June 2003: Way in the Middle of the Air

           "Didyouhearaboutit?"

           "Aboutwhat?"

           "Theniggers,theniggers!"

           "Whatabout’em?"

           "Themleaving,pullingout,goingaway;didyouhear?"

           "Whatyoumean,pullingout?Howcantheydothat?"

           "Theycan,theywill,theyare."

           "Justacouple?"

           "EverysingleonehereintheSouth!"

           "No."

           "Yes!"

           "Igottoseethat.Idon’tbelieveit.Wheretheygoing—Africa?"

           Asilence.

           "Mars."

           "YoumeantheplanetMars?"

           "That’sright."

           Themenstoodupinthehotshadeofthehardwareporch.Someonequitlightingapipe.Somebodyelsespatoutintothehotdustofnoon.

           "Theycan’tleave,theycan’tdothat."

           "They’redoingit,anyways."

           "Where’dyouhearthis?"

           "It’severywhere,ontheradioaminuteago,justcomethrough."

           Likeaseriesofdustystatues,themencametolife.

           SamuelTeece,thehardwareproprietor,laugheduneasily."IwonderedwhathappenedtoSilly.Isenthimonmybikeanhourago.Heain’tcomebackfromMrs.Bordman’syet.YouthinkthatblackfooljustpedaledofftoMars?"

           Themensnorted.

           "AllIsayis,hebetterbringbackmybike.Idon’ttakestealingfromnoone,byGod."

           "Listen!"

           Themencollidedirritablywitheachother,turning.

           Farupthestreettheleveeseemedtohavebroken.Theblackwarmwatersdescendedandengulfedthetown.Betweentheblazingwhitebanksofthetownstores,amongthetreesilences,ablacktideflowed.Likeakindofsummermolasses,itpouredturgidlyforthuponthecinnamon-dustyroad.