ANY DAY NOW
283
that's my girl. You ain't got nothing to do with this. Get your ass
out of here."
"You could be killed for this," said Vivaldo. "All she has
to do is yell. All
I
have to do is walk down to the corner and
get a cop."
"You trying to scare me, motherf*****? Go
get
a cop."
"You must be out of your mind. They'd take one look
at this situation and put you
under
the jailhouse." He walked
to the bathroom door. "Come on, Leona. Get your coat. I'm
taking you out of here."
"I'm not out of
my
mind," Rufus said, "but
you
are. Where
you think you taking Leona?"
"I got no place to
go,"
Leona muttered.
"Well, you can stay at my place until you find some
place to go. I'm not leaving you here."
Rufus threw back his head and laughed. Vivaldo and
Leona both turned to watch him. Rufus cried to the ceiling,
"Motherf***** going to come to
my
house and walk out with
my
girl and he thinks this poor nigger's just going to sit and
let him do it. Ain't this a bitch?"
He fell over on his side, still laughing.
Vivaldo shouted, "For Christ's sake, Rufus!
Rufus!"
Rufus stopped laughing and sat straight up. "What? Who
the hell do you think you're kidding?
I
know you only got one
bed in your place!"
"Oh, Rufus," Leona wailed, "Vivaldo's only trying to
help."
"You shut up," he said, instantly, and looked at her.
"Everybody ain't a animal," she muttered.
"You mean, like me?"
She said nothing. Vivaldo watched them both.
"You mean, like me, bitch?
Or
you mean like you?"
"If
I'm a animal," she flared-and perhaps she was em–
boldened by the presence of Vivaldo--"I'd like you to tell me
who made me one. Just tell me that!"
