Free Life Is Short But Wide by J. California Cooper

voice rattles through theair. I’m going to be glad when their month is up and they are moving out!”
    Bertha, thinking of the help the big man might be to her husband, said, “Maybe they was just tired, and hungry from movin. Juliet stayed up and listen at um most the night.”
    Rose noticed Juliet listening, and decided to say less in front of the young lady. Juliet’s infirmity, and the fact that she was always sitting still in a chair, made Rose think of her as a child. So she just answered, “Maybe so; I hope so!”
    Bertha went to hug her daughter, saying, “You know, she makes a few dimes a day with her baskets now? She make em out of everthin. Peoples comes by and ask her bout them baskets! Even some white folks who still got some money.”
    “Good! Keep up that good work, girl! You’ll be taking care your own self one of these days! And that’s the best thing you can learn. You see anything you want on this land for those baskets, you just take it. I’m glad to see you making your own money.”
    Juliet waved them off, wishing they wouldn’t treat her like a child because of her infirmity, saying, “Aww, I’m not gettin rich! A few pennies’s ain’t nothin but a few pennies’s.” She changed the subject. “I got those books you loaned me, Aunt Rose. I finished em. Can I get a few more? I like the lying history books, but I like the philosophil books, too. I can’t understand all the words, but I’m waitin for that dictionary you said you was gonna get for me.”
    Bertha butt in, “Hush, chile! She already doin a’plenty for us.”
    “It’s all right, Bertha. I understand. But I have to wait until the new class starts to see what I can harvest. That remindsme, I’ve got to plant some food so I can eat these next few months. Something beside those canned goods we made last year, Bertha.”
    Bertha wearily smiled. “Yeah, work is never finish. Always got some more to do. Got to eat, got to eat.”

As the days passed, adding up to the month for the temporary tenants, Rose was watchful. The arguing never stopped unless he was at work, or they were asleep. Every evening, deep into the night, sometimes starting again early in the morning before he left for work. Weekends were the worst.
    The angry, violent sounds were making everybody sick and tired of the noise. The air, once so peaceful and serene, even if poverty was staring you in the face, was now rent with ugly, angry words. Everyone’s peace was gone. Everyone waited for Monday when Will would be gone back to work.
    Rose once spoke to Bertha. “I can’t hardly stand this much more. I sleep, still listening for him to hit her.”
    Bertha answered, “I can’t sleep my own self. I done passed my limit long time ago. Joseph don’t hear nothin when he sleeps. But I ain’t sure it’s the man’s fault. That lil woman makes a lot of noise in a real mean voice.”
    Three weeks went by the same way. On the last week of the month the Moores were to stay in the little house, Rose went to speak with Ethel. “There is one more week left in our agreement, Mz. Ethel. I hope you all have found another place.”
    “No, ma’am, we haven’t, but we lookin ever day.”
    Rose frowned. “I hope so, because I can’t take all that arguing, fighting, and yelling and cursing anymore. You all are driving everyone round here crazy!”
    Ethel tilted her little head, said, “I know, I know. Cause he drives me crazy, too. I poligizes to ya, Mz. Rose. He just workin hard, and scared this pression is go in on for too long.”
    “Well, for the little time you have left here, tell him to try and keep his voice down, please. And you can work on yours also.”
    Ethel said in a meek, soft voice, “Yes’m, I sure will.”
    At the end of the month, they hadn’t moved, didn’t seem about to. Ethel came to see Rose, saying, “We ain’t got no new place yet, Mz. Rose, but I blive we almos do. Let me give ya this money …”
    Rose said, angrily, “I don’t want