One of the waitresses appeared suddenly from behind the screen. “Mrs. Downes ...” she began.
“Go away! Go away! I’ll talk to you later.”
The girl disappeared.
“And that isn’t all, Ma. I’m not going to live with Naomi any more. I’m through with that. I meant what I said when I was sick.”
“Philip—listen to me, Philip!”
“No ... I’ll come to see her and the children. But I’m through.”
“What will people think? What will they say?”
“You can tell them I’ve got a night job.... Nobody’ll know, except Aunt Mabelle, where Naomi is going to live. Nobody will see me come or go. It’s in Front Street.”
“Front Street! Why, that’s on the edge of the Flats! You can’t do that!”
He looked at her for a long time in despairing silence. “My God, Ma! Can’t you see? Can’t you understand? From now on, I’m going to stand on my own. I’m going to work things out. I’ve got to get out of this mess.... I’ve got to.”