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So instantly all of the children were angry at me, the 8 year old boy said, "One smart aleck messes it up for everybody.” All the other children shunned me. I went home and played in my backyard alone. When the whistle blew at quitting time,


I looked out across the yard and Mister Chester was talking to my dad. As he walked up, I pretended not to notice him. Dad sat on the back steps and told me to come there, I guess so I could look him in the eyes. Dad didn't seem angry, more concerned than any- thing else. Dad spoke, "P.W." Yes Sir, "Chester Burnett told me you were over at the green chain at lunch, and you said they weren't working hard enough. Those men work harder than anyone else at this sawmill and get paid the least." I replied, "That’s not what I said." Dad replied, "Well that's what they heard. Next time you see Mister Chester you apologize." I protested, and said, "He said if that's Truman Ward's son, there's a honky in that wood pile." Truman started laughing, then told me to go figure out what I was going to say. I replied, "I don't really know what to say." Truman told me, "Chester is extremely intelligent and he will figure out where you're coming from." I asked Dad, "What should I call him? Mister Chester or Howlin' Wolf?" Dad told me, "as long as you put your feet under my table, and sleep under my roof, you will be respectful of your elders, so call him by his real name and use Mister. you can call him Mister Chester or Mister Burnett, but if I ever hear you call him Howlin Wolf while you're living in my house, I will blister your behind, you got that?" “Yes sir,” I replied. I sat under my China Berry Tree. I liked


it because the bark wasn't so rough when I leaned against it, and thought about what I was going to say. I felt the same feeling I felt when I met my biological grandfather, a peace and reassurance, it was a rare feeling for me because with my older siblings riding the bus to school being in that small back yard all day almost every day alone was hard


to take. When I had a chance to be around other people I would listen intently and they would tell me great stories, so even at the ten- der age of four I could communicate well with good cadence, I knew all of my letters and could do simple math. The feeling that came over me seemed to say don't worry when the time comes, you'll say the right thing. Dad was talking to mom and said,


"Every time Chester comes down he spends his money trying to impress his kinfolk, and ends up working for gas money to get back home. Sounds like a great life to me." Mom punched him in the shoulder and said, "You better hush." Dad walks out and sees Mister Chester walking up to the Bruce Company of- fice to get his money. He asked, "Are you ready?" I replied, "Yes sir." We walk over, dad tells Mister Chester, "P.W. has something he wants to tell you." Dad nudged me towards Mister Chester and said, "Go ahead.” I said, “Dad tells me that the people who work on the green chain work the hardest and are paid the least of anyone who works at this sawmill, and I apologize for even thinking otherwise." Mister Chester looked at me funny and asked my dad, "Truman how old is this boy?" Dad answered, "He will be five middle of July" He looked at me and said, "Okay, but from now on you talk to your dad before you go mouthing off about garbage you hear some idiot preacher say." I looked up at dad and his mouth dropped open when he remembered we did have that conversation. The man I was talking to with the worn out gloves, spoke up and said, "If that's what this is all about, you must not have heard everything he said." Then he went on to tell him exactly what was said. Mister Chester looked at me and said, "Son, I am so sorry, I guess it was so noisy that I didn't hear everything, and I am sorry." My dad whispered, "Accept his apology.” Instead I asked, "Want to be friends?" Mister Chester tells me, he would be happy to be my friend.


It was getting dark, Mister Chester was


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