“How’s you’ rheumatism?” Uncle Bill shouted, to change the subject.
“E’s better. A lot better dan e been. I been totin’ a’ oak-gall in my pocket ’stead o’ dem buckeyes. I b’lieve de oak-gall is stronger. Seems to me like I kin git ’roun’ more better since I made de change.”
Uncle Bill looked doubtful and his head shook a little, but he spat thoughtfully, then yelled, “I made me a li’l’ pokeberry wine, an’ I tell you, suh, it’s a fine t’ing! A fine t’ing! I ain’ hardly been bothered wid any kind o’ misery since I been drinkin’ em.”
Uncle Isaac’s mild old eyes watched every word, for they had to help his deaf ears understand. “You say elderberry wine?” he queried.
“No! Pokeberry! You know pokeberry, enty? Elderberry wine wouldn’ do rheumatism no good. My Gawd, no,” Uncle Bill answered, laughing at such a mistake. “You ain’ turned to no lady, is yuh?”
“No, t’ank Gawd!” Uncle Isaac screeched. “If it wan’t fo’ my crippled knee, I wouldn’ feel no more’n forty years old. No, suh. Not a bit more’n forty. April’s gwine git a rattlesnake to make me some snake tea. Dat’s a good medicine.”
“E might be fo’ true,” Uncle Bill agreed. “I ever did hear say so. But my stomach is too weak to stand sich a strongness. Rattlesnake tea be de same as con’trated lye! Better mind how you projec’ wid em, Uncle!”
“Sho’! Sho’! I’m old enough to know medicine ain’ somet’ing fo’ play wid. I ain’ no chillen, son. I been in dis world a good while.”
The mail was not open yet, and Big Sue waited for it all to be given out so the storekeeper, who was postmaster too, could let her have what she wanted. Breeze stood close beside her, watching the black people who loitered and laughed and talked, as they crowded into the dirty crank-sided store. Each man invariably paid her a compliment, such as, “I declare to Gawd, Miss Big Sue, you look sweet,” or, “It do my eyes good to see you.” Uncle Bill said, “I’m gwine buy you a treat soon as de mail is finished.”
The men took off their hats and pulled a forelock and drew one foot back to make their bows. The women made easy graceful curtsies. Big Sue whispered to Breeze that he must pull his foot and bow too. Look at Uncle Bill and Uncle Isaac. He must learn manners. But Breeze hadn’t the heart to try here where so many would see him.