Free Commune of Women by Suzan Still Page A

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    Pearl never had much use fer other women. That’s why she cain’t go ta the shelter. All them women. They fuss bout this an nag bout that. Worse then a swarm a hornets. She’d rather set down on a anthill then go ta that damn shelter.
    So Pearl cain’t quite get the jist a these here gals. Theys a different breed a cat. Theys so nice an proper an polite, one t’other, you’d think they was at a church social. Or a meetin a the Golden Star.
    Not that Pearl’s ever been ta either, but she’s seen it often enough – ladies all dolled up, wearin heels an hats, carryin cake plates, sayin, Oh, Howdy-do? Oh, how pretty you look! Oh mah, ain’t it a lovely day?
    But that ain’t even quite rat. These gals ain’t simperin. Theys more lak folks bein real gingerly, tryin ta keep thins in balance, goin over the falls together in a big barrel. Alls it takes is one panickin an the whole she-bang gonna flop over an they’ll all be kilt.
    Her Granny use ter say, Thems cain’t work together, fails together . From the look a this crowd here, ain’t no one plannin on failin.
    Lak, at dinnertime, everone gots a paper plate from the stack on the microwave. Sophia passed a pen an everone put they name on they own. Pearl made a X on hers.
    Then they parceled out the food. Ever one of em gots ta choose somethin. Pearl chose peanuts. Nothin keeps yer stomach from growling lak peanuts!
    But the machine don’t deliver but a little tiny sack an then she gots ta divvy it five ways. Nothin fer the nigger gal. She don’t get nothin but water, says Sophia.
    Then Betty, she chooses cookies. Thar warn’t but four a them. She breaks em, so everbody gots roughly they share.
    Now the one called Onion or somethin lak that, she looks an looks inta that machine, lak all of a sudden a fried fish is gonna appear in thar, or a cherry tart. She chooses crackers an cheese, after the chef turnt up missin. That split up purdy good.
    Sophia come next. She takes some corn chips, rat smart. No waitin around. Pearl laks a gal knows her own mind.
    Then Heady. She’s as bad as the Onion. Worse. She whines bout this an sniffs bout that, an Pearl’s bout fed up. It’s almost as bad as the shelter. But then, Heady gots a smile full a whimsy an says, “I know! I’ll buy dessert!” an pops fer a Payday. Sophia saws it up lak a log with her knife an that’s how Pearl gots some of her peanuts back!
    By the time theys finished parcelin stuff out, the plate’s almost full. Shoot! Been many a nat Pearl ain’t et this good!
    Don’t seem lak time’s passed much, but all of a sudden, it’s going on 11:00. Everbody’s sayin how tared they is.
    Ain’t no way fer a body ta get comfortable here. Floor’s hard as a straw boss’s heart. The ladies is beddin down, best they cain. Everbody gots issued a roll a toilet paper fer a piller.
    Pearl, she gots her pack. Never lets hersef be parted from it. She gots a blanket an a piller made from a sack stuffed with plastic bags – latweight ta carry, but nice an soft under her head.
    Sophia turnt out the lats, hours ago. She was scairt the lat’d go through the bullet holes in the door an out inta the hall an attract the tearists. Ain’t nothin but the lats in the machines, an them kinda purrin ta theirselves, keepin thins cold.
    Lots a gruntin an groanin as the gals settle in – especially from that nigger gal. Sophia’s layin next ta her, by the sofa. She reaches up an takes the gal’s hand.
    Lord knows what tomorrow’ll bring – ain’t a one a them does, Pearl’s certain. That be the joy a it, she s’poses, from His perspective.
    Ain’t none of em gonna take it fer granit, an that’s fer sure!
Erika
    All day, the women’s voices are like the hum of bees. Sometimes, Erika hears it. Sometimes, she drowses and dreams she’s in a meadow full of flowers with the bees buzzing through them.
    Then, the pain shoots through her and she wakes herself, moaning.
    This big woman, Sophia, is always there when