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

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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

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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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Yo' shet up an' go an' bring me dat razor strop from off'n dat nail on de wall. Rastus thought a moment and then muttered to himself, I done cut my haar off'n an' taint nuthin' wrong wif dat 'cause l sho' am de only boy foiteen yeahs ole wif gal's haar an' I ain't gonna stan' fuh no lickin'. And then he said aloud, Whut fuh you wan' dat strop? Don' yo' be sassin' me an' talkin' back at me like dat! G'wan deah an' git dat strop, exclaimed his mother, thorough- ly recovered now and determined on giving her wayward son the worst whipping that he had ever received. lVlammy, l done been whipped too much an' l's too ole to have gal's haar and l ain't gonna let you whup me now, said Rastus, amazed at himself for his boldness. Yo' ain't? Ain't yo'? answered his mammy, angrier than she had ever been before. Well, jes' yo' wait an' see who's de boss of dis heah famblyf' So saying, she hobbled over and took the strop from the wall and then turned to strike Rastus. He grabbed the strop and threw it across the room. l-lis mother then went at him with bare fists. Rastus, being stronger and younger, had a decided advantage over his old crippled mammy, and soon she was lying prostrate, though unhurt, on the floor. Fearing that the world was really coming to an end and being very much out of breath, she lay there motionless and with eyes closed. This sight frightened Rastus almost to death and he began to feel sorry for what he had done. He even wished now that he had not cut his hair. lVlammy, l'se sorry. Hones', mammy, l didn't mean to do nuthin' an l'll let my haar grow back agin'. Mammy, please say sumthin'. She was too much out of breath to say anything as yet, and then she really didn't know just what to say, so she lay there, silent and motionless. l'se done gone and killed her, screamed Rastus, des- perate now. O, Lord, what's l gonna do? They'll percu- late me sho', and screaming he started to leave the cabin in search of help. Not wishing to have any one witness her humiliation, Aunt Eddy stopped him. Come back heah an' help me to git up off'n dis heah Ho', she commanded. After having reached a chair, she sat there staring at Rastus and there came over her a certain revelation. She realized now that her fourteen-year-old son was not a baby Sixteen