Polytechnic High School - Caerulea Yearbook (Long Beach, CA)

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This afternoon Rastus was unusually silent. He made no replies whatever to their jests. Usually he attempted to keep pace with his tormentors but today he was very thought- ful because he had arrived at a decision, and this decision was strengthened by Bobby Smith's last remark. Elf that lil' ole dried up punkin ain't 'fraid his'n maw, then l guess they ain't no cause fuh me to be, he muttered to himself. He's only thirteen yeahs ole an' lil' fuh his age an' heah lse fo'teen an' big fuh my age. I sho' am gona cut my haar off'n ef it's de las' ack l does in dis heah universe. His thoughts were interrupted at this moment by his mother, calling from the cabin door. Come on heah an' eat dese heah rashuns fo' day gits cole as a wedge. This was Rastus' invitation to supper. He immediately started off in the direction of the cabin, followed by screams and laughter. Yehl you bettah run 'long o' yo' mammy'll lick de hide off'n yo back, screamed Jimmy. Rastus made his way to the cabin door without deigning a reply to this last remark. He was outwardly obedient and calm but his appearance certainly did not show his true feel- ings. He was determined to cut his hair with or without per- mission and do it that very night. Elf you wants dis heah pot licker and corn pone, you bettah hurry up an' eat. l ain't got no time to be foolin' 'roun' wid you, was his mother's greeting as he reached the small but spotlessly clean kitchen. Yeh, mammy, he answered and obediently began eat- ing his favorite dish. Not anger, nor even the disgrace of hav ing hair like a girl's could check Rastus' appetite and he ate as if he hadn't tasted or expected to taste a morsel of food in a month. Why don' you jes' eat Jordan off'n de cross an' reach back at Abeyham? exclaimed his mother, who always seem- ed to enjoy making life a torment for her son. He made no reply for he was thinking hard, at least as hard as eating would permit. l-Ie was trying to decide just how to accomp- lish the feat of ridding himself of his undesired hair. He finished his supper and while his mother was getting the small kitchen in order, Rastus slipped into the next room and there the first thing he saw, staring him in the face, was a pair of long sharp scissors. Dat sho' am de t'ing l'se a lookin' fuh, muttered Rastus under his breath. Fearing his mother had heard him, he look- ed over his shoulder, but she was nowhere in sight. Without waiting for any further delay Rastus grabbed the scissors and crept stealthily out the front door. Here, Fourteen

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The l'lHll'CU Go on, you little kinky headed coon, said jimmy Carter, aged twelve, curly headed himself, and very fat. You jes' let yo' maw boss you roun' like Punch done to Judy. You aint got no spunk 'tall. Fo'teen yeahs ole and long kinky hair like a gal. Ef it was me, l'd chop mine off'n wif a axe ef l couldn't git rid of it no other way. Yehl chimed in Robby Smith, Jimmy's especial friend. Ef my maw tried to boss me roun' like yourn, l'd show her sumpthinf Jes' look what I clone the other day. My maw tried to whip me an' l run away an' when I come back she clidn't do nuthin' 'tall. This conversation took place in jimmy Carter's back yard under a large mulberry tree, where Jimmy and his friends were accustomed to gather on many afternoons for the pur- pose of teasing and tormenting the life out of Rastus Bosmun. But why did all the boys tease Rastus? Why for this simple reason. Rastus' mother, Edith Bosmun, commonly known as Aunt Edy, had many peculiar traits of character and among them a passion for long hair. As her hair would never grow any longer than three or four inches, despite the fact that she used many and 'diverous' kinds of hair tonics, she de- termined to make up for her lack of head covering by making her son appear with locks which might well have become a girl, but for a boy-well to use Jirnmy's expression, lt sho' was comical. And on account of his mother's passion, Rastus' life was one of torment and sadness. He begged and pled with her to cut it off, but all in vain. She guarded it and cared for it as though it were a family heirloom. Moreover Aunt Edy ruled Rastus with an iron hand and being mortally afraid of her he had never dared to cut it off without her consent. So he lived on, hooted at by the boys and laughed at by the girls. And every afternoon he encountered the same crowd of boys under the big mulberry tree. Thirteen

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Y however, was a check, for there was his mammy standing talk- ing to Jimmy's mother and she immediately spied him. ln- stantly he hid the scissors behind his back. Whuh you gwine? Ain't I done tole you to stay in de house aftah you done finish yo' suppah? exclaimed his mother. lVIammy, I doneiforgit an' lef' my books out yondah by de big mulberry tree. Can't I go git 'em? lied Rastus in a most convincing and pleading manner. C'wan den, replied Aunt Edy, and then added, You bettah hurry up an' come back heah mighty quick. Rastus didn't wait for an answer, but started out in the direction of the mulberry tree. There it would be too con- spicuous, so he crept around the house and entered a small shed. He immediately set to work to cut off his troublesome locks and when he had finished, it was hard to tell whether his looks were improved or made worse. In fact, he resembled a small porcupine. He felt much better, although experienc- ing a certain uneasiness as to how his mother would receive this bold act. He remained a few minutes in the shed trying to screw up enough courage to meet the ogre, face to face, and was medi- tating on what excuse to make. His mother's voice soon broke into his thoughts. Rastus, ef yo' don' come heah dis instinkt, l'se gwine a lick de hide off'n yo' back. Rastus, not wishing to raise her ire any more than neces sary, answered, l'se a comin' right now, mammy. He walked boldly out of the shed towards the cabin. He opened the door, entered, closed it again, and stood leaning heavily against it as if in need of some support. When his mother glanced at his head she stood trans- fixed, mouth wide open, eyes dilated, and hands hung limply at her sides. The boy returned his mother's gaze unflinch- ingly and after several moments she gathered her wits together and stammered out, l..or' o' massy, what yo' gone an' done to yo' haar, chile? Who done gone an' chopped it off'n? Rastus drew himself up and said with as much courage as possible under the circumstances, I done it, mammy, and then burst into a torrent of explanations. l'se done tired uf being pestered by dem white boys an' l'se ole enuf to have- Here he was interrupted by his mother, who had suffici- Ently recovered to know that Rastus must be punished without. e ay. Fifteen