OSU Libraries
Oregon State UniversitySpecial Collections & Archives Research Center
Ninety Days Inside The Empire: A Novel by William Appleman Williams

The Reverend

Page 14

He drove off but had to stop around the corner. This was no mind mooning in limbo. This was needle scratches in an old scar. He and Lette had met and married over in Mississippi. They loved each other; maybe cherished each other was closer to the truth. They were easy in each other's company, had fun at breakfast as well as in bed, and she was as angry and active about changing Negro life as he was. She liked to tease him that he stole some of his sermons from her pillow talk. He touched his groin:

-- Well, maybe some phrase now and again.

But something had changed when she was told that she should not risk having children. She was a well formed woman but slender with a very narrow pelvis. And then they discovered that something was wrong with her ovaries and tubes. She refused to consider adoption.

"Either it's yours and mine or it's somebody else's and I won't have it."

Their sex was good, even better than good, but every couple years or so she had to try a few weeks with somebody else. The first time he just walked out and stayed gone until she somehow found him - through the old preacher in Washington he supposed - working with the sharecroppers over in Alabama and studying with a legendary Baptist minister. He had wanted to be gone of her forever; but, after three days of arguments, tears, silences, and prayers, the old reverend had persuaded them to walk down the lonesome road together.

-- Ah, I suppose last night was the end of this search for a miracle.

His shoulders were drooping a little when he opened the screen door. Lette was standing there crying.

"I'm home, Griff. I'm sorry, please help me..."

"I'm here too. I need you."

They embraced each other without a kiss. He couldn't do that so soon. But he carried her over to the sofa, set her on his lap and told her the stories and then said:

"We been talkin' long enough, now we goin' to act."

"We going to come out of the privy?"

"Yes, Lette, we are going to do just that."

"What do I do?"

"You get everyone you know who's ever been to church to get everyone they know to be at communion tomorrow. And you tell that organist and that choir they better sing real good or they won't get no wine."

"And what you goin' to do?"

"I'm goin' to think of something to say and get some other people into that church on time."

"Is that all?"

"No, but you got to wait for that."

"Better be good."

A stab of pain. "Better than you've had for a spell."

They smiled at each other and turned away in hurt but also in love.

She went out the door to start her long day's march into every house, even some white ones, in the neighborhood; and on to the stores and taverns at Five Corners. Like Maggie, she had long ago transformed her fear into a magical presence. She was charged up - like Ellington and Basie and Hampton all together. She was flying. She was home.

The Reverend sat down at the telephone. It was about noon.

-- Who do I hit first? The Judge or Mitch? Mitch. He needs more time because he's got more people. Then I'll go talk with The Judge.