Where your people from? I ask her.
Im from Sugar Ditch. Her voice drops down a little. Sugar Ditch is as low as you can go in Mississippi, maybe the whole United States. Its up in Tunica County, almost to Memphis. I saw pictures in the paper one time, showing those tenant shacks. Even the white kids looked like they hadnt had a meal for a week.
Miss Celia tries to smile, says, This is my first time hiring a maid.
Well you sure need one. Now, Minny
I was real glad to get the recommendation from Missus Walters. She told me all about you. Said your cooking is the best in town.
That makes zero sense to me. After what I did to Miss Hilly, right in front of Miss Walters to see? She say anything else about me?
But Miss Celias already walking up a big curving staircase. I follow her upstairs, to a long hall with sun coming through the windows. Even though there are two yellow bedrooms for girls and a blue one and a green one for boys, its clear there arent any children living here. Just dust.
Weve got five bedrooms and five bathrooms over here in the main house. She points out the window and I see a big blue swimming pool, and behind that, another house. My heart thumps hard.
And then theres the poolhouse out yonder, she sighs.
Id take any job I can get at this point, but a big house like this should pay plenty. And I dont mind being busy. I aint afraid to work. When you gone have you some chilluns, start filling up all these beds? I try to smile, look friendly.
Oh, were gonna have some kids. She clears her throat, fidgets. I mean, kids is the only thing worth living for. She looks down at her feet. A second passes before she heads back to the stairs. I follow behind, noticing how she holds the stair rail tight on the way down, like shes afraid she might fall.
Its back in the dining room that Miss Celia starts shaking her head. Its an awful lot to do, she says. All the bedrooms and the floors
Yes maam, its big, I say, thinking if she saw my house with a cot in the hall and one toilet for six behinds, shed probably run. But I got lots a energy.
and then theres all this silver to clean.
She opens up a silver closet the size of my living room. She fixes a candle thats turned funny on the candelabra and I can see why shes looking so doubtful.
After the town got word of Miss Hillys lies, three ladies in a row hung up on me the minute I said my name[26]. I ready myself for the blow. Say it, lady. Say what you thinking about me and your silver. I feel like crying thinking about how this job would suit me fine and what Miss Hillys done to keep me from getting it. I fix my eyes on the window, hoping and praying this isnt where the interview ends.
I know, those windows are awful high. I never tried to clean them before.
I let my breath go. Windows are a heck of a lot better subject for me than silver. I aint afraid a no windows. I clean Miss Walters top to bottom ever four weeks.
Did she have just the one floor or a double decker?
Well, one but theys a lot to it. Old houses got a lot a nooks and crannies, you know.
Finally, we go back in the kitchen. We both stare down at the breakfast table, but neither one of us sits. Im getting so jittery wondering what shes thinking, my head starts to sweat.
You got a big, pretty house, I say. All the way out here in the country. Lot a work to be done.
She starts fiddling with her wedding ring. I guess Missus Walters was a lot easier than this would be. I mean, its just us now, but when we get to having kids
You, uh, got some other maids you considering?
She sighs. A bunch have come out here. I just havent found the right one yet. She bites on her fingernails, shifts her eyes away.
I wait for her to say Im not the right one either, but we just stand there breathing in that flour. Finally, I play my last card, whisper it because its all I got left.
You know, I only left Miss Walters cause she going up to the rest home. She didnt fire me.
But she just stares down at her bare feet, black-soled because her floors havent been scrubbed since she moved in this big old dirty house. And its clear, this lady doesnt want me.
Well, she says, I appreciate you driving all this way. Can I at least give you some money for the gas?
I pick up my pocketbook and thrust it up under my armpit. She gives me a cheery smile I could wipe off with one swat. Damn that Hilly Holbrook.
No maam, no, you cannot.
I knew it was gonna be a chore finding someone, but I stand there listening to her acting all sorry but I just think, Get it over with, lady, so I can tell Leroy we got to move all the way to the North Pole next to Santy Claus where nobodys heard Hillys lies about me.
and if I were you I wouldnt want to clean this big house either.
I look at her square on. Now thats just excusing herself a little too much, pretending Minny aint getting the job cause Minny dont want the job.
When you hear me say I dont want a clean this house?
Its alright, five maids have already told me its too much work.
I look down at my hundred-and-sixty-five-pound, five-foot-zero self practically busting out of my uniform. Too much for me?
She blinks at me a second. You youll do it?
Why you think I drove all the way out here to kingdom come, just to burn gas? I clamp my mouth shut. Dont go ruirning this now, she offering you a jay-o-bee. Miss Celia, I be happy to work for you.
She laughs and the crazy woman goes to hug me, but I step back a little, let her know thats not the kind of thing I do.
Hang on now, we got to talk about some things first. You got to tell me what days you want me here and and that kind a thing. Like how much you paying.
I guess whenever you feel like coming, she says.
For Miss Walters I work Sunday through Friday[27].
Miss Celia chews some more on her pink pinky-nail. You cant come here on weekends.
Alright. I need the days, but maybe later on shell let me do some party serving or whatnot. Monday through Friday then. Now, what time you want me here in the morning?
What time do you want to come in?
Ive never had this choice before. I feel my eyes narrow up. How bout eight. Thats when Miss Walters used to get me in.
Alright, eights real good. Then she stands there like shes waiting for my next checker move.
Now you supposed to tell me what time I got to leave.
What time? asks Celia.
I roll my eyes at her. Miss Celia, you supposed to tell me that. Thats the way it works.
She swallows, like shes trying real hard to get this down. I just want to get through this before she changes her mind about me.
How bout four oclock? I say. I work eight to four and I gets some time for lunch or what-have-you.
Thats just fine.
Now we got to talk bout pay, I say and my toes start wriggling in my shoes. It must not be much if five maids already said no.
Neither one of us says anything.
Now come on, Miss Celia. What your husband say you can pay?
She looks off at the Veg-O-Matic I bet she cant even use and says, Johnny doesnt know.
Alright then. Ask him tonight what he wants to pay.
No, Johnny doesnt know Im bringing in help.
My chin drops down to my chest. What you mean he dont know?
I am not telling Johnny. Her blue eyes are big, like shes scared to death of him.
And whats Mister Johnny gone do if he come home and find a colored woman up in his kitchen?
Im sorry, I just cant
Ill tell you what hes gone do, hes gone get that pistol and shoot Minny dead right here on this no-wax floor.
Miss Celia shakes her head. Im not telling him.
Then I got to go, I say. Shit. I knew it. I knew she was crazy when I walked in the door
Its not that Id be fibbing to him. I just need a maid
A course you need a maid. Last one done got shot in the head.
He never comes home during the day. Just do the heavy cleaning and teach me how to fix supper and itll only take a few months
My nose prickles from something burning. I see a waft of smoke coming from the oven. And then what, you gone fire me after them few months?
Then Ill tell him, she say but shes frowning at the thought. Please, I want him to think I can do it on my own. I want him to think Im worth the trouble.
Miss Celia I shake my head, not believing Im already arguing with this lady and I havent worked here two minutes. I think you done burned up your cake.
She grabs a rag and rushes to the oven and jerks the cake out. Oww! Dawgon it!
I set my pocketbook down, sidle her out of the way. You cant use no wet towel on a hot pan.
I grab a dry rag and take that black cake out the door, set it down on the concrete step.
Miss Celia stares down at her burned hand. Missus Walters said you were a real good cook.
That old woman eat two butterbeans and say she full[28]. I couldnt get her to eat nothing.
How much was she paying you?
Dollar an hour, I say, feeling kind of ashamed. Five years and not even minimum wage.
Then Ill pay you two.
And I feel all the breath slip out of me.
When Mister Johnny get out the house in the morning? I ask, cleaning up the butterstick melting right on the counter, not even a plate under it.
Six. He cant stand to do-dad around here very long. Then he heads back from his real estate office about five.
I do some figuring and even with the fewer hours itd be more pay. But I cant get paid if I get shot dead. Ill leave at three then. Give myself two hours coming and going so I can stay out a his way.
Good. She nods. Its best to be safe.
Good. She nods. Its best to be safe.
On the back step, Miss Celia dumps the cake in a paper sack. Ill have to bury this in the waste bin so he wont know Ive burned up another one.
I take the bag out of her hands. Mister Johnny aint seeing nothing. Ill throw it out at my house.
Oh, thank you. Miss Celia shakes her head like thats the nicest thing anyones ever done for her. She holds her hands in tight little fists under her chin. I walk out to my car.
I sit in the sagging seat of the Ford Leroys still paying his boss twelve dollars every week for. Relief hits me. I have finally gotten myself a job. I dont have to move to the North Pole. Wont Santy Claus be disappointed.
Sit down on your behind[29], Minny, because Im about to tell you the rules for working in a White Ladys house.
I was fourteen years old to the day. I sat at the little wooden table in my mamas kitchen eyeing that caramel cake on the cooling rack, waiting to be iced. Birthdays were the only day of the year I was allowed to eat as much as I wanted.