Janie saw her life like a great tree in leaf with the things suffered

140/260“You needs ten pounds, Mr. Tea Cake. Ah’ll let yuh have all Ah gotand you needn’t bother ’bout payin’ it back.”They joked and went on till the people began to come in. Then hetook a seat and made talk and laughter without the rest until closingtime. When everyone else had left he said, “Ah reckon Ah done overlayedmah leavin’ time, but Ah figgured you needed somebody tuhhelp yuh shut up de place. Since nobody else ain’t round heah, maybeAh kin git de job.”“Thankyuh, Mr. Tea Cake. It is kinda strainin’ fuh me.”“Who ever heard of uh teacake bein’ called Mister! If you wanta bereal hightoned and call me Mr. Woods, dat’s de way you feel about it.If yuh wants tuh be uh lil friendly and call me Tea Cake, dat would bereal nice.” He was closing and bolting windows all the time he talked.“All right, then. Thank yuh, Tea Cake. How’s dat?”“Jes lak uh lil girl wid her Easter dress on. Even nice!” He lockedthe door and shook it to be sure and handed her the key. “Come onnow, Ah’ll see yuh inside yo’ door and git on down de Dixie.”Janie was halfway down the palm-lined walk before she had athought for her safety. Maybe this strange man was up to something!But it was no place to show her fear there in the darkness between thehouse and the store. He had hold of her arm too. Then in a moment itwas gone. Tea Cake wasn’t strange. Seemed as if she had known himall her life. Look how she had been able to talk with him right off! Hetipped his hat at the door and was off with the briefest good night.So she sat on the porch and watched the moon rise. Soon its amberfluid was drenching the earth, and quenching the thirst of the day.