Their-Eyes-Were-Watching-God-rmrju9

144 4 Zora Neale Hurstonabout him that wasn't dwindled and blurred. Just like he hadbeen sand-papered down to a long oval mass. Tea Cake felt sorryfor him without knowing why. So he didn't blurt out the insultshe had intended. But he couldn't hold in everything. They talkedabout the prospects for the coming season for a moment, thenTea Cake said, "Yo' Wife don't seem tuh have nothin' much tuhdo, so she kin visit uh lot. Mine got too much tuh do tuh go visitin'and too much tuh spend time talkin' tuh folks dat visit her.""Mah wife takes time fuh whatever she wants tuh do. Realstrong headed dat way. Yes indeed." He laughed a high lunglesslaugh. "De chillun don't keep her in no mo' so she visits whenshe chooses.""De chillun?" Tea Cake asked him in surprise. "You got anysmaller than him?" He indicated the son who seemed aroundtwenty or so. "Ah ain't seen yo' others.""Ah reckon you ain't 'cause dey all passed on befo' dis onewuz born. We ain't had no luck atall wid our chillun. We lucky toraise him. He's de last stroke of exhausted nature."He gave his powerless laugh again and Tea Cake and the boyjoined in with him. Then Tea Cake walked on off and went hometo Janie."Her husband can't do nothin' wid dat butt-headed woman.All you can do is treat her cold whenever she come round here."Janie tried that, but short of telling Mrs. Turner bluntly, therewas nothing she could do to discourage her completely. She felthonored by Janie's acquaintance and she quickly forgave and forgotsnubs in order to keep it. Anyone who looked more white folkishthan herself was better than she was in her criteria, therefore itwas right that they should be cruel to her at times, just as she wascruel to those more negroid than herself in direct ratio to theirnegroness. Like the pecking-order in a chicken yard. Insensate crueltyto those you can whip, and groveling submission to those you