Well. Maybe Miss Walter didnt tell her them lies Miss Hilly started. You never know. But even I aint fool enough to believe this.
Even if she didnt, Miss Walters know all about how I got back at Miss Hilly. You dont know about the Terrible Awful Thing I did. I dont ever want you to know. Im sure Miss Walters tell this woman Im nothing short a the devil hisself. Her voice sound eerie. Like she a record player going too slow.
Im sorry. I wish I could a called you earlier so you could pick up that phone.
You done what you can. Nothing nobody can do for me now.
I be praying for you.
Thank you, she say, and then her voice break down. And I thank you for trying to help me.
We hang up and I go to mopping. The sound a Minnys voice scare me.
She always been a strong woman, always fighting. After Treelore died, she carry supper over to me ever night for three months straight. And ever day she say, Nuh-uh, you aint leaving me on this sorry earth without you, but I tell you, I was sure enough thinking about it.
I already had the rope tied when Minny found it. The coil was Treelores, from back when he doing a science project with pulleys and rings. I dont know if Is gone use it, knowing its a sin against God, but I wasnt in my right mind. Minny, though, she dont ask no questions about it, just pull it out from under the bed, put it in the can, take it to the street. When she come back in, she brush her hands together like she cleaning things up as usual. She all business, that Minny. But now, she sound bad. I got a mind to check under her bed tonight.
I put down the bucket a Sunshine cleaner them ladies is always smiling about on the tee-vee. I got to set down. Mae Mobley come up holding her tummy, say, Make it not hurt.
She lay her face on my leg. I smooth her hair down over and over till she practically purring, feeling the love in my hand. And I think about all my friends, what they done for me. What they do ever day for the white women they waiting on. That pain in Minnys voice. Treelore dead in the ground. I look down at Baby Girl, who I know, deep down, I cant keep from turning out like her mama. And all of it together roll on top a me. I close my eyes, say the Lords prayer to myself. But it dont make me feel any better.
Law help me, but somethings gone have to be done.
Baby Girl hug on my legs all afternoon to where I bout fall over a few times. I dont mind. Miss Leefolt aint said nothing to me or Mae Mobley since this morning. Been working so busy on that sewing machine in her bedroom. Trying to cover up something else she dont like the look of in the house.
After while me and Mae Mobley go in the regular living room. I got a load a Mister Leefolts shirts to iron and after this Im on get a pot roast going. I cleaned the bathrooms already, got the sheets changed, the rugs vacuumed. I always try to finish up early so me and Baby Girl can set together and play.
Miss Leefolt come in and watch me ironing. She do that sometimes. Frown and look. Then she smile real quick when I glance up. Pat up the back a her hair, trying to make it puffy.
Aibileen, I have a surprise for you.
She smiling big now. She dont have no teeth showing, just a lip smile, kind you got to watch. Mister Leefolt and I have decided to build you your very own bathroom. She clap her hands together, drop her chin at me. Its right out there in the garage.
Yes maam. Where she think I been all this time?
So, from now on, instead of using the guest bathroom, you can use your own right out there. Wont that be nice?
Yes maam. I keep ironing. Tee-vees on and my programs fixing to start. She keep standing there looking at me though.
So youll use that one out in the garage now, you understand?
I dont look at her. Im not trying to make no trouble, but she done made her point.
Dont you want to get some tissue and go on out there and use it?
Miss Leefolt, I dont really have to go right this second.
Mae Mobley point at me from the playpen, say, Mae Mo juice?
I get you some juice, baby, I say.
Oh. Miss Leefolt lick her lips a few times. But when you do, youll go on back there and use that one now, I mean only that one, right?
Miss Leefolt wear a lot a makeup, creamy-looking stuff, thick. That yellowish makeups spread across her lips too, so you can barely tell she even got a mouth. I say what I know she want to hear: I use my colored bathroom from now on. And then I go on and Clorox the white bathroom again real good.
Well, theres no hurry. Anytime today would be fine.
But by the way she standing there fiddling with her wedding ring, she really mean for me to do it right now.
I put the iron down real slow, feel that bitter seed grow in my chest, the one planted after Treelore died. My face goes hot, my tongue twitchy. I dont know what to say to her. All I know is, I aint saying it. And I know she aint saying what she want a say either and its a strange thing happening here cause nobody saying nothing and we still managing to have us a conversation.
Minny
Chapter 3
Standing on that white ladys back porch, I tell myself, Tuck it in, Minny. Tuck in whatever might fly out my mouth and tuck in my behind too. Look like a maid who does what shes told. Truth is, Im so nervous right now, Id never backtalk again if it meant Id get this job.
I yank my stockings up from sagging around my feet the trouble of all fat, short women around the world. Then I rehearse what to say, what to keep to myself. I go ahead and punch the bell.
The doorbell rings a long bing-bong, fine and fancy for this big mansion out in the country. It looks like a castle, gray brick rising high in the sky and left and right too. Woods surround the lawn on every side. If this place was in a storybook, thered be witches in those woods. The kind that eat kids.
The doorbell rings a long bing-bong, fine and fancy for this big mansion out in the country. It looks like a castle, gray brick rising high in the sky and left and right too. Woods surround the lawn on every side. If this place was in a storybook, thered be witches in those woods. The kind that eat kids.
The back door opens and there stands Miss Marilyn Monroe[23]. Or something kin to her.
Hey there, youre right on time. Im Celia. Celia Rae Foote.
The white lady sticks her hand out to me and I study her. She might be built like Marilyn, but she aint ready for no screen test. Shes got flour in her yellow hairdo. Flour in her glue-on eyelashes. And flour all over that tacky pink pantsuit. Her standing in a cloud of dust and that pantsuit being so tight, I wonder how she can breathe.
Yes maam. Im Minny Jackson. I smooth down my white uniform instead of shaking her hand. I dont want that mess on me. You cooking something?
One of those upsidedown cakes from the magazine? She sighs. It aint working out too good.
I follow her inside and thats when I see Miss Celia Rae Footes suffered only a minor injury in the flour fiasco. The rest of the kitchen took the real hit. The countertops, the double-door refrigerator, the Kitchen-Aid mixer are all sitting in about a quarter-inch of snow flour. Its enough mess to drive me crazy. I aint even got the job yet, and Im already looking over at the sink for a sponge.
Miss Celia says, I guess I have some learning to do.
You sure do, I say. But I bite down hard on my tongue. Dont you go sassing this white lady like you done the other. Sassed her all the way to the nursing home.
But Miss Celia, she just smiles, washes the muck off her hands in a sink full of dishes. I wonder if maybe Ive found myself another deaf one, like Miss Walters was. Lets hope so.
I just cant seem to get the hang of kitchen work, she says and even with Marilyns whispery Hollywood voice, I can tell right off, shes from way out in the country. I look down and see the fool doesnt have any shoes on, like some kind of white trash. Nice white ladies dont go around barefoot.
Shes probably ten or fifteen years younger than me, twenty-two, twenty-three, and shes real pretty, but whys she wearing all that goo on her face? Ill bet shes got on double the makeup the other white ladies wear. Shes got a lot more bosom to her, too. In fact, shes almost as big as me except shes skinny in all those places I aint. I just hope shes an eater. Because Im a cooker and thats why people hire me.
Can I get you a cold drink? she asks. Set down and Ill bring you something.
And thats my clue: something funnys going on here.
Leroy, she got to be crazy, I said when she called me up three days ago and asked if Id come interview, cause everbody in town think I stole Miss Walters silver. And I know she do too cause she call Miss Walters up on the phone when I was there.
White people strange, Leroy said. Who knows, maybe that old woman give you a good word[24].
I look at Miss Celia Rae Foote hard. Ive never in my life had a white woman tell me to sit down so she can serve me a cold drink. Shoot, now Im wondering if this fool even plans on hiring a maid or if she just drug me all the way out here for sport.
Maybe we better go on and see the house first, maam.
She smiles like the thought never entered that hairsprayed head of hers, letting me see the house I might be cleaning.
Oh, of course. Come on in yonder, Maxie. Ill show you the fancy dining room first.
The name, I say, is Minny.
Maybe shes not deaf or crazy. Maybe shes just stupid. A shiny hope rises up in me again.
All over that big ole doodied up house she walks and talks and I follow. There are ten rooms downstairs and one with a stuffed grizzly bear that looks like it ate up the last maid and is biding for the next one. A burned-up Confederate flag[25] is framed on the wall, and on the table is an old silver pistol with the name Confederate General John Foote engraved on it. I bet Great-Grandaddy Foote scared some slaves with that thing.
We move on and it starts to look like any nice white house. Except this ones the biggest Ive ever been in and full of dirty floors and dusty rugs, the kind folks who dont know any better would say is worn out, but I know an antique when I see one. Ive worked in some fine homes. I just hope she aint so country she dont own a Hoover.
Johnnys mama wouldnt let me decorate a thing. I had my way, thered be wall-to-wall white carpet and gold trim and none of this old stuff.