1969
The September sea and sky glistened pale blue from a soft sun as Kya churned in her little boat toward Jumpinโs to get the
bus schedule. The thought of busing with strange people to a strange town unnerved her, but she wanted to meet her editor, Robert Foster. For more than two years, they had exchanged short notesโand even some long lettersโmostly discussing editorial adjustments for the prose and art in her books, but the correspondence, written so often in biological phrases blended with poetic descriptions, had become a bond welded in its own language. She wanted to meet this person on the other end of the mail line, who knew how ordinary light is shattered by microscopic prisms in the feathers of hummingbirds, creating the iridescence of its golden-red throat. And how to say it in words as startling as the colors.
As she stepped onto the wharf, Jumpinโ greeted her and asked
if she needed gas.
โNo thanks, not this time. I need to write down the bus schedule. You have a copy, right?โ
โShoโ do. Tacked up right on the wall, left aโ the doah. Hep yurself.โ
After she stepped from the shop with the schedule, he asked, โYa goinโ on a trip somewheres, Miss Kya?โ
โI might. My editor invited me to Greenville to meet him. Not sure yet.โ
โWell then, thataโ be mighty fine. Itโs a fur piece over there, but a trip aโ do ya good.โ
As Kya turned to get back into her boat, Jumpinโ leaned in and looked at her more closely. โMiss Kya, whatโs done happened to yoโ eye, yoโ face? Look like you been beat up, Miss Kya.โ Quickly she turned her face away. The bruise from Chaseโs slug, almost a month old, was faded to a faint yellowish stain, which Kya thought no one would notice.
โNo, I just walked into a door inโโ
โDonโt ya go tellinโ me a story now, Miss Kya. I didnโt jusโ fall off the turnip truck. Who done hit ya like that?โ
She stood silent.
โWas it Mr. Chase done this to ya? Ya know ya can tell me. In fact, we gwine stand right here tills ya tell me.โ
โYes, it was Chase.โ Kya could barely believe the words came from her mouth. She never thought she had anyone to tell such things. She turned away again, fighting tears.
Jumpinโs entire face frowned. He didnโt speak for several seconds. And then, โWhat else he done?โ
โNothing, I swear. He tried, Jumpinโ, but I fought him off.โ โThat man gotta be horsewhupped, then run outta this town.โ โJumpinโ, please. You canโt tell anybody. You know you canโt
tell the sheriff or anybody. Theyโd drag me into the sheriffโs office and make me describe what happened to a bunch of men. I canโt live through that.โ Kya dropped her face in her hands.
โWell, sumpโm gotta be done. He cainโt go anโ do a thing like that, and then just go on boatinโ โround in that fancy boat aโ his. King of the World.โ
โJumpinโ, you know how it is. Theyโll take his side. Theyโll say Iโm just stirring up trouble. Trying to get money out of his parents or something. Think what would happen if one of the girls from Colored Town accused Chase Andrews of assault and attempted rape. Theyโd do nothing. Zero.โ Kyaโs voice became more and more shrill. โIt would end in big trouble for that girl. Write-ups in the newspaper. People accusing her of whoring. Well, itโd be the same for me, and you know it. Please promise me you wonโt tell anybody.โ She ended in a sob.
โYa right, Miss Kya. I know ya right. Ya donโt gotta worry โbout me doinโ anythang to make this thang worse. But how dโya know
he ainโt cominโ after ya again? And ya aโways on yoโ lonesome out there?โ
โIโve always protected myself before; I just slipped up this time because I didnโt hear him coming. Iโll stay safe, Jumpinโ. If I decide to go to Greenville, when I come back, maybe I could live out at my reading cabin awhile. I donโt think Chase knows about it.โ
โAโright, then. But I wantcha to come in here more ofโen, I wantcha to come by and let me know how thingsโre goinโ. Ya know ya can always come out and stay with Mabel and me, ya know that.โ
โThank you, Jumpinโ. I know.โ โWhen ya goinโ over to Greenville?โ
โIโm not sure. The editorโs letter mentioned late October. I havenโt made arrangements, havenโt even accepted the invitation.โ She knew now she couldnโt go unless the bruise had disappeared completely.
โWell, ya let me know when ya gwine over thar and when ya get back. Ya hear? I gotta know if ya outer town. โCause, ifโn I donโt see ya fer moreโn a day or so, Iโm goinโ out to yoโ place maself.
Bring along a posse if need be.โ โI will. Thank you, Jumpinโ.โ