Under the Tree…

“Under the Pine tree at the end of my street is where I was told the milk man would be for our weekly supply of fresh milk. Our normal delivery man had no problem with picking up old bottles and dropping off new bottles at everyone’s home but Paul who is our normal guy was out of work due to having surgery on his back. Our postcard from the milk company meaning myself, my mom and my young daughter Elaine read the Following: “Dear customers i.e. Wilson street,

Your milk delivery route will be taken on by Henry Jenkins for the next two months. Please be courteous to this new driver and place your used milk bottles neatly in the crate while you wait at the end of your St. for your new order. Thank you for understanding our new current policy. signed, Morrie Dairy.” Lisa looked at her mom as she placed the cold card on their wooden coffee table. “Burr it is getting chilly now Oct is here mama”. said Lisa to her mother Doris. Doris sit in her rocking chair quilting a bedspread for a friend of hers she plays Bingo with. Elaine her only grand daughter who is a vibrant adventurous bubbly charming little girl when she needs to be. So this 10 year old loves joining her grandmother when she goes to St.Luke’s Bingo hall once a week. It might have been a church basement but on every Tues and Weds it became the towns only Bingo Hall. Tues were for white players only and Weds were set for coloreds which took a large sum of money for the Pastor of St. Luke’s to approve of. “She can’t be in here.” said Willie a tall skinny browned skin man, who always wore a blue bucket hat as he collected the Bingo fee of .50 a game. “I’ll take four games Willie, I believe that’s two dollars”. said Doris while giving a sly smirk. Willie looks down at Elaine as he hands Doris her boards. I’m a really good server Mr. Willie sir. I can pour the drinks and pick up trash so you won’t have to hurt your back walking back and forth. I helped my daddy get ready for work every morning. That was before he went to war and died I shined his shoes like a copper penny and brought him his first cup of magic. said the suddenly meek 10 year old while playing with one of her tightly plated ponytails. “Magic was his first cup of coffee of the day”.said Doris pulling Elaine’s head close to her chest. “Do you mine really well little Missy?” asked Willie. Elaine shook her up and down in rapped pace. “Okay well you can start by filling those cups that are lined up on that counter with the soda pop that’s in the icebox in the corner in the kitchen here. said Mr. Willie tending to the next customer. “Yes sir. Right away.” says Elaine. The 4 foot 8 inch ponytail girl raced behind the ticket counter straight to the tall red and white ice box pulling out short bottles of coke ca cola two and at time. “She’s on a trial run Doris”. said Willie handing the last bingo player their material. Doris smiles at him before she takes her seat at the last round wooden table of the church basement. Margie short stubby woman in her 60’s who looked as if she could pass for a white woman with her red complexion and soft salt and pepper hair pulled neatly in a bun takes her seat next to Doris being her bingo partner and best friend for the past 20 years. With 12 players mostly every week Doris and Margie won one or two games every week with a jackpot being 10 dollars that was split between the both. Elaine scurry the floor back and forth from that day on that happened to be every week picking up empty cups and filling bowls with peanuts raisins and pretzels that was always left from the white players the night before by Mr. Joe who was Doris and her families neighbor across the street always made sure they had snacks for the game on their night. He was one of the only white people on their long street that treated them no different because of their color. Lisa’s late husband became good friends with Mr. Joe and would have a beer with him as they talk sports. The bingo game always end at 8 with Willie sweeping the floor pushing in chairs as Elaine wiped the tables before heading out to her Nana’s car. Margie and Doris laugh on the phone that first night Elaine started her job at the bingo hall with Doris telling Margie about Elaine rushing to her bed when she stepped in the house coming from bingo. “I’m telling you honey chal she is worn the hell out” laughed Doris as she gets comfortable on their white over sized sofa. “Mama please let her sleep, don’t wake her”.said Lisa from the kitchen as she collects their empty milk bottles for tomorrow’s order. “Hush girl, that girl of yours ain’t going to hear a thing with all the running Willie had her doing tonight.” Lisa roll her eyes giggling at her mother. The sun hit Lisa’s face as she opened her eyes. That next morning. “Fuck.” thought Lisa to herself as she jumped out of her full size bed. A word she wouldn’t dare say out loud. A word she learned from her late husband who was a garbage collector before being drafted by uncle Sam. Lisa pulled on her navy blue knee length skirt over her curvy thighs followed by her white blouse. Saturday morning and Lisa was the only one awake in her house trying to be as quiet as possible she collected the small crate of empty bottles and headed out her front door.