Tishomingo Blues

Robert could picture A

Jerry had picked her out of an auto show, A

Robert said to her that time, "Not many girls wish for a gangster and get one. You challenged the man and he stepped up."

Even dumped his wife, left her behind with three kids in college. It cost him, but must've been worth it. Germano attentive at first, acting like he was in love. Was he still in love? It was hard to tell with a gangster. Robert believed he loved her the way he loved a pair of good-looking alligator shoes he'd never let go of. A

Robert admired girls who were determined and worked hard on getting what they wanted. It didn't take nothing but a look to get her to slide over.

A

They were kidding around one time and she said to Robert, "But when Jerry dies, like if he got popped? Which could happen, right? That's different, I get what I deserve." Robert thinking that was a fu

Still another time after being intimate and still bare naked, when she talked the most, A

Like he'd ask her.

"How come?"

"I wouldn't be able to handle the racial thing." Robert gave her his puzzled look that time.

"Why? I can take you to black clubs, nobody'll say nothing. You'll be safe."

She said, "I don't mean that."

See, she didn't get it.

A

He wasn't trying to be. Robert looked at situations straight on, didn't color them in his mind or change his personality to meet the occasion. He liked to look around, believed he could get something going with Carla, but would have to meet her in New York. Carla, without you realizing it, would run you like a company and you wouldn't own yourself no more. He liked to grade women, see how they'd measure up as wives, but without seeing any need to ever marry. He didn't need kids. He was still a Young Boy.

Robert punched his way through cha

Watching the movie Robert twisted one to smoke along with Roy, and somewhere before it ended he fell asleep.

When he opened his eyes he clicked the set off, he sat low in the chair staring at the dark screen, staring for maybe a minute before he reached for the phone and called the hotel operator.

" Helene, how you doing? You know the number for Junebug's? I don't have a phone book, somebody stole it." He said, "I'd appreciate it, dear, thank you." He waited ten rings before a voice came on. " Wesley, how you doing? Listen, this is Robert. Is Walter Kirkbride there?… Well, can you take a peek, see if his car's in back?"

"He don't use his car," Wesley said, "he uses one of Arlen's."

"I forgot. Wesley, is it Traci he sees or the other one?"

"I think Traci. Yeah, the little bitty one."

"You see Walter, tell him I called, okay?"

Wesley said, "Who's this again?"

At nine, Robert got dressed and stepped two doors down the hall to Jerry's suite. A

Robert said, "I talked to Kirkbride. Told him we know what he's doing."

"You're sure about this?"

"Five to one I'm right."

"You told him-what'd he say?"

"Nothing. But he listened. You know what I'm saying? The man listened to every word. Took it in. Almost seemed to nod his head like he was saying yeah, that's how it works."

Jerry had his hand on the doorknob.

"Can we use him?"

"Have to wait and see."

"For what?"

"My man De

Jerry shook his head as he opened the door.

Robert said, "Walter wants to stage a fight in the woods, dying to."

It caught Jerry before he could walk out.

"But we won't be able to do it and still have the spectators watching us. See, they did fight in the woods at Brice's Cross Roads and Walter likes to do it right, make it look authentic."

Jerry waited, holding the door open.

"Or he wants to get me and you and De

Jerry looked like he was thinking again, concentrating this time. He said, "You tell this guy what we know, him and the redneck, Arlen, and give 'em a reason to want to take us out."

Robert nodded, the man catching on.

"So instead of us thinking of a way to get them in the woods," Jerry said, "you have them thinking of how to get us in the fuckin woods."

"And chase us," Robert said, "all the way to a levee road back there-I checked it out-where we put the truck."

"I forgot about that part, the truck."

"Doesn't work without it, Jerry."

He looked like he was thinking again, but about what? It was hard to tell. All he did then was shrug. He said, "Okay," and raised his voice toward the bedroom. "A