her back like she used to be, all mine
Apple was gone Gone to where puppies and ponies went "That great big pasture in the sky," said John A ht I was the one who stabbed the pitchfork in "You saw Apple dead? You really saw him dead?"
"Deader than a doornail" I sneaked along the winding jungle paths that were taking ht into hell Down, down, down Caves and canyons and deep pits, and sooner or later we'd find the door Red The door to hell would be red--maybe black
Black gates Magic gates side to let Daddy through She wanted hi his mother into the loony bin, and next he'd put me in one of those funny farms where they laced you up in straitjackets (wonder what they were?) Terrible anyhatever it was
The gates clanked together Knew Moes like she really thought it was just as i in that wheelchair, didn't see that dance music Then her head would lift; she'd stare into space; her feet would begin to keep time
"What's intricate mean, Momma?" I'd asked when she said Jory had the concentration to learn intricate dances quickly
"Complicated," she'd answered, just like a dictionary She had dictionaries all over the place, little ones, e fat one that had its own stand that swiveled around
Had tobehind Daddy, who never glanced backwards I was always looking over , alondering Dratted shoelace--ouch! Doas-- again If he heard me cry out, he didn't look back Goodhad to do all this secret stuff like a good spy Or a thief, a jewel thief Rich ladies had lots and lots of jewels Ought to get in so and constantly asking hiain Boring Didn't like Daddy so much noas back to how I used to feel before he savedto drive away the one grandrand?
"Where you going, Bart?" John A in the dark "None of your damn business!" I snapped like Malcolainstto e
"Your father is in that house, talking with your grandet in there and do your job, and report back to me every word they say You hear?"
Hear? Was hi aid, not h the keyhole But all he could do was peek, couldn't hear very good Couldn't bend overhe dropped
"Bartdid you hearfor the back stairs?" Turned to stare at him On the fifth step I was taller "How old are you, John Amos?"
He shrugged and scowled "Why do you want to know?"