jit i
Love Me, Love Wife,
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.§ c .1/ . v 1 ! l i twriJ' "li Mol in -it-'l
By GEORGE B. Russ
The cold, drippy days of
October gave way to the icy
cold, shorter days and longer
nights of winter and Chad had
not shown up at Aunt Effie's
Snack Bar nor had he put in an
appearance at the operator's
home. And Effie felt that the
world had crashed around her
feet; nevertheless, she kept her
heart out of the management
of the Snack Bar. Her busi
ness was located in a section of
Hayestown where she stood
a chance of being robbed,
raped and ridden out of town,
therefore, her better judgement
told her that she had better do
her moaning and weeping in
the wee hours of morning, in
the safety of her bedroom, if
she didn't wish to be fleeced--
taken to the auction block -
by rabble-rousers who fre
quented Aunt Effie's Snack
Bar.
Every morning, she arose at
6 o'clock, showered, made
breakfast, checked bills;
straightened her room, used a
dust cloth and mop at least one
room. In this way, she man
aged to keep the old fashioned
5 room house in tip-top
shape. At 8 o'clock, she
gathered up all the items she
was taking with her and placed
them inside the car, made re
check of windows, doors,
faucettes and applisnces; then,
she stood for a few minutes in
side her bedroom and whisp
1 I- . =
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WM Raisin Cinnamon ■ Pecan - Fralt
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20 69
ejed a prayer for Chad's health
and safety and a wish for him
to soon return to her: "And
dear God if his wife is doing
anything to keep ' him away
from me, put her out of the
way."
Effie was sincere in her re
quest, she did hot care how
Gladys was removed so long
as she was out of the picture.
She didn't ask God to send the
death angel to remove the ob
stacle, however, she would
have welcomed the news of her
adversary's death. Chad, she
felt, was a victim of some spell
his wife had paid to have
placed on him. Doctor Lock
hart had hinted that much and
she hadn't paid him to say
more, a hint was all she needed
to confirm her own suspicions.
Usually, a deep sign dismissed
her heartaches for the day.
Aunt Effie's Bar opened for
business at 8:30 every day,
including Sunday; with or
Without her crew of workers.
Out of a staff of four, most
of the time, only two could
be depended upon to be on
time and cold sober and wide
awake. There was no middle of
the road policy to use to en
force better service. Top-pay,
free meals, uniforms, a day
off each week, paid holidays,
over time pay for Sunday
work contributed very Utile to
the quality of performance?
With eyes in the baqk other
head, she could not keep them
from "Knocking down" on the
cash register or the stock. Stay
ing on her toes, keeping her
eyes wide open and her ears
cocked only kept thefts down
to a minimum. Besides, she had
to listen to sob-stories, hard
luck yams, domestic problems
and pay court fines in order
to keep a part time staff of
workers.
Making money kept her life
line supple and aiacritous. The
sweetest music to her ears was
the sound of Chad's voice and
the ringing-up sound of the
cash register. WJien business
was dull and there was no ding
a-ling sound from the cash re
gister, she pined for Chad,
yearned to have him near her.
The morning after Thanks
giving was just such a morning
and she broke her promise
never to call Chad on his job.
Chad had not come in, "this
is Chad's late day," the person
on the other end of telephone
line had said and hung up be
fore she was able to say, "dog
kiss-my foot," if she had want
ed to say so. Angry now with
Chad and the whole world,
Effie began pouring her ire out
on the help and by noon, she
was alone in the Snack Bar.
Her first impulse was to close
shop, go home and have a good
cry; then, call McDuffie and
tell him that she was ready to
dissolve the business -- sell out.
And she might have done just
that but at the moment her
were taking on the
faporations of an exploding
lcano, the front door opened
d Chad strode inside, carry
ing a small box, a shoe box
to be exact. n
"HI! Hi! Where is ewry-J
body? Chad shouted, pretend-j
ing he had not recognize®
Effie standing in front of the!]
shining coffee-um.
"Sugar-babe, you see me.")
Effie's voice wa smildly scold- [
ing in tone.
"Lady, what's with the
quietness? Turn on the radio
'n make it seem like the sea
son to be jolly."
"Shut up, Sugar-babe! You
sound crazy." Effie wanted to
scream her great joy, but she
had no wish to make known
to him just how happy she
was to have him here. "I see
you have decided to come to
life again." Effie hoped to
God, she sounded matter-a
factly. She wanted him near
her, she needed him, would
have given a pretty to have him
close to her last night -- blues
in the night can force one to
do crazy things, but Chad must
not know. He might laugh if he
learned that she had hugged
and kissed her pillow, cried in
to it until she was weak and
trembling.
Chad walked behind the
counter and stood beside Ef
fie holding on to the shoe box,
blushing like a school-boy; "I
have just sold my first batch
of Granny Lizzie's Peanut
Candy."
"Pshaw!"
Pshaw! Whatcha mean?"
"You won't mike enough
money selling Granny Lizzie's
Peanut Candy to buy your
self a change of underwear."
"I have already done that,
Effie." Chad's tone was snap
pish.
"Chad, you don't have to
fool around making candy, like
missionary sisters, to tell to
buy the pastor a robe or a
$20.00 hit for his birthday
present. Chad, I bought this
place for us. You don't have
to fume 'n sweat 4 n worry
yourself trying to make a liv
ing. We can make it right
here. All you've got to do is
stick with me." Effle pouted.
Chad carefully placed the
candy box on the counter be
tween napkin holder, menu,
salt and pepper shakers; "lady,
you've been very nice, To tell
the truth, you're more than
nice - Vbu're sweet atttf gfeher
out, but -- you are also a wo
man, you'll go to any ex
tremes to get what you want.
Effle, I feel that you only want
to out do Gladys and when
you avenge whatever wrong
she has done to you, I will no
longer be the fish bone in
your throat. You will give me
the old hot seat. I had no
thing when I came to you
and
"Pshaw! Shut-up. You talk
too much."
A frown distorted Chad's
sunny countenance; "You're
going to get hurt - telling me
to shut up."
"Forget It."
"There you go, lady."
"Oh, hell."
"Now you're cussing -
what's eating on you?"
"If you don't know
"Effie!"
"I am going to close up
this joint for the day."
"But why?"
"I want to be with you."
"That's no excuse for clos
ing up."
"But - I want to spend
some time with you. I don't
want no short time. Chad,
please be good to me."
"Effie Jefferies! Tike it
easy babee. I'll need all my
strength to make 'n sell my
candy." Chad's laughter was
soft and sensual. He made it so
in order to tortue Effie.
"You can afford to act
silly 'n tease me. Gladys has
had you for nearly a month.
You don't care if I fret and
crave for loving."
"Effie!"
"I'm true to you, Chad. The
men in Haye6town can't say
they have sampled my charms.
You are lucky to have a girl
friend who'll wait around for
you." Effie's hands reached
out and grapped Chad.
"Not here, lady. Take it
easy, you haven't sampled my
candy."
"Are you kidding?"
"Nope. I have brought soma
for you."
"You're crazy. I wouldn't
of that cudy f8?
a hundred dollars.
"Ah! come off it. This is
really good candy."
"She helped you, didn't
she?"
"Yes. Gladys is a real
helper."
"I thought so."
"So what?"
"Chad, you're stupid. Your ■
wife knows we are in love. She
jis no fool. She go you with
[some chocolate cake - I
know, a friend of mine told
'me so."
"Told you what?"
"She told me that you ate
some chocolate cake at Gladys'
house before you got married."
"Go on, Effie! Gladys
wouldn't touch that kind of
stuff with a ten foot pole."
"Pshaw! Maybe she didn't
do it, but her old mammy
did. Gladys was getting old and
the old lady was afraid she'd
get stuck with your slow-poke,
dumb wife."
Chad removed the box
from the counter; "oh, well
where you're going - it's hard
to tell!"
"I don't care how mad you
get, I am not eating any of
that candy!"
"Don't feel bad - I've got
to go to work."
"Work some hell!"
"Be your self, Mrs. Jeffer
ies."
"Chad, stay with me today,
I will pay you for your day's
work."
"A tempting offer -- but
this is Friday."
"Yesterday was Thanksgiv-
Continued on page 6B
Let ,as Preserve Yoar
Precious
Baby Shoes
in Bronze, Gold
or Silver
Beautiful Styles
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SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 1973 THE CAROLINA TIMES—
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