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

223/260Finally he dipped up a drink. It was so good and cool! Come tothink about it, he hadn’t had a drink since yesterday. That was what heneeded to give him an appetite for his beans. He found himself wantingit very much, so he threw back his head as he rushed the glass tohis lips. But the demon was there before him, strangling, killing himquickly. It was a great relief to expel the water from his mouth. Hesprawled on the bed again and lay there shivering until Janie and thedoctor arrived. The white doctor who had been around so long that hewas part of the muck. Who told the workmen stories with brawnysweaty words in them. He came into the house quickly, hat sitting onthe left back corner of his head.“Hi there, Tea Cake. What de hell’s de matter with you?”“Wisht Ah knowed, Doctah Simmons. But Ah sho is sick.”“Ah, naw Tea Cake. ’Tain’t a thing wrong that a quart of coon-dickwouldn’t cure. You haven’t been gettin’ yo’ right likker lately, eh?” Heslapped Tea Cake lustily across his back and Tea Cake tried to smile ashe was expected to do. But it was hard. The doctor opened up his bagand went to work.“You do look a little peaked, Tea Cake. You got a temperature andyo’ pulse is kinda off. What you been doin’ here lately?”“Nothin’ ’cept workin’ and gamin’ uh little, doctah. But look lakwater done turn’t aginst me.”“Water? How do you mean?”“Can’t keep it on mah stomach, at all.”“What else?”