“Man to hell wit what you talkin’ bout!”
“I’m serious now. I tell you there ain’t nothing like a woman with great big legs.”
“Oh yeah, Lena Mae got great big legs, and a great big ole ass, and stomach.”
“Big women treat you good Marsh, and they cook!”
“I ain’t nevah met nobody fulla more horse shit than you Octavius Greene. I declare. If you wanna talk to her friend, go on over there and talk to her and leave me out of it.”
“Women team up. I ain’t gonna get two words outta that gal unless I bring you with me to keep Lena busy, you know that.”
“Take a sandwich over there. That’ll keep her busy.”
“You ain’t worth a damn. What you got against Lena anyway? Seem like I can recollect last summer you ain’t have a problem with Lena being plump at all. Seem like what I remember is you liked that a whole lot.”
“Man hush.”
“She put you down didn’t she?!”
“Get on away from me Octavius.”
“Marshall Chesterfield let a woman put him down! LAWD have mercy! The dignified educated nigger himself!”
“I said be quiet you red sonofabitch!”
“Marshall, what’s the matter with you man?! I was just joshin’ with you.”
“She said I was too black.”
“Lena Mae?”
“Yeah, said we could fool around however much we wanted to, but she couldn’t marry me.”
“You wanted to marry Lena Mae Taylor?!”
“Shit yeah man, the Taylors are a good family.”
“That why you wanted to marry her?”
“Yeah! Her father could get me a real good job when I get outta school. I had it planned out. After you left last summer. I courted her … boy I tell you, I bought that broad flowers, took her to the pictures, we was gettin’ pretty hot and heavy, then she laid it on me: “I like you a lot Marsh, but my daddy won’t let me be with nobody near as dark as you, plus you don’t really come from nothin’ ”
“Marsh, you know them Taylors.”
“Yeah, I know em. Hell with ’em. I’ll make it just fine on my own. High yella niggas.”
“I ain’t gonna hear too much more a that.”
“What you gone do yella?”
“I’ma beat yo black ass is what I’m gone do, but I gotta do it before sun down else I won’t be able to see you.”
“You a fool Octavius.”
“Yep, a fool looking for a good time. Now you gone go over there with me so I can get the first shot at this fine new gal or what?”
“I s’pose so. Lena always up for a good time.”
“You rascal! Look they wavin’ at us. Lena even got a camera. She gone take our picture.”
“I sure hope you show up in it. It is daytime you know.”
From the Rose's Mouth 