W I N ~ E RO F THE P U L I T Z E R PRIZ

M O R E T H A N F I V E M I L L I O N C O P I E SI N

COLOR . , PLE
Also by AHce Walker

F~ction
You Can't Keep a Goad Woman Down '1' '.,?RAPY I,"
The Third Life of Grange Copeland*
Meridian*
In Love & Trouble
The Color Purple*
The Temple of My Familiar*
Possessing the Secret of Joy*
By the Light of My Father's Smile

Nonfiction
In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens
Living by the Word
Warrior Marks (with Pratibha Parmar)
The Same River Twice: Honoring the Difficult*

Poetry
Horses Make a Landscape Look More Beautiful
Revolutionary Petunias
Once
Goodnight, Willie Lee. 1'11 See You in the Morning
Her Blue Body, Everything We Know

Books for Children

To Hell with Dying
Langston Hughes, American Poet
Finding the Green Stone

Edited by Alice Walker

1 Love Myself When 1 Am Laughing: A Zora Neale Hurston Reader

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you better not never tell nobody but God. It'd kill your mammy.

I am fourteen years old. &aa+I have always been a good girl.

Maybe you can give me a sign letting me know what is happening

She went to visit her sister doctor over Macon. Left me t o see
after the others, H e never had a kine word to say to me. Just say
YOUgonna d o what your mammy wouldn't. First he put his thing
up gainst my hip and sort of wiggle it around. Then he grab hold

happy, cause he good to her now. But too sick t o last long.
Dear God,
MY mama dead. She die screaming and cussing. She scream at He act like he Can't stand me no more. Say I'm an
me. She cuss at me. I'm big. 1 can't move fast enough. By time I nu good. H e took my other little baby, a boy this time. But I
Up
git back from the well, the water be warm. By time I git the tray think he kilt it. 1 think he sold it to a man an his wife Over
ready the food be cold. By time 1 git all the children ready for ~ ~ ~ t i ~I got l l o . full of milk running down myself. He say
~ breasts
school it be dinner time. He don't say nothing. He set there by the w h y don't you look decent? Put on something. But what
bed holding her hand an cryin, talking bout don't leave me, don't sposed to put on? 1don't have nothing.
go. I keep hoping he fine somebody to marry. 1 see him looking at
She ast me bout the first one Whose it is? I say God's. I don't my little sister. She scared. But 1 say 1.11 take care of you. With
know no other man or what else to say. When 1 start to hurt and
then my s t ~ r ~ a cstart
h moving and then that little baby come out
my Pussy chewing on it fist you could have knock me over with a
feather.
Don't nobody come see us.
She got sicker an sicker.
Finally she ast Where it is?
1 say God took it.
He took it. H e took it while I was sleeping. Kilt it out there in
the woods. Kill this one too, if he can.
Dear God,
H e come home with a girl from round Gray. She be my age but
they married. H e be on her all the time. She walk round like she
don't know what hit her. I think she thought she love him. But he
got so many of us. All needing somethin.
M Y little sister Nettie is got a boyfriend in the same shape
almost a s Pa. His wife died. She was kilt by her boyfriend coming
home from church. H e got only three children though. H e seen
Nettie in church and now every Sunday evening here come Mr.
-.I tell Nettie to keep at her books. It be more then a notion
taking care of children ain't even yourn. And look what happen to
Ma.
He beat me today cause he say I winked at a boy in church. I
may have got somethin in my eye but I didn't wink. I don't even
look at mens. That's the truth. I look at women, tho, cause I'm
not scared of them. Maybe cause my mama cuss me You think I
kept mad at her. But I ain't. I felt sorry for n w n a . Trying to
believe his story kilt her.
Sometime he still be looking at Nettie, but I always git in his
light. Now I tell her to marry Mr. . I don't tell her why.
I say Marry him, Nettie, an try to have one good Year out Your
life. After that, I know she be big.
But me, never again. A girl at church say YOU git big if you
bleed every month. I don't bleed no more.
 am@%
Dear God,
Mr. -finally come right out an ast for Nettie hand in
marriage. But He won't let her go. H e say she too young, no
experience. Say Mr. -got too many children already. Plus
What about the scandal his wife cause when somebody kill her?
And what about all this stuff he hear bout Shug Avery? What bout
that?
I ast our new mammy bout Shug Avery. What it is? I ast. She
don't know but she say she gon fine out.
She do more then that. She git a picture. The first one o f a real
Person I ever seen. She say Mr. - was taking somethin out
his billfold to show Pa an it fell out an slid under the table. Shug
Avery was a woman. The most beautiful woman I ever saw. She
more Pretty then my mama. She bout ten thousand times more
prettier then me. I see her there in furs. Her face rouge. Her hair
like somethin tail. She grinning with her foot up on somebody
motocar. Her eyes serious tho. Sad some.
I ast her to give me the picture. An all night long I stare at it. An
now when 1 dream, I dream of Shug Avery. She be dress to kill,
whirling and laughing.
I ast him to take me instead of Nettie while our new mammy
sick. B U ~he just ast me what I'm talking bout. I tell him I can fix
myself up for him. I duck into my room and Come out wearing
horsehair, feathers, and a pair of our new mammy high
shoes. H e beat me for dressing trampy but he d o it to me anyway.
Mr. come that evening. I'm in the bed crying. Nettie she
finally see the light of day, clear. Our new mammy she see it too.
She in her room crying. Nettie tend to first one, then the other.
She so scared she go out doors and vomit. But not out front
where the two rnens is.
Mr. say, Well Sir, I sure hope you done change Your
He say, Naw, Can't say I is.
Mr. say, Well, you know, my poor little ones sure could
use a mother.
Well, H e say, real slow, I can't let you have Nettie. She too
young. Don't know nothing but what you tell her. Sides. I want
her to git some more schooling. Make a schoolteacher out of her.
But I can let you have Celie. She the oldest anyway. She ought to
marry first. She ain't fresh tho, but I spect you know that. She
spoiled. Twice. But you don't need a fresh woman no how. I got a
fresh one in there myself and she sick all the time. H e spit, over
the railing. The children git on her nerve, she not much of a cook.
And she big already.
 THECOLOR
PURPLE
Mr. -he don't say nothing. I stop crying I'm so surprise.
She ugly. He Say. But she ain't no stranger to hard work. And
she clean. And God done fixed her. You can do everything just
like You want to and she ain't gonna make you feed it or clothe it.
Mr. -still don't say nothing. I take out the picture of Shug
aver^. I look into her eyes. Her eyes say Yeah, it bees that way
sometime.
Fact is, he say, I got to git rid of her. She too old to be living
here at home. And she a bad influence on my other girls. She'd
come with her own linen. She can take that cow she raise down
there back of the crib. But Nettie you flat out can't have. ~ o t
now. Not never.
Mr. -finally speak. Clearing his throat. I ain't never
really look at that one, he say.
Well, next time YOU come you can look at her. She ugly. Don't
even look like she kin to Nettie. But she'll make the better wife.
She ain't smart either, and I'll just be fair, you have to watch her
man.
Mr. -say How old she is?
He say, She near twenty. And another thing-She tell lies.

The first time I got big Pa took me out of school. He never care
that I love it. Nettie stood there at the gate holding tight to my
hand. I was all dress for first day. You too dumb to keep going to
school, Pa say. Nettie the clever one in this bunch.
But Pa, Nettie say, crying, Celie smart too. Even Miss Beasley
say So. Nettie dote on Miss Beasley. Think nobody like her in the

crof s the yard. They have guns too.

19
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PURPLE

I'm all the time sick and fat.

I feel bad sometime Nettie done pass me in learnin. But loo
like nothing she say can git in my brain and stay. She try to tell m
something bout the ground not being flat. I just say, Yeah, like
know it. I never tell her how flat it look to me.
Mr. come finally one day looking all drug out. Th
woman he had helping him done quit. His mammy done said N
More.
He say, Let me see her again.
Pa call me. Celie, he say. Like it wasn't nothing. Mr. I spend my wedding day running from the oldest boy. He
want another look at you. twelve. His mama died in his arms and he don't want to hear
I go stand in the door. The sun shine in my eyes. He's still up nothing bout no new one. He pick up a rock and laid my head
on his horse. He look me up and down. open. The blood run all down tween my breasts. His daddy say
Pa rattle his newspaper. Move up, he won't bite, he say. Don't do that! But that's all he say. He got four children, instead
1 go closer to the steps, but not too close cause I'm a little of three, two boys and two girls. The girls hair ain't been comb
scared of his horse. since their mammy died. I tell him I'll just have to shave it off.
Turn round, Pa say. Start fresh. He say bad luck to cut a woman hair. So after
I turn round. One of my little brothers come up. I think it was bandage my head best 1 can and cook dinner-they have a spring,
Lucious. He fat and playful, all the time munching on something. not a well, and a wood stove look like a truck-I start trying to
He say, What you doing that for? untangle hair. They only six and eight and they cry. They Scream.
Pa say, Your sister thinking bout marriage. They cuse me of murder. By ten o'clock I'm done. They cry
Didn't mean nothing to him. He pull my dresstail and ast can he theirselves to sleep. But I don't cry. I lay there thinking bout
have some blackberry jam out the safe. Nettie while he on top of me, wonder if she safe. And then I think
I say, Yeah. bout Shug Avery. 1 know what he doing to me he done to Shug
She good with children, Pa say, rattling his paper open more. Avery and maybe she like it. I put my arm around him.
Never heard her say a hard word to nary one of them. Just give
'em everything they ast for, is the only problem.
Mr. -say, That cow still coming?
He say, Her cow.

20
 1'111 C ' o l OR PC RPL L

She ~ r . But that ain't my daddy n,lme.

Dear God.
I was in town sitting on the wagon while Mr. w a s i n the
dry good store. I seen my baby girl. I k n o ~ e dit was her. She look
just like me and my daddy. Like more us then us is ourself. She
be tagging long hind a lady and they be dress juit alike. They pass
the wagon and I speak. 'l'he lady speak pleasant. My little girl she
look up and sort of frown. She fretting over something. She got
my eyes just like they is today. Like everything I seen. she seen,
she pondering it.
I think she mine. My heart say she mine. But I don't know she
mine. If she mine, her name Olivia. I embroder Olivia in the seat
of all her daidies. I embrody lot of little stars and flowers too. He
took the daidies when he took her. She was bout two month old.
NOW she bout six.
1 clam down from the wagon and I follow Olivia and her new
mammy into a store. I watch her run her hand long side the
counter, like she ain't interested in nothing. Her ma is buying
cloth. She say Don't touch nothing. Olivia yawn.
That real pretty. I say. and help her mama drape a piece of
cloth close to her face.
She smile. Gonna make me an my girl some new dresses, she
say. Her daddy be so proud.
Who her daddy. 1 blurt out. I t like cir llisr somebody know.
-:) 1 ';;I!,. Who he'?
hlr,
look l i k t I ;tst somc'thing none of my bidtii\s.
.,-hc: ~ ~ ~ ~ . ~ , r - Mr. c , r r -.t i she say, then turn hci. face to the
clcl.l\. 1 ~ sag,. 1 ~ Girl you want that cloth or not'.' We got other
cu5tomc'rs \ides Y C ) U .
she i ; l ~ . Yc'5 sir. I want five yards. please sir.
H C S[l;Ltchthe cloth and thump down thc bolt. He don't mea-
when he think he got five yard he tare it off. That be a dollar
and thirty cent. he say. You need thread'?
She say. Naw s ~ i h .
1-le iay, You can't s e h thout thread. He pick up a spool and
hold it gain\t the cloth. That look like i t bout the right color.
~ ~ nyou ' t think.
she say, Yessuh.
He start to whistle. Take two dollars. Give her a quarter back.
He look at me. You want something gal? 1 say, Naw Suh.
I trail long behind them on the street.
I don't have nothing to offer and I feels poor.
She look up and down the street. He ain't here. He ain't here.
She say like she gon cry.
Who ain't'? I ast.
The Reverend M r . , she say. He took the wagon.
My husband wagon right here, I say.
She clam up. I thank you kindly. she say. Us sit looking at all
the folk. that's come to town. I never seen so many even at
chg~.ch.Some be dress too. Some don't hit on much. Dust git all
LIP the ladies dress.
She ast me Who is my husband, now I know all bout hers. She
laugh a little. I say Mr. . She say. Sure nuff? Like she
knob all about him. Just didn't know he was married. He a fine
looking man, she say. Not a finer looking one in the county.
b ' h j l ~o r black, she say.
kit. :lo look all right. I 5ay. But I don't think about it while I say
i t . h l l ) j t times rnens look pretty much alike to me.
t l ~ long l ~ you~ had your little girl'? I ast.
Oh. \he he seven her- next birthday.
when that'? I ast.
Si-lc. think back. Then she say, December.
I { t l l n k . November.
real easy. What you call her'?
 She say. oh. we calls her Pauline.
My heart knock.
Then she frown. But I calls her Olivia.
Why you call her Olivia if it ain't her name'! I ast.
Well, just look at her. she say sort of impish, t ~ ~ r n i ntog look at
the child. don't she look like a Olivia to y o u ? Look at her eyes,
for god's sake. Somebody ole would have eyes like that. So I call
her ole Livia. She chuckle. Naw. Olivia. she say. patting the child
hair. Well, here come the Reverend Mr. ___, ihe say. I see a
wagon and a great big man in black holding a whip. Wc sure do
thank you for your hospitality. She laugh again. look at the horses
flicking flies off they rump. Horsc~pitality.she say. And 1 git it and
laugh. It feel like to split my face.
Mr. , come out the store. Clam up in the wagon. Set
down. Say real slow. What you setting here laughing like a fool
fer?
Dear God,
Nettie here with us. She run way from home. She say she hate
to leave our stepma, but she had togit out, maybe fine help for the
other little ones. The boys be alright. she say. They can stay out
his way. Whcn they git big they gon fight him.
Maybe kill, I say.
Hot+' is it with you and Mr. ? she ast. But she got eyes.
He still like her. In the evening he come out on the porch in his
Suncla!; best. She be sitting there with me shelling peas or helping
the children with they spelling. Helping me with spelling and
ever\thing else she think I need to know. N o matter what hap-
Pen. Lettie steady try t o teach me what go on in thc world. And
she '1 g<)c~d teacher too. It nearly kill me to think she might marry
somc.hodq' like Mr. o r wind up in some white lady kitchen.
Jay \he read, she study, she practice her handwriting, and try
to git 114 to think. Most days I feel too tired to think. But Patient
middle name.
hfr. -__-children all bright but they mean. They say Celie, I
dis. Celie, I want dat. Our Mama let us have it. He don't say
ll"thlng. They try to get his tention, he hide hind a puff of smoke.
k n ' t let them run over you. Nettie say. You got to let them
'll:)w who got the upper hand.
They sot i t , I say.
9111\he keep on. You gut to fight. You got to fight.
 But I don't h n o \ i r how to fight. All 1 hnow hou to d o i \ stay
alive.

That's n real to Nettie.

.. pretty dress you got on. he
She \ny. 1 hank ).ou.
Them \hoe\ look just right.
She say. l'hank you.
\r'oul. skin. Your hair. Your teefs. Everyday it something else
to make miration over.
First she smile a little. Then \he frown. Then she don't look no
special way at all. She just stick close to me. She tell me. Your
skin. Your hair. Your teefs. He try to give her a compliment. she
pass it on to me. After while I git to feeling pretty cute.
Soon he \top. He say one night in bed. Well. us done help
Nettie all we can. Now she got to go.
Where she gon go'! I ast.
I don't care. he say.

1 tell Nettie the next morning. Stead of being mad, she glad to
go. Say she hate to leave me is all. Us fall on each other neck
when she say that.
1 sure hate to leave you here with these rotten children, she
say. Not to mention with hlr. . . It's like seeing you buried,
she say.
It's worse than that. 1 think. If I was buried. I wouldn't have to
work. But 1 just say. Never mine. never mine. long as I can spell
G-o-d I got somebody along.
But I only got one thing to give her. the name of Reverend Mr.
. I tell her to ast for his wife. That maybe she would help.
.r\vo of his sister come to visit. They dress all up. Celie. they
\ii). One thing i \ for sure. You keep a clean house. It not nice t o
\peak i l l of the dead. one say, but the truth never can hr ill. Annie
Julia W;I\ a nasty 'oman bout the house.
She neker \\ant t o be here in the first place. say the other.
Where \he Mant to be'? I ast.
At h(!ine. She say.
Wcll !h:it's no sxcuse. say the first one. Her name Carrie, other
onc na!llz Kate. When a woman marry she spose to keep a decent
housc :~i~ci ;l clean family. Why. wasn't nothing to come here in

She the only woman I even seen with money. the ~ i t i l ctime~ . and all these children have colds. they have flue.
I say. Write. (hc.1 hL;\zdire,,. they have newmonya. they have worms, they
She say. What'? ha\i. .nc. chill and fever. They hungry. They hair ain't comb.
I say. Write. i ' ' l ~ \:c;o na\ty to touch.
1 l():lih ' e m . Say Kate.
She say, Nothing but death can keep me from it.
She never write. .41?(1 , ~ o o h She
. uouldn't cook. She act like she never seen a
~ I L C ~ C ~ ~ ,

S ~ IC; ; i ~ l n ' tnever seen his.

h ' a \ ,t \catldal, say Carrie.

\!'~I<I: ,
\llr-c ~ i i a say
. Kate.
ou nlean.? say Carrie.
I ~ I L . I : I hc ju\t brought her here. dropped her. and kept right on
 T H ECOLO K I'URPI.E

running after- Shug Avery. That what I mean. lUobody to talk to, Lf.c,rnenwork. he say.
nobody l a \isit. He be gone for days. Then she start having ~ ' \ ~ ; i [s' t. 'l ~SLi)'.
babies. And she young and pretty. Women ~ , ~ ) rI'm k . a man.
Not so pretty. say Carrie, looking in the looking glass. Just that y,,Ll'r~a lrifling nigger, she say. You git that bucket and bring it
head of hair. She too black. back t'1lII.
Well, brother must like black. Shug Avery black as my shoe. tie c~lrhis at me. Stumble out. I hear him mutter somethin
Shug Avery, Shug Avery, Carrie say. I'm sick of her. Some. I,, MI.. ---- sitting on the pol-ch. Mr. --call hi.; sister. She
body say she going round trying to sing. U n ~ p h what
, she got to ,ray out on the porch talking a little while. then she come back in.
sing about. Say she wearing dresses all up her leg and headpieces shaking
with little balls and tassles hanging down. look like window dress- (jot to go. Celie, she say.
ing. She so inad tears be flying every which way while she pack.
My ears perk up when they mention Shug Avery. 1 feel like 1 yo11 got to fight them. Celie, she say. I can't d o it for you. You
want to talk about her my own self. They hush. got ro fight them for yourself.
I'm sick of her too, say Kate, letting out her breath. And you I don'r say nothing. I think bout Nettie, dead. She fight, she run
right about Celie, here. Good housekeeper. good with children, 3w;ly. Whar good it do'? I don't fight. I stay where I'm told. But
good cook. Brother couldn't have done better if he tried.
I think about how he tried.

This time Kate come by herself. She maybe twenty-five. Old

maid. She look younger than me. Healthy. Eyes bright. Tongue
sharp.
Buy Celie some clothes. She say to Mr. -.
She need clothes? he ast.
Well look at her.
H e look at me. It like he looking at the earth. It need somethin?
his eyes say.
S h e go with me in the store. I think what color Shug Avery
would wear. She like a queen to me so I say to Kate. Somethin
purple, maybe little red in it too. But us look an look and no
purple. Plenty red but she say, Naw, he won't want to pay for
red. T o o happy lookin. We got choice of brown, maroon or navy
blue. I say blue.
I can't remember being the first one in my own dress. Now to
have one made just for me. 1 try to tell Kate what it mean. 1 git hot
in the face and stutter.
She say. It's all right. Celie. You deserve more than this.
Maybe so. I think.

Harpo, she say. Harpo the oldest boy. Harpo, don't let Celie be
the one bring in all the water, You a big boy now. Time for you to
help out some.
 #df%L I ' HC~O I ~ OPRU R P
E~

wrh;il her- daddy say:'

talk to him neither.

I don't know. I wink at her. She act like she scared to look.
bl/here her. daddy at while all this going on'?
men corner. he say.

Dcar God.
Harpo ast his daddy why he beat me. Mr. say. Cause
she my wife. Plus. she stubborn. All women good for-he don't
finish. I-le just tuck his chin over the papel like he do. Remind me
of Pa.

Harpo ast me, How come you stuhborn'! He don't ast How
come you his wife'? Nobody ast that.
1 say. Just born that way. 1 reckon.
He beat me like he beat the children. Cept he don't never
hardly beat them. He say. Celie. git the belt. The children be
outside the room peeking through the cracks. I t all I can do not to
cry. 1 make myself wood. 1 say to myself. Celie. you a tree.
That's how come I know trees fear man.
Harpo say. I love Somebody.
1 say. Huh'?
He say. A Girl.
I say. You d o ?
He say. Yeah. Us plan to marry.
Marry. I say. You not old enough to marry.
I is. he say. I'm seventeen. She fifteen. Old enough.
What her mama say. I ast.
Ain't talk to her mama.

30
 T H EC'OLOK PURPLE

li A il,l,sstlc ;,.,:~ilig
:, ,!;~~ldingupbide a piano. elbow crook. hand on her
a hat like lndian Chiefs. Her nlouth open show-
I,,g ktc, :<<i';llld don't nothing seem to be troubling hcr mind.
C.i;,,lc. O ~ I C : .LOITIC "11. it say. The (lueen Honeybee is hack in
[O\.\ ti
1 :lllj. 1 ;'.i1!:1" to go so had. Not to dance. Not to drink. Not to
? l a \ i;l~Li. ?,:o!<Vcn to hear Shug Avery sing. I just be thankful to
I;,> c5,',,I ) ?h < l . .

Dear God,
Shug Avery is coming to town! She coming with her orkestra.
She going to sing in the Lucky Star out on Coalman road. Mr.
g o i n g to hear her. He dress all up in front the glass. look at
himself, then undress and dress all over again. He slick back his
hair with pomade, then wash it out again. He been spitting on his
shoes and hitting it with a quick rag.
H e tell me, Wash this. Iron that. Look for this. Look for that.
Find this. Find that. He groan over holes in his sock.
I move round darning and ironing, finding hanskers. Anything
happening? 1 ast.
What you mean? he say, like he mad. Just trying to git some of
the hick farmer off myself. Any other woman be glad.
I'm is glad, I say.
What you mean? he ast.
You looks nice. I say. Any woman be proud.
You think so? he say.
First time he ast me. I'm s o surprise, by time I say Yeah, he out
on the porch, trying t o shave where the light better.
I walk round all day with the announcement burning a hole in
my pocket. It pink. The trees tween the turn off to our road and
the store is lit up with them. He got bout five dozen in his trunk.
Dear God
Mr. ___ be gone all night Saturday. all night Sunday and
most all day Monday. Shug Avrry in town tor the week-end. He
stagger in. throw himself on the beti. He trred. I-le sad. He ueak.
H e cry. Then he sleep the rest of the day and all night.
H e wake up while I'm in the field. I been chopping cotton three
hours by time he come. Us don't say nnfhing to each other.
But I got a million question to ast. What she wear? Is she still
the same old Shug. like in my picture'! How her hail i s ? What
kind lipstick'? Wig? She stout? She skinny'? She sound well?
'l'ired'? Sick'? Where you all children at ~vhileshe 4inging all over
the place'? Do she miss 'em'? Questions be running back and forth
tlnrpo no better at fighting his daddy back than me. Every day
his tI;i11~I:,git u p , sit on the porch. look out at nothing. Sometime
looh ;:t tlic trees out front the house. Look at a butterflk if i t light
on the l - i i ~ l . Drink a little water in the day. A little wine in the
evening Hut mostly never move.
Hnrpo complain bout all the plowing he have to do.
Hi\ ~l~iild!,. u y . k ' o ~gonna do i t .
H'irpct rlear-1). big 2s his daddy. He strong in body but ~ e a in k
\ \ i l l . )I,: \~,;il.ed.
%le ar:d hini nut in the field all day. Us >weat. chopping and
plo~l;:!~.
. .
t ' l r l roasted cotfee bean color now. H e black as the

through my mind. Feel like snakes. I pray for stl-ength, bitc the Inslc!~t i ! ' , I chimney. His eyes be sad and t h ~ i ~ g h t f uHi4 l . face
insides of my jaws. hcgi17! i ; iook like a woman f;ice.
Mr. pick up a hoe and start to chop. He chop bc)ut three b'l:; !ilci don't w.01-k no more? he ast his daddy.
chops then he don't chop again. He drop the hoe in the furrow, i ~ . L ~t'or ~ ~me) ~ to.
i His daddy say. You here. ain't y o u ? H e
';I\ " 'd~:bry.Harpos feeling be hurt.
turn right back on his heel. walk back to the hou4c. go git him a
cool drink of water. git his pipe, sit on the porch and stare. I l ' i ~ :. \ t i l l 111 l ~ ~ l e ,
follow cause I think he sick, Then he say. You better git on back
to the field. Don't wait for nie.
 .?a> ' l ' t ~ C'OI
~ OK I'I!KPI
I

hel- I'ii~rltsomcbody k i l l her. he say. 11 not! I t not!

*:,\\. I \;I!. I t not.

t.;vc'r~bodys i ~ yhow good I i s to M r . chilclr-en. I be good

[,, tt,em. But I tlon't feel nothing for. them. Putting H:~rpoh;tck not
c'k.c'nlike patting ;I dog. I t more like p;~[tin_r nothe her- piece o f
kkok)d.Not ;I liking It-ee. bul a table, u chift'crobe. tlnyhou'. thcy
don't 1ok.e me neither. no matter how gooti 1 i s .
'The! d o ~ l ' !mind. C'ept for H i ~ r p cthey
~ won't uzork. 7'hc girls
uLl<c;11\";1"s 10 the road. Bub be out all times o f nigh[ drinking
kvith t3ok.s twice his age. The!. daddy p11tTclnhis pipe.

Har-po rcll me all his love business now. t l i s mind on Sofia

~ u t l c(i,~!.
~ . and night.
She prctty. he tcll me. Bright.

Naw. Bright skit!. She smart too though. I think. Sometime us

can git Iic.1. aw:ry t'rom her daddy.
Dear Ciod. I knob right then the next thing 1 hear, she be big.
Harp0 girl &&ly say Harpo nnt good enough for her. Harp0 If she \o smart how come she big'? Ias[.
heen courting [he gil-i ;I uhile. l f e S C I ~ he sit i n the parlor with her, Hnr-po shrug. She can't git out the house no other b a y . he say.
the dLicidy sit right there in the iol-ner. till everybody feel terrible.
.I-hen he go sit on the pot-ch i n frc.,nt thc open do01 i4:here he can
hear everL[hing. Nine o'clock come. he bring Flarpo his hat.
w h y 1.m not good enough'! 1l;rrpo ait MI.. MI-. --
say. Your mammy.
Harp0 say. What \\I-ong u,ith my nlitlnrny?
Mr. ~ y Somehody
. kill her. 1 j ~ l [ ~ [ \1h \a\'.
. Mr. - didn't like yo11 hcfore she hig, he

1-l;1rpo he trouble with nrghtiiinres. l-lc see his mama running

crois the pa9t1t-ctryiny to gir home. MI.. the man thcy say l'~llk ( 0 M r . 1 \ ; ~ y .t i c y o t ~ daddy.
r Ma!>hc he got some
he^. boyfriend. catch LIP with her. She got H;r!.po by the hand.
?fhey 1,oth running and running. H c g ~ \ b hold of shoulder,
say. Y o u can't qirit mc now. You (nine. She jay. N o I ain't. My
place i \ with my childr-en. l i e <:ry. Whore. yo11ain't got no place. Il,ll-~() bring hcr ovel- to meet his d ~ ~ c l d yM. r . - - - .;a!. he
l l c shoot he^. in the \tornnch. Shc fill1 dc)u'n. Thc man run. Harp0 "L1'li t i ; ha\ c >Ilook at her. I \ce 'em coming wtry o f f ~ l the
p r~~rd.
l"'c!' tic ILISImarching. hiind in hand. like going to u ~ t She r in
1-lc .;tar.t to c;tjl. bliti-r;.;~.M i ~ n i : ~
i t . u';rlii. me up. The other chil-
drci,. too. They cr), iikc the! mani;i ,lust die. Hirrpo come toj
\haking.
1 iiyhr rhe !,Imp ; ~ n t l.i:knd cbvcr- him. palling his hack.

36
 ÿ HE. COl O K 1 ' ~Kl'l 1.
T H ~C.O LO K PURPLE
months pregnant. bout to busi out hc'r dl-css. tIarpc) so hlack he
-.
t.,,,, of \later before I go. if you don't mind.
.; i t . Thcn she say to me. Mrs. I'd th;~nkyou for a
think she bl-ight. but shz ain't that hright. C'lcar medium brown
skin. glei~nion i t like on good ful-nit~11.e.
Hair notty but a lot of it,
,,
&I; .rhc bLlcket on the shelf right there on the porch. 1 pit a clean
tied up on her h e x l in a mass of plaits. She not quite as tall as
, O ~ the
~ t 5afe and dip her up some water. She drink it down.
Harpo but much bigger. and strong ; ~ n dr~~dctk, looking, like her &I,,lrna,t in <)tie su'allow. Then she run her hands over her belly
niam:i brought her up on pork.
Shc say. How' ~ O L IMr.
. ?
I,E;lin ;ind she take off. Look like the arniy change direction, and
h ~ ; ~ d i noff
g to catch LIP.
He don't ansu.er the question. He s;~!.. Looh likc you done got
Harp0 never git up from his chair. Him and his daddy \ i t there
yourself in trouble.
Naw suh. she say. 1 ain't in no trouble. Big. though.
i l n ~sit thcre and sit there. They never talk. 'They never move. ,-:
pinally I have supper and go to bed. 1 git up in the morning it feel
She smooth thc w i n k l e s over he1 stomach with the flat4 of her
likc the!. still sitting there. Rut Harpv be in the outhouse. MI-.
hands.
Who the fither'.' he ast. -bc shaving.
She look s~rrprise.Harpo. she say.
How he knobr. that?
He k n o .~Shc say.
Young wonlens no good these days, he say. Got they legs open
to every Tom. Dick and Harry.
Harpo look at his daddy like he never seen him before. But he
don't say nothing.
Mr. -say, No need to think I'm gon let my boy marry you
just cause you in the family way. He young and limited. Pretty gal
like you could put anything over on him.
Harpo still don't say nothing.
Sotia face git more ruddy. The skin move back on her forehead.
Her ears raise.
But she laugh. She glance at Harpo sitting there with his head
down and his hands tween his knees.
She say, What I need to marry Harpo for'? He still living here
with you. What food and clothes he git. you buy.
He say. Your daddy done throwed you out. Ready to live in the
street 1 guesi.
She say. Naw. I ain't living in the street. I ' m living with my
sister and her husband. They say 1 can live with them for the rest
of my life. She stand up, big, strong. healthy girl, and she say,
Well, nice visiting. I'm going home.
Harpo get up to come too. She say. Naw. Hal-po. you stay
here. When you free. me and the baby be waitlng.
He sort of hang there between them a u hile. then he sit down
again. I look at her face real quick then. and secm like a shadow
 on the porch at his daddy.
hfr. blow smoke, look down at him, and 5ay. Ycah. 1
,ee now she going to s w ~ t c hthe traces o n you.

Dear God.
Harpo went and brought Sofia and the baby home. They got
married in Sofia sister house. Sister's husband stand u p with
Harpo. Other sister sneak way from home to stand up with Sofia.
Another sister come to hold the baby. Say he cry right through
the service, his mama stop everything to nurse him. Finish saying
I d o with a big ole nursing boy in her arms.
Harpo fix up the little creek house for him and his family. Mr.
daddy used it for a shed. But i t sound. Got windows now,
a porch, back door. Plus it cool and green down by the creek.
H e ast me to make some curtains and 1 make some out of
flower sack. It not big, but it homey. Got a bed, a dresser, a
looking glass. and some chairs. Cookstove for cooking and heat-
ing. too. Harpo daddy give him wages for working now. He say
Harpo wasn't working hard like he should. Maybe little money
goose his interest.
Harpo told me, Miss Celic, I'm going on strike.
On what?
1 ain't going to work.
And he don't. He come to the field, pull two ears of corn, let
the birds and weevil eat two hundred. Us don't make nothing
much this year.
But now Sofia coming, he always busy. He chop, he hammer,
he plow. He sing and whistle.
 1 lt,ir,L, h ~ 1 this
1 when tlarpo ast me what he aught to do to her
to I-,,:,~cIICU mind. I don't merltion how h;lpp! he i 4 now. How
!c;\l-s pas4 and he \ t i l l whistle and sing, I tllini\ bout how
L.\L'I) tinlc I jump when Mr. -- c~rllme. 4hc looh 4urprise.
.ind .;he pity rnc.
t{c;l[ he!-. L hay.
, .-...
N , . x ~ time us see Harpo his face u mess of bruise.;. tiis lip cut.
~~

()nc 0 t . I ~ j 4eyes \hut like a fist. He walk \tiffand say h i 4 tecf ache.
1 \a!.. What happen to you. Harpo'?
ijc ,;iy. O h , me and that mule. She fractioub. you kno\r. Shc
cl-ai!. in the field the other day. 13y time I got her to hcad for
home I \ + a sall banged up. Then M hen I got home, I walked smack
dab in!,) the crib door. Hit my eye and scratch my chin. Thcn
*hen that storm come up last night I shet the windo*. d0u.n on
m) h m d
Well. I ,'I?. After all that. I don't 4pect you had a ch'lnce to 4ce
Dear G o d , if could make Sofia mind.
Nornc, he 4ay.
Harpo want to know what to d o to make Sofia mind. H e sit out
Rut he keep trying.
on the porch with M r . . He say. I tell her one thing. she do
another. Never d o what 1 say. Always backtalk.
T o tell the truth, he sound a little proud of this to me.
Mr. -don't say nothing. Blow smoke.
I tell her she can't be all the time going to visit her sister. Us
married now, I tell her. Your place is here with the children. She
say, I'll take the children with me. 1 say. Your place is with me.
She say. You want to come? She keep primping in front of the
glass. getting the children ready at the same time.
You ever hit her? Mr. ast.
Harpo look down at his hands. Naw suh, he say low, embar-
rass.
Well how you spect to make her mind? Wives is like children.
You have to let 'em know who got the upper hand. Nothing can
d o that better than a good sound beating.
H e puff o n his pipe.
Sofia think too much of herself anyway, he say. She need to be
taken down a peg.
I like Sofia, but she don't act like me at all. If she talking when
Harpo and Mr. come in the room, she keep right on. If
they ast her where something a t , she say she don't know. Keep
talking.
Dear G o d ,
Just when I was bout to call out that 1 was coming in the yard, I
hear something crash. It come from inside the house. s o 1 run up
on the porch. The two children be rnaking mud pies on the edge of
the creek, they don't even look up.
I open the door cautious, thinking bout robbers and murderers.
Horsethieve? and hants. But it Harpo and Sofia. They fighting
like two nlens. Every piece of furniture they got is turned over.
Every plate look like it broke. The looking glass hang crooked,
the curtains torn. The bed look like the st~lffingpulled out. They
don't notice. They fight. He try to slap her. What he d o that for?
She reach down and grab a piece of stove wood and whack him
cross the eyes. He punch her in the stomach. she double over
groaning but come up with both hands lock right under his pri-
vates. H e roll on the floor. H e grab her dress tail and pull. She
stand there in her slip. She never blink a eye. H e jump up to put a
hammer lock under her chin, she throw him over her back. H e fall
barn up gainst the stove.
1 don't know how long this been going on. I don't know when
they spect to conclude. I ease on back out, wave to the children
by the creek. walk back on up home.
Saturday morning early. L I hear
~ the wagon. Harpo, Sofia, the
two babies be going off for the week-end. tu visit Sofia sister.
For over a month I have trouble sleeping. I stay up late a s I can
hetbrc. Mr. . start complaining bout the price of kerosene.
then I soak myself in a warm bath with milk and upson1 salts. then
sprinkle little witch hazel on my pillow and curtain out all the
moc-jnlight. Sometimes I git a few hour\ sleep. Then j ~ ~ when st it
look like it ought to be gitting good. I ~\:ihcsup.
:It first I'd git up q ~ ~ i cand
k drink some milk. Then I'd think
bout counting fence post. l ' h e n I'd think bout reading the Bible.
What it is? I ast mq'self.
:I little voice say. Something you d:)ne wrong. Somebody spirit
5 0 1 1 sin against. Maybe.
Wily late one night i t come to me. Solia. I sin i~gainstSofia
spirit.
I p~.,lyshe don't find out, b ~ S~ ~ t d(o.
C
klarpo told.
The minute she hear it she comc marching up the pulh, toting a
silck. I.ittle cut all blue and red undel- her eye.
She say, Just want you to know I looked to you for help.
A ~ n ' tI been helpful'? I ast.
She open up her sack. Here your cul-tains, she say. Here your
tllr-cad. Here a dollar for letting me use 'em.
I hey yourn, I $a\,. trying to pu5h them back. I'm glad to help
0":. Do what I can.
\'au told Harpn to beat me. she said.
.'
I 1 didn't. I said.
 ? r ~ k COl
. O K I'l'UI'l I
Don't lie. shc said.
I didn't mean i t . I said.
Then what you say it f o r ? she &st.
She standing there looking me xtr-;light i n the eye. She look
tired and her jaws full of air.
I say it cause I'm a fool, 1 say.. I say i t cai14e I'm Jc:~lousof you,
I say it cause you d o what I can't.
w h a t t h a t ? she say.
Fight. I say.
She stand there a long time, like what I said took the wind out
her jaws. She mad before. sad now.
She say, All my life I had to fight. I had to fight my ci-iddy. I had
to fight my brothers. I had to fight nly cousins and my uncles. A
girl child ain't safe in a family of men. But I never thought I'd
have to fight in my own house. She let out her breath. 1 loves
Harpo, she say. God knows 1 do. But 1'11 kill him dead before I let
him beat me. Now if you want a dead son-in-law you just keep on
advising him like you doing. She put her hand on her hip. 1 used
to hunt game with a bow and arrow, she say.
1 stop the little trembling that started when I saw her coming.
I'm so shame of myself, I say. And the Lord he done whip me
little bit too.
The Lord don't like ugly. she say.
And he ain't stuck on pretty.
This open the way for our talk to turn another way.
I say. You feels sorry for me. don't you?
She think a minute. Yes ma'am. she say slow, 1 do.
I think I know how come. but 1 ast her anyhow.
She say. T o tell the truth. you remind me of my mama. She
under my daddy thumb. N a w , she under my daddy foot. Any-
thing he say, goes. She never say nothing back. She never stand
up for herself. Try to make a little half stand sometime for the
children but that always backfire. More she stand up for us, the
harder time he give her. H e hate children and he hate whcre they
come from. T h o from all the children he got. you'd never know it.
I never know nothing bout her family. I thought. looking at her,
nobouy in her family could be scared.
How many he got? I ast.
Twelve. She say.
W h c u . I say. M y daddv got six by my mama before she die. I
T H ~COI-on
: PUKPI.E
4;\) . 1iL'~ O t'our I more by the wife he got now. I don't rnention the
0 h ~got' me.
~ l , , ~ , m a n y girls'! she ast.
f:;,,, 1 4ay. How bout in your family?
Six bc,ys. six girls. All the girls big and strong like me. BOYSbig
.;tl.ong too, but all the girls stick together. T w o brothers stick
.. . . ~(1, too. sometime. Us git in a fight. it's a sight to see.
u.i,ll
I ; l i r ~ ' t never struck a living thing. 1 say. O h , when I was at
ht,l?l~.i tap the little ones on the hehind to make 'em behave, but
h;wJ cnough to hurt.
Wh;lt !,ou d o when you git mad'! she ast.
I think. I can't even remember the last time I felt mad, I say. I
"sed I(! git mad at my mammy cause she put a lot of work on me.
'Then I w e how sick she is. Couldn't stay mad at her. Couldn't be
mad at my daddy cause he my daddy. Bible say, Honor father and
mother no matter what. Then after while every time I got mad, or
start to feel mad, I got sick. Felt like throwing up. Terrible feel-
ing. Then I start to feel nothing at all.
Sofia Srown. Nothing at all?
Well, sometime Mr. -git on me pretty hard. I have to talk
to Old Mhker. But he my husband. I shrug my shoulders. This life
soon he over, I say. Heaven last all ways.
Yc)i~ought to bash Mr. -head open, she say. Think bout
heavcn later.
Xi): much funny to me. That funny. 1 laugh. She laugh. Then us
both iitugh s o hard us flop down on the step.
i . c l ' \ make quilt pieces out of these messed up curtains, she
s;i) .Aiid 1 run git my pattern book.
1 .!ccps iike a baby now.
 1'tit ( o~O R PUKPL.E

s i l l g l l l gt.01-nlc>ney and taking other women mens. I';ilk b c ~ slul,

~l
I,(,,,, :tnd str-ectcleaner.
i,ci~'~.r.
,-.II( I I I ~ ,ehesback at Mr. when he say that. Street-
clc:,ilc~.. S~rncbodq.got to stand up for Shug, I think. But he don't
,;,, nL,thing. H e cross his legs first to onc side, then to the other.
g:,,.ib (>tit thc window. I'hc same women sniilc :it him. say

1 3 ~ :once ti.; home he ncver stop to take off his clorhes. He call
n
j,,,, ((1 Harp0 and Sofia house. Ilarpo come running.
i!;rc.ij LIP~hc:u a g o n , he say.
ej'hcl.c 11sgoing'? say Harpo.
I-iilch up the wagon. he say again.
l{:!i-po hitch up the wagon. They st~indthere and talk a few
nlill,i!t;, out by the barn. Then Mr. ------drive off.
01111 lhing hour thc h3q.he never d o any work round the
r;."~,.!i'; never mis5 him when he gclne.
i , i ~ (1~1ys
c I ~ ~ t Ie rlook way off up the road and see the wagon
Dear God. ct>~;;iiig!~;ick.Ir got sort of a canopy over it now, made out of old
1->\.,11/\0t\ or something. My heart begin to beat like furry, and the
Shug Avery sick and nobody in this town want lo rake the fi1.4:t!iing I try to d o is change my dress.
Queen Honeybee in. H e r mammy say She told her ,o. Her pappy I l ~ i !I(.!olate for that. By time 1 git my head and arm out the old
say. Tramp. A woman at church say she dying-m;i),be thcr ber- c!le., 1 ,cc: the wagon pull up in the yard. Plus a new dress won't
kulosis or some kind of nasty woman disease. What'? I u a n t to
ast. but don't. The women at church sometime nice to nic. Sorne-
time not. They look at me there struggling with Mr. ._chil-
dren. Trying to drag 'em to the church, trying to keep 'em quiet
after us get there. They some of the same ones uhcd to he here
both times 1 was big. Sometimes they think 1 don't notice. they i ' : i;', . I hear Mr. call. liurpo.
stare at me. Puzzle. i r r ~ yhead and my arm back in my old dress and wipe the
I keep my head up, best I can. 1 d o a right smar: for the hv.,;.:: ; , i ~ k i dll-I off my tacc a h best 1 can. 1 come to the door.
preacher. Clean the floor and windows, make the ~r.inc,iriish the
altar linen. Make sure there's wood for the stove in u8i;!tcrtlme.
H e call me Sister Celie. Sister Celie, he say, Yo11 filithful a\ the
day is long. Then he talk to the other ladies and they mens. I
scurry bout. doing this, doing that. Mr. ___ sit back by the hi, thi\'? Harpo ast.
door gazing here and there. The womens smile in h ~ dl,-cction
s ' ~IL. ii,oman should have been vour mammy, he say.
every chance they git. H e never look at me or even notice. \ Avel-y? Harpo asr. I-le look up at me.
Even the preacher got his mouth on Shug A v c ~ . ) ~no* . she i ic!;: me git her in the house. Mr. say.
down. He take her condition for his text. H e don't c;,il ni) ,):)me, i i:.~::l\ 1 1 1 heart
~ ~ t mouth when I see ~ ) n cof her
gGn fly L ) ~ my
but he don't have to. Everybody know who he rn<;~ri.I I c tiilk I . imic. poking out.
bout a strumpet in short skirts. smoking cigarette.\. drinking gin. n < , i lying dov+n. She climbing down tween Harpo and

48
 ?+.II.. . "\:!;I \lie Ores4 to I \ i l l . Silc g ~ ) on
l a red wool dress
.!nd c . h ( ~( i ~ ,i Olack t-re:ids. A xhin?, t)i;ick hat ~vithwhat look
!iLc chiC.:;,i,;i i ! ' . b fc:i~thers cul\c. <io\\il \i(!c. one cheek. and she
. :I r ) iiig !:'!i$: \rlakcsl\in bag, n),~tchher. ,.hots.
:!

:,tic' i(r,.rj, ,.o at!jl~\h i t like the trees all ~ . o ~ l n[he d houhe draw
til(:n~..~.It I!;. for :I hettcr look. NOWI see she .;tumble, tween
i ! ; i I V , :::l~.!i. She don'[ \cem that \vcll acqualnted ~vithher feels.
I I I e e all t h ~ syellow p o h . d e caked ~ up on her face. Red
! OiiC,. ht12 it-rok Iihc \hc airi't long for (hi\ world but dressed well
t l r ! iiic i i , : \ . r . t3!1! 1 knou, bcttcr.
( ' . r ! ~ l i ' ( I I . I I ! ! . I V.;!III to C:I-y. I ' t i shout. C O I J Ion ~ in. With God
t,c:lp. (': ili. s o i ~ l gto make 5 ~ ) 1 1well. But I dc-rr;'t siiy nothing. It not
,i:; Ii~iia(: ! 1 ! 4 0 L ain't hccn told no~hing.
f'l:L,\' . -g.1 1, ! .Ifui~> up. the btep. Mr. look up at me. Celie,
lit2 iii\.. I'hl. ) i ~ . r c S h uAver). g Old frisnd of the family. Fix up the
..l'.it~r' !.i,~,t!l:. ! i~elihe look d<>\vr~ at her. hold her in one arm. hold
.,I:1,: ~ ! i eI.;:II;,\ i t h the othet-. Fiarpc) on thc other side. looking sad.
S(!ti;i :~r!d ihc. ~IiildrL*n rn thc. wa~ching.
i (don't rlio\ c ;I! orlcc. Lause I can't. I need to see her eyes. I
i#.c,i like c)ric-c, 1 \c.c her cyes my t e t s ciin let go the spot where
ctlt:!, stucl\.
,-\ii!'l nothing wrong with Shug Avery. She just sick. Sickcr
(.;it lil~)\-1l;g.!I< \a)', shUp. than ;in\body I ever seen. She sicker than my mama was when
. A i ) i l then sht, look up.
\he die. Rut she more evil than my mama and that keep her alive.
I 'ndei , 1 1 1 tli,il p0\\cier hcl. f:li.c black as Harpo. She got a long hlr- .--be in the room with her all time o f the night or day.
,!i.,i~i~cd ~~t-rsc ; I I I ~ Ijig Heshy mouth. Lip.; look like black plum. Hc tlori't hold her hand though. She too evil tor that. Turn loose
i-.!.c- hrg. g 1 \ ) 5 \ ~ .1 e\cr'rsii. And Incan. Like. aick as she is, if a nl! goJtl;im hand, she say to Mr. ___. What the matter with
\ , l , i h ~ire)>\ her p;rli, \he kill ~ t . you \ ( . , ( I criizy'? I don't need no we;ik little boy c;in't say no to his
.Silt: I\)oli 1111, o \ . ~ :!'!on) r head to foot. 'Then she cackle. Sound h i d i I1;inging on me. I need me a man, she say. A man. She look
i ~ h e,I dcat!; riirtle. Y O I I sure i.! ugly, she say. like she ain't be- ;I[ h i i 1 1 : ~ n droll her el,es and laugh. I t not much of a laugh but it
;:,-\ &i
1 Lccl. tiin: ;,way from the b e d H e sit over in the corner a ~ i l y
t h C I :illp. Sometime she wake up in the night and don't even sce.
from

l j i l ' i : ; ~ illere. Sitting in the shadows chewing on his pipe. NO

t ~ l \ : ~:,I. .In it. First thing she said, I don't want to smcll no stink-
"1K ' ':i!ihet\.-blank pipe. ),ou hcar me, Albertc?
Li , ! , i :l.lbert, I wonder. Then I remember Albert M r . - - _ _ ~
fir<,: ; , , : I ~ ! c ,
. _- don't smoke. Don't drink. Don't even hardl), eat.
' 1 :.;,%I ~ ~ cot her in that little room. watching everjr breath.
'i ,-
l: : i happer? to her I ast''
Jon't u a n t her- here. Ju.;t .;a\) s o , hc s a y . Won't d o no
2""tf. ;<!,I, il'that itre way you k e l . . . H e don't finish.
 I want her here. I sa)., too quick. He look at me like maybe
planning something bad.
I just want to know what happen, 1 say.
I look at his face. It tired and sad and I notice his chin weak.
Not much chin there at all. I have more chin, I think. And his
clothes dirty, dirty. When he pull them off. dust rise.
Nobody fight for Shug, he say. And a little water come to his
eyes.

The) have made three babies together but he squeami\h bout

giving her a bath. Maybe he figure he start thinking bout things he
shol~ldn't.But what bout me'? First time I got the f ~ ~ \ight l l of
Shug Ave1.y long black body with i t black plum nipple\. look like
her mouth. I thought 1 had turned into a man.
M'hat you \taring at'? she ast. Hatefill. She weak a s a kitten. But
her inouth just pi1c.k with claws. You never seen naked woman
hefol.~,'
3 0 rna'am. I said. I ncver did. Cept for Sofia. and she so plump
and :-uddy and crazy she fcel like my >i\ter.
Shc say. Well take a good look. Even if 1 is just a bag of bones
now. She have the nerve to put one hand on her naked hip and bat
her ~ \ , c 4;it me. Then she suck her teef and roll her eyes at the
'eiling w hilt I h a s h her.
1 u.ash her body. it feel like I'm praying. lLl1 hands t r c n ~ b l eand
nl!' bl-cath short.
She \a),. You ever have a n y kids'?
I say. Yes ma'am.
she \ a \ . [ l o w many and don't you yes ma'am me. I ain't that
,,:,i
 THEC01 o n I'LRI'I 1

She ast me U'here they is4?

I say, 1 don't know.
She look at me funny.
My kids with they grandma, shc sir). Shc could stand the kids,
I had to go.
You miss 'em? I ast.
Naw. she say. I don't miss nothing.

1 ast Shug Avery what she want for breakfast. She say, What
yall got? 1 say ham, grits, eggs. biscuits. coffee, sweet milk or
buiter milk, flapjacks. Jelly and jam.
She say. Is that all'? What about orange jtrice. grapefruit, straw-
berries and cream. Tea. Then she laugh.
I don't want none of your damn food, she say. Just gimme a
cup of coffee and hand me my cigarettes.
1 don't argue. I git the coffee and light her cigarette. She wear-
ing a long white gown and her thin black hand stretching out of i t
to hold the white cigarette looks just right. Something bout it.
ma) he the little tender veins I see and the big ones I try not to.
m2L.c. me scared. I feel like something pushing me forward. If I
dun': watch out 1'11 have hold of her hand. tasting her fingers in

She hhrug. She busy looking at a magazine. White women in it

Iiulghing. holding they beads out on one finger. dancing on top of
n ~ k ~ l ( ~ c aJumping
rs. into fountains. She Rip the pages. Look

Sht- drink her coffee. puff on her cigarette. I bite into a higjuicy
 THECOLOR
PURPLE
piece of home cured ham. You can smell this ham for a mile when 1
you cooking it, it perfume up her little room with no trouble at all.
I lavish butter on a hot biscuit, sort of wave it about. I sop up
ham gravey and splosh my eggs in with my grits.
She blow more and more smoke. Look down in her coffee like
maybe its something solid at the bottom.
Finally she say, Celie, I believe I could drink a glass of water.
And this here by the bed ain't fresh.
She hold out her glass.
I put my plate down on the card table by the bed. I go dip her
up some water. I come back, pick up my plate. Look like a little
mouse been nibbling the biscuit. a rat run off with the ham.
She act like nothing happen. Begin to complain bout being
tired. Doze on off to sleep.

Mr. ast me how 1 git her to eat.

I say. Nobody living can stand to smell home cured ham with-
out tasting it. If they dead they got a chance. Maybe.
Mr. laugh.
I notice something crazy in his eyes.
I been scared, he say. Scared. And he cover up his eyes with
his hands.
Dear God,
Shug Avery sit up in bed a little today. I wash and comb out her
hair. She got the nottiest, shortest, kinkiest hair I ever saw, and I
loves every strand of it. The hair that come out in my comb I
kept. Maybe one day I'll get a net, make me a rat to pomp up my
own hair.
1 work on her like she a doll or like she Olivia--or like she
mama. I comb and pat, comb and pat. First she say. hurry up and
git finish. Then she melt down a little and lean back gainst my
knees. That feel just right, she say. That feel like mama used to
do. Or maybe not mama. Maybe grandma. She reach for another
cigarette. Start hum a little tune.
What that song? I ast. Sound low down dirty to me. Like what
the preacher tell you its sin to hear. Not to mention sing.
She hum a little more. Something come to me. she say. Some-
thing I made up. Something you help scratch out my head.

Dear God,
Mr. daddy show up this evening. He a little short
shrunk up man with a bald head and gold spectacles. He clear his
throat a lot, like everything he say need announcement. Talk with
his head leant to the side.
He come right to the point.
Just couldn't rest till you got her in your house. could you? he
say, coming up the step.
Mr. d o n ' t say nothing. Look out cross the railing at the
trees. over the top of the well. Eyes rest on the top of Harpo and
Sofia house.
Won't you have a seat? 1 ast, pushing him up a chair. How bout
a cool drink of water?
'I'hrough the window I hear Shug humming and humming. prac-
ticing her little song. I sneak back to her room and shet the
window.
Old Mr. -- say to M r . , Just what is i t bout this Shug
Aver) anyway. he say. She black as tar, she nappy headed. She
got legs like baseball bats.
I -don't say nothing. I drop little spit in Old Mr.
water.
Why, say Old MI-. -. she ain't even clean. I hear she got
the nasty woman disease.
1 t ~ i r the
l spit round with my finger. I think bout ground glass,
$, L,nclc~ how you grind it. Hut I don't feel mad at all. J11st interest.
. turn his head slou,. wiitch his dad(1y drink. Then
,;,), ~ - ~ ;sad. l l You ain't got it in you to understand. hc s t y . 1 love
yhllg ; l ~ , c r yAIWIIYS
. have. always will. I should have married her
, l l c - ~ l 1 hi~dthe chance.
l'cah. m y Old Mr. . And throwed your life ; i w ~ y (. Mr.
-- . ~ zrurit
L
right there.) And a right smart of my money with it.
I I . - - clear his throat. Nobody even sure exactly who
her. d;llldy is.
I n c ~ e care r who her daddy is, say Mr. ___.
..In~lher mammy take in white people dirty clothes to this day.
p111sall her children got different daddys. It all just too trifling and
cc)nt't~+,e.
Well. say Mr. -and turn full face on his daddy. All Shug
AVCQchildren got the same daddy. I vouch for that.
Olcl Mr. -clear his throat. Well. this my house. This my
land, Your boy Harpo in one of my houses, on my land. Weeds
colile up on my land. I chop 'en1 up. Trash blow over i t I burn it.
Hc rise to go. Hand me his glass. Ncxt time he come I put a little
Shug .\very pee in his glass. See how he like that.
C'elie. he say, you havc my s).mpathy. Not many women let
thcy husband whore lay up in they house.
1 3 ~ 1 the not saying to me, he saying it to Mr. -.
M r ~ .- look up at me. our eyes meet. This the closest 11s
ever felt.
Clc \ay, Hand Pa his hat, Celie.
. I n c l I do. Mr. d o n ' t move from his chair by the railing. I
s l ~ ~ nini l the door. Us watch Old Mr. begin harrumping and
hi11 r-urnping down the road home.
N::xt one come visit. his brother Tobias. He real fat and tall.
lool.. l ~ k ea big yellow bear. Mr. -small like his daddy, his
hl'oi h c x r stand way taller.
M hcl-e she a t ? he ast. grinning. Where the Queen Honeybee?
,oniething for her. he say. H e put little box of chocolate on
t h ' ! ;(iling.
';lit, \leeping. I say. Didn't sleep much last night.
11(1\\ you doing there. Albert. he say, dragging up a chair. H e
"[I!; 1 1 1 , hand over his slicked back hair and try to feel if there's a
1 ''?!:.a in his nose. Wipe his hand o n his pants. Shake out the
I
. ' ,\.c,
 ÿÿ HE c o l O K 1 ' ~ ' K f ' l 1. THECOI.OR
PURPLE

her?
Oh, say Mr. ----. couple of months.
Hell, say 'Tobias, I heard she was dying. That goes to show,
don't it, that you can't believc everything you hear. Hc Smooth
down his mustache. run his tongue out the corners of his lips.
What you know good. Miss Celie'? he say.
Not much. I say.
Me and Sofia piecing another quilt together. I got bout five
squares pieced, spread out on the table by my knee. My basket
full of scraps on the floor..
Always busy, always busy, he say. I wish Margaret was more
like you. Save me a bundle of money.
Tobias and his daddy always talk bout money like they still got
a lot. Old Mr. been selling off the place so that nothing
much left but the houses and the fields. My and Harpo fields bring
in more than anybody.
I piece on my square. Look at the colors of the cloth.
Then 1 hear Tobias chair fall back and he say, Shicg.
Shug halfway tween sick and well. Halfway tween good and
evil. too. Most days now she show me and Mr. _--her good
side. But evil all over her today. She smile. like a razor opening.
Say. Well. well, look who's here today.
She wearing a little flowery shift 1 made for her and nothing
else. She look bout ten with her hair all cornro\\jed. She skinny as
a bean, and her f ~ c full
e of eyes.
Me and Mr. both look up at her. Both move to help her
sit down. She dorl't look at him. She pull up a chair next to me.
She pick up a random piece of cloth out the basket. Hold it up
to the light. Frown. How yo11 sew this damn thing'! she say.
1 hand her the square I'm working on, start another one. She
sew long crooked stiches. remind me of that little crooked tune
she sing.
That real good, for first try, I say. That just fine and dandy. She
look at me and snort. Everything I do is fine and dandy to you,
Miss Celie, she say. But that's c a a w you ain't got good sense.
She laugh. I duck niv head.
She got a heap mire than Margaret. say Tobias. Margaret take
I!
that needle and sew your nostril4 together.
All \\omens not alike. Tobia5. $he say. Believe i t or not.
I
 ,43* ' l ' l i l . ( ' 0 1( ? I < 1'1 KI1l l

silt> ! ! ( , \ i l l X:l\k" \he \it\, 1 t!Oll~t :!>lllh i [ <I :, ! , .li!l. l<i/lt'

\ , o l ~ l; ~i ' ; ~ h c~ ( I Uh~11igl.y.
kI:trpt~ cat \ \he11 IIC :1111 : ,,,,, ~~LI::~.,.I!
~ \ ' I : ; .!orc,e
I. i t do\\ n'.) 'This llartl 10 hclic.\ c.. I > l i l . * : i ! j : ~ 11 ,- o:..

'['I);..,\\:ISafter supper n ~ ovc>r.

s loo. I \\it\ gi\ I I I ~ :K/!II,II-~-
!tic,\ i-,;~lll.,.
getting 'em rca~lk for- hctl I <pt)v:(l i o t. ..\~~III'.
lflt c i i \ i l ~ \ . 01' \ \ ' ~ I ~ I I ~ I ~ I ~~ I ~ I I c \ l , t t
SICLILI C ~ C ~ I ; : I I ' ~< ~I !> , ';.it!t !)L

\\::iI i11;l)'he he itas C Y ~ I . ; Ihung-y. )';ill is I~cc,r~ \iorI\iri,e iia~tl

'\';ti i!i:\l liard. she 4ay. And this rttorning. f o : . l ~ ~ - e : ~ k t: I ;. ! ~] \!il .i f
tic, ( l t , i ~ i ' i h~lb'esix egg>. . ~ ~ I c Ik 'i l l t / t L t t t ' c h ~ l tic, I , ) c > ~ ! ( \ I ) \ I L ~ :8'

D e ; ~ rGod.
Me and Sotia work on the quilt. Got it frame up on the porch. \ t ; ~ , l i ; l i ~ , h e ~1 .say.
Hi.\ dadd). ner'cr- ?\.:rsh a d i s l ~I I I i . i \ litc.
Shug Avcry donate her old yello\i dress for c r a p . and 1 work in a ?(I[;I-cckon'.' she say. He seen1 k c ) iiiuch to I O L C i t . j o 1eI1 I!IC
piece every chance I gct. I t a nice pattern call Si3te1-': Choice. If t~.[!:!v.ilc l o ~ cthat part of housekcepillg a h~\:lr,i~;,,!t: '(11 I:!(. I
the quilt turn o ~ t perfect,
t maybe 1 give i t to her. if i t nol perfect, r.;tliir i ~ c out in the fields or- tiwling \ \ i l l , ~ h c:~nlri;;tI~.. I - : L ~ , I illo!>-
I
niaybe 1 keep. 1 want i t tor myself, just for the little yellow pieces, PI:;:: :,,uotl. But he l o ~ ccoohing ;111d c!c:lr~i~lg ,tnd c l ~ i r , 11111:.
look like stilrs. but not. Mr. ___-and Shug u,alk up the road to ll;r,i:_.\ , o ~ ~ nt tl i~ cIlol~se.
the mailbox. The house quiet, cept for the Hies. 'rhcy swing ti: ..Ilrc 14 ;: g o o ~ cook.i 1 s a i [ j i g \111.1~isc r ! , IIX, 111;1! I I C , AII:Y..
through every now and then. dr-~rnkfrom eating and enjoying the : [ I I > : ! I ; , ~ ~; ~ b ( it.
~ t He nc\,cr ci>!>kctl .,.) ~ t ~ ~ ; iI \ c ,Ih c,~!g i . . ! ~ , ; ; ;I ? ? .
heat. buzz enough to make me drowsy.
Sofia look like something on he1 mind, l i e just not sure what. !1 he \\iir~!eciI < ? . she s:tici. I t bcc111 ~ ~ ; I I I10I ~!1;111,
~.i ‘ I ! ii11:
She bend over the frame. sew a little whilc. then rear back in her Yo:i kno\r. how he is.
chair and look out cross the yard. Finally she rest her needle, say, ::.. !iti : i l l I iphl. 1 sity
Why do people cat, hliss Celie, tell me that. I:i !;,cling yout~.;c,lf.Mrss ('elic .' Soii,: 'I,!.
T o stay alive. 1 say. What else? Course some folks eat cause ' .:i,:xri. he ;ill right rn somc things. n ~ i r~ ; :t) t h c ~ . i .
food rastc good 10 'em. 'I'hen some is gluttons. They l o ~ elo feel
they mouth work.
Them the only re;rsons you can think of? she ast.
Well. sometime it might be a case of hcing undcrno~~rish. I say. ,,lice u'hat lie cat ;.11l right. I:it.\t ~ h i n g ct)iilj!i;.
. .ir ! t i t , : : , i
She niusc. He not under-nourish, she say. !tin1 a close look. FIc. \till shinny, l\out ital! S:iii,i ..I:L,.i - , . i
Who ain't? 1 ost. '
~ liltlc pot heginnirlg under- his o \ ~ c r i ~ l ! s .
l4:trpo. She say. : : ; t i ~ o got u to eat, Miss C't'lie'.' h c .;I!. going .ti-:!i;r~)\ i i l c .
i i::rpo'.' 1.1 and kt piece of frictl chic-hcrl then Ori !!) !hc ,:I!'L.h:i- . >II.-::
I lc cating more it11cI more ever! clay. L i t 7 c ' ~ - ~ pic.
! kle \t;ttl(l b!' i:thlL' ; I I I C ~!1!11r)~.h.
:.o!*~'L, !' !' , ) i :
51,iyhe he got :I [ape kvornt'? -\iec.t n~ilk"hc ; ! \ I .
61
 '1 H t C'Ol O K !'ilil'l.t: U@kL

Got clabber. 1 say.

~
He say, Well, 1 love clabber. And dip !]in1 out somc'. i
Sofia 1nIJ~tnot be feeding you. I sa!,.
Why you say that'? he ast with his mouth l'ull.
Well. it not that long after dinner and here 1011 i h hungry again,
He don't bay nothing. Eat.
Course, 1 say. suppertime not too far ot't'cithcr. Bout three four
hours.
1
He rummage through the drawer for a \peon to eat [he clabber
with. He see a slice of cornbread on the shclt back of the stove,
he grab it and crumble it into the giass.
U s go back out on the porch and he put his foots up on the
railing. Eat his clabber and cornbread with thc glass near bout to
his nose. Remind me of a hog at the troth.
Food tasting like food to you these days huh. 1 say. listening to
him chew.
He don't say nothing. Eat. l)c;ir ( ~ o c i .
I look out cross the yard. 1 see Sofia dragging a ladder and then liiii.ptj staying with us this week-end. Friday night after Mr.
lean it up gainst the house. She wearing a old pair of Harpo pants. . . ;,nil Shug and me done gone to bed. I heard this somebody
Got her head tied up in a headrag. She cliim up the ladder to the i . ~ ~ , ~ f iI-larpo g. sitting out on the steps, crying like his heart gon
roof, begin to hammer in nails. Sound ec.ho cro.;s the yard like t . ~ ~ ~ ;O i hh. , boo-hoo, and boo-hoo. He got his head in his hands,
shots. cc::~-,: i n ( ] snot running down his chin. 1 give him a hansker. He
Harpo eat. watch her. h!,.::n t r i \ nose, look up at me out of two eyes close like fists.
Then he belch. Say, Scuse mc. M i s ~ Celic. Take !he gla5s and 5'. ii,ii hippen to your eyes? I ast.
spoon back in the kitchen. Come out and say Bye. 13, ciurn round in his mind for a story to tell. then fall back on
No matter what happening now. No inattei- \+nocome. No :hS; I I.).!! h ,
matter what they say or do. Harpo eat through it. Food on his ,.:.!i!,:.. . lie say.
mind morning. noon and night. His belly gro~band grow. but the '! ;,tr 4 ! i ! i bothering Sofiac?I ast.
rest of him don't. He begin to look like he big. 'ii ;:: :I-) wife. he say.
When it due'? us ast. II,,;: clc,n.t mean you got to keep on bothering her.4 say. Sofia
Halpo don't say nothing. Reach for another piece of pie. ! I !oil. she a good wife. Good to the children and good looking.
I ! . ; ! r\r-king.
; : :2 (jo Jfearing and clerrn. 1 don't know what more you
'$' ,';.
' ' ): [lo \niffle.
I ,:nt her to do what I say, like you do for Pa.
.;

! !t: I ,ord. 1 say.

~

tell you to do something. you do it, he say. When he

. . . :t to, you don't. You don't do what he say, he beat you.
...!:lctime beat me anyhow, I say, whether I do what he say or

65
 'L'llt C'Ol O K 1'1'Kl'l 1.

h i ' I . say Harpo. But not Sofia. She d o what she want,
don't pay me no mind at all. 1 (1-!, to heat her. she black Iny eyes.
Oh. boo-hoo. he cry. Boo-hoo-hoo.
I start to take back my hansker. Maybe push hirn and his black
eyes off the step. I think bout Sofia. She tickle me. I ~ ~ s to
e dhunt
game with a bow and at-row, she w y .
Some womens can't he beat. 1 say. Sotin one of them. Besides,
Sofin love you. She probably be happy to do most of xhat you say
if you ast her right. She not mean. she not spiteful. She don't hold
a grudge.
He sit there hanging his head, looking retard.
Harpo. I say. giving him u shake. Sofia lo\.i) you. You love
Sofia.
He look up at me best he can out his fat little eyes. Yes ma'am?
he say.
Mr. marry me to take care of h i 5 children. 1 marry him
cause my daddy matie me. 1 don't love Mr. and he don't
love me. i)e:~r( h i .
But you his wife, he \a\;. just like Sofia mine. The wife spose to I ,yo \:sit Sofia. she still working on the roof.
mind. I'hc Jal-n thing leak. she say.
Do Shug Avery mind Mr. - - ' ? I ast. She the woman he Shc out to the woodpile making shingles. She put a big square
wanted to marry. She call him Albert. tell him his drawers stink in piei.c of wood on the chopping block and chop. chop. she make
a minute. Little as he is, when she git her weight hack she can sit hly liat \hingles. She put the ax down and ast me do I want sorne
on him if he try to hother her. IC~~IOII<I~C,
Why I mention weight. Harpn \tart to cry again. Then he start I !oak at her good. Except for a br-uisc on her wrist. she don't
to be sick. He lean over the edge of the step and vomit and vomit. !ooi., like she got a scratch on her.
Look like every piece of pie for the last year come up. When he t i o ~i t going x'ith you and Harpo'? 1 ast.
ernpty I put him in the hcd next to Shug's little room. He f r ~ l lright U ell. she say. he stop eating so much. But maybe this just a
off to sleep. \[>cll
I ic irying to git as big as you, 1 say.
suck in her breath. I kinda thought so. she say, and let out
hc: h~eathreal slow.
111 the children come running up. Mama, Mama. 11s want
11:':!.;:1;,de.She pour out five glassc.5 for them. two for us. Us sit in
.. -!otlen swing she made last wrnrner and hung on the shad) end
''I i.c porch.
( i i gitting tired of H ~ ~ r p she
o . say. All he think about since us
:I ,:~ c d 1.; how to makc me mind. He don't ~vanta wife, he want a
(11
: i?: \our. hushand. 1 say. Got to stay uith him. Else. u,hat vou
 M y s i 4 1 ~h~i\hand
1 c:iught in the t l t i \ t ' t . .he s : I > .They don't have
no chiltil-cn. (kic4s:i ~ O \ ' Cchild^.^'^^. I ~ cIclt her OII ;I little farm.
Maybe I go 3tay \\ith them a \ + h ~ l ehlc . k ~ l i c ! m ) chilcll-en.
I think bout my sister Nettie. I h011ght so shal-:, it go through
mc like a pain. Sonicbvciy to run to, 1t \ecm loo sweet to bear.
Sofia go on. f r o ~ , n i n at
g her glass.
I don't like to go t o bed with Ilim no more. 4he say. Used t o be
when he ouch me I'd go all o11t my head. Now \\hen he touch me
I just don't want to be bothered. Once hc git on top of me 1 think
bout hou that's where he always uanr to be. She sip her
1ernon:ide. I use to love that part of i t . she say. I use to chase him
home from the field. (;it all hot Just watching him put the children
to bed, Hut no more. Now I ft.els tired all the me. N o interest.
Now. now. 1 say. Sleep on i! some, maybe it come back. But I
say this just t o be saying >ornettling. 1 don't know nothing bout it.
Mr. --- clam on top of me, d o his business, in ten minutes us
both sleep. Only time I feel something stirring down there is when I Dear God.
I think bout Shug. And that like running to the end of the road and
it turn back o n itself. ~ Sofia right about her sisters. They all big strong healthy girls,
look like amazons. They come early one morning in two wagons
You know the worst part'.' say. I'hc worst part is I don't 1
think he notice. t i c git up there ant1 t'njoy himself just the same. tu pick Sofia up. She don't have much to take. her and the chil-
Kc) matter what I'm thinking. N o m,~ttel.what I feel. It just him. dren clothes, a mattress she made last winter, a looking glass and
Fleartfeeling don't even \ccm to cnter into it. She snort. The fact a rocking chair. The children.
he can d o i t like that make n:c \\ant to kill him. Harpo sit on the steps acting like he don't care. H e making a
Us look up the path to thc house, see Shug and MI-. net for seining fish. H e look out toward the creek every once in a
sitting on the step?. He rc:t;l; over and pick something out her while and whistle a little tune. But it nothing compared to the h a y
hair. he usually whistle. His little whistle sound like it lost u a y down in
I don't know. sap Sofia. Maybe I won't go. Deep down I still ajar-. and the jar in the bottonl of the creek.
lovc Harpo. but---he jult makes mc ~ . c ~ itired. li She ),awn. L,augh. At the last minute 1 decide to give Sofia the quilt. I don'r know
1 need a \~:tcation.she \ a > . Then she go back to the woodpile, &hat her sister place be like. but we been having right smart cold
start making some more shingles for the roof. he'ither long in now. For all 1 know. she and the children have to
sleep on the floor.
You gon let her go? I ast Harpo.
He look like only a foo! could ast !he question. He puff back.
She made up her mind to go, he say. How I'm gon rtop her'.' Let
he[. go on. he say, cutting his eyes at her sister wagons.
17s sit o n the steps together. All us hear from inside is the
tll:lmp, thump, thump of plump and stout feet. All Sofia sirters
1!1!~\.ing round together at one time make the house shake.
j M!herc us going? ast the oldest girl.
1 ( ~ u ~ to
n gvisit Aunt O d e r w . sav Sofia.
 Daddy coming'! .;he ast.
N ~ Nsa) . Sofia.
H o u conic daddy ain't coming? ;inother one ast.
Daddy need to stay here and take care of thc house. Look after
Dilsey, Coco and Boo.
'The child come stand in front of his daddy and j11\t look at him
real good.
You not coming? he say.
Hal-po say. Naw.
Child go whisper to the baby crawling round on thc floor,
Daddy not coming with us. what you think of that.
Baby sit real still. strain real hard. fart.
Us all laugh. but it sad too. Harpo pick it up, fingel- the daidie.
and get her ready for a change.
I don't think she wet, say Sofia. Just gas.
But he change her anyway. Him and the baby over in a corner
of the little porch out of the way of traffic. He use the old dry
daidie to wipe his eyes.
,4t the last. he hand Sofia the baby and she sling i t up side her
hip, sling a sack of daidies and food over her shoulder, corral all
[>ear God.
the little ones together. tell 'em to Say Good-bye to Daddy. Then
she hug me best she can what with the baby and all. and she clam Sofia gone six months, Harpo act like a different man. Used to
up on the wagon. Every sister just about got a child tween her he :I homebody. now all the time in the road.
knees, cept the two driving the mules. and they all quiet as they I ast him what going on. H e say. Miss Celie, 1 done learned a
leave Sofia and Harpo yard and drive on up past the house. feu things.
One thing he learned is that he cuts. Anvthcr that he smart.
I'lu\. he can make money. H e don't say who the teacher is.
1
1
I ti;ldn3t heard s o much hammering since before Sofia left. hut
CLel-) evening after he leave the field. he knocking down and
nailjng up. Sometime his friend Swain come by to help. The t ~ ~ o
/
i ol'il~cmwork all into the night. M r . - have to call down to
tc.11 Itlem t o shut up the racket.
\Vllat you building? I ast.
J ]hejoint, he say.
h',iihack here?
1 0 , u r t h e r back than any of the others.
i don't know nothing bout no others. only bout the Lucky Star.
.ii,l\ejoint sposed to be back in the woods. say Harpo. Nobody
I h(. 1-i~thcredby the loud music. The dancing. The fights.
I ib7,\:tinsay, the killings.

I :,,l-po say, and the polices don't know u,here to look.

 What Sotia gon say bout what you doing to her house? I
Spose she and the children come back. Where they eon sleep.
They ain't corning back. say Harpo. nailing together planks for
a counter.
How you know? I ast.
H e don't answer. H e keep working, doing every thing with
Swain.

Dear God,
The first week, nobody come. Second week, three c r four.
Third week, one. Harpo sit behind his little counter listening to
Swam pick his box.
He got cold drinks, he got barbecue, he got chitlins, got store
bought bread. H e got a sign saying Harpo's tacked up on the side
of the house and another one out on the road. But he ain't got no
custonlers.
I go down the path t o the yard. stand outside, look in. Harpo
look out and wave.
Come on in, Miss Celie, he say.
1 say, Naw thank you.
Mr. -sometime walk down, have a cold drink, listen to
Swain. Miss Shug walk down too, every once in a while. She still
I bearing her little shifts, and I still cornrow her hair, but it getting
long now and she say soon she want it press.
Harpo puzzle by Shug. One reason is she say whatever come to
mind, forgit about polite. Sometime I see him staring at her real
hal.cl when he don't think I'm looking.
Une day he say, Nobody coming way out here just to hear
'~\:lin. Wonder could I get the Queen Honeybee?
1 don't know, I said. S h e a lot better now. always humming or
::ing wrnething. She probably be glad t o git back t o work. Why
1 you ask her'?
1
.',I!
 Shug say his place not much compared to what she used to, but 1 3 ~ l rthat the way it spose to be. 1 know that. Hut if that so. why
she think maybe she might grace it with a song. ,,,, h ~ ; hurt
~ t me so'?
Harpo and Swain got Mr. ___ to give 'em some of Shug old hl) head droop s o it near bout in my glass.
announccments from out the trunk. Crossed out The Lucky Star ~ l ' l ~1 hear
~ n my name.
of Coalman Road, put in Harpo's o f plantation. Stuck 'em ,$hug saying Celie. Miss Celie. And 1 look up where 4he at.
on trees tween the turn off to our road and town. The first Satur- ~ h say c my name again. She say this song I'm bout to sing is
day night s o many folks come they couldn't git in. c;tll Miss Celie's song. Cause she scratched it out of my head
Shug. Shug baby, us thought you was dead. ,,hen 1 was sick.
Five out of a dozen say hello to Shug like that. Iiirst she hum it a little, like she d o at home. Then she sing the
And come to find out it was you. Shug say with a big grin. uords.
At last I git to see Shug Avery work. 1 git to watch her. I git to I t all about some no count man doing her wrong. again. But I
hear her. ~ i ~ ) t lllsten
't to that part. 1 look at her and I hum along a little with
Mr. didn't want me to come. Wives don't go to places thc tune.
like that, he say. First time somebody made something and name it aftel- me
Yeah, but Celie going, say Shug. while I press her hair. Spose I
git sick while I'm singing, she say. Spose my dress come undone?
She wearing a skintight red dress look like the straps made out of
two pieces of thread.
Mr. mutter. putting on his clothes. My wife can't do
this. My wife can't d o that. No wife of mines . . . H e go on and
on.
Shug Avery finally say. Good thing I ain't your damn wife.
H e hush then. All three of us go down to Harpo's. Mr. -
and me sit at the same table. Mr. d r i n k whiskey. I have a
cold drink.
First Shug sing a song by somebody name Bessie Smith. She
say Bessie somebody she know. Old friend. It call A Good Man Is
Hard to Find. She look over at Mr. -a little when she sing
that. 1 look over at him too. For such a little man, he all puff up.
I,ook like all he can d o to stay in his chair. I look at Shug and I
feel my heart begin t o cramp. It hurt me so, I cover it with my
hand. 1 think 1 might as well be under the table, for all they care. I
hate the way 1 look, 1 hate the way I'm dress. Nothing but
churchgoing clothes in my chifferobe. And Mr. -looking at
Shug's bright black skin in her tight red dress. her feet in little ,

sassy red shoes. Her hair shining in waves.

Before I know i t , tears meet under my chin.
And I'm confuse.
l l e love looking at Shug. I love looking at Shug.
But Shug don't love looking at but one of us. Him.
 '1 I!! ( ' 0 1 i > nl11
~ I.

I can't twlicve i t . .;;I) She \ i t do\.\ n on hc*r~c.li 1lcb\t 1 0nlc

.- h;il-cl, like she c i ~ . o p .
\Vha! he beat you ~oI.',) \lit ;\st.
I.'OI. bcirig nle and not qou.
o h . Mi\.; C'clie. shC .;a!., and CILII hcbr al-ni\ : I I . ( : L I I I ~ 1 1 1 ~ .
I : 4 \ i t like that lor rna~.hehall'a hour.. I'hcn she i \ h h ilic on rhe
flc.sIi!. p~11.t of my \houldt:r and S I ; I I I ~up.
I \$on'[ Icave. \hc -;aha.until I kno\v ;\lhcl.t \von't c\,t:n ~ h i t i k
;ll,out beating ou

Dear God.
Prctty soon i t be time for Sl~ugto go. She sing every \i,eek-end
no\v at 1-Iarpo's. He make right smart money off of her, and she
make some too. Plus she gitting strong again and stout. First night
or two her songs come out good but a little weak, now she belt
them out. Folks out in the yard hear her with no trouble. She and
Swain sound real good together. She jing, he pick his box. It nice
at Harpo's. Little tables all round the room with candles on them
that 1 made, lot of little tables outside too. by the creek. Some-
time 1 look down the path from our house and it look like a swarm
of lightening bugs all in and through Sofia house. In the evening
Shug can't wait to go down there.
One day she say to me, Well. Miss Celie, 1 believe it time fol-
me to go.
Whtn? 1 ast.
Early ncxt month. she say. June. June agood time to go off into
the world.
I don't say nothing. Feel like 1 felt when Nettie left.
She come over and put her hand on nil, shoulder.
He beat me when you not here, 1 say.
Who do. she say. Albert'?
MI-. 1jay.

Dear God,
Now we all know she going sonletime soon. the!. sleep together
at night. Nor every night. hut ;~lmostevcry night. from Friday to
Monday.
He go down to Harpo's to watch her sing. And just to look at
her. Then way late they come home. They giggle and they talk
and they rassle ~ ~ n tmorning.
il Then they go to bed until i t time for
her to get ready to go back to work.
First time it happen, it was a accident. Feelink, ust carried them
away. That what Shug say. He don't say nothing.
She ast me. Tell me the truth. she say. tio you mind if Albert
sleep with me'?
I think. I don't care who Albert sleep with. But 1 don't sa) that.
I say. You might git big again.
She say. Naw. not with my sponge and all.
You still love him, I ast.
She say. I got what you call a passion for him. If I was ever
going to have a husband he'd a been i t . H u t he weak. she say.
Can't make up his mind what hc want. And from what j.011 tell me
he a bully. Some things I love about him though, she s;ty. He
sniell right to me. He so little. t-le make me leugh.
You like to sleep with him'? I ast.
Yeah. Celie she say. I h'ive to confess. I,jusl 10i.r i t . Don't !,OLI'.'
, . I i . Mr. can tell you. 1 don't likc l r at all. What
;, i t lihc".' He git up on y o u , heist your nightgown round yo~lr
.,,;I!,!. plunge in. M o ~ rtinit.; I pretend I ain't thcre. He never
A , ~ , , \ \tlic difference. Nc\,er a\t me how I feel, nothing. J t ~ s do t his
j , l ~ , ~ ~ ~get c s soff,
, go to sleep.
She start lo laugh. Do his business, she say. Do his business.
l i ' I 1 ) . Fcli\s Celic. You make i t sound like he going to the toilet on
)<)(I
['hat &,hatit feel like. I say.
';he stop laughing.
\'ou never enjoy it at all'! she ast, puzzle. Not even wilh your
cli~l~ll-cn daddy'!
Scvcr. I say. . .
M!h\ Miss Celie, she say. you still a virgin.
\\'hat'! I ast.
I ten, she say, right down there in your pussy is a little button
!h<i! gits real hot whcn you do you know what with somebody. It
i t hotter and hotter and then it melt. That the good part. But
orhcr- parts good too, she say. Lot of sucking go on. here and
1hc1-c.she say, Lot of finger and tongue work.
Uutton? Finger and iongrlc:' My face hot enough to melt itseIf.
She say. Here. take this mirror and go look at yourself down
~iicr-e.I bet you never seen i t , have you?
N~Iw.
.And I bet you never seen Albert down there either.
I felt him, 1 sag,.
I itand there with the mirror.
<he say, What, too shame even to go off and look at yourself'!
\ , I ( \ L O U look s o cute too, she say, laughing. All dressed up for
!i.~r.po's.snlelling good and everything. but scared to look at your
: I : < l l pLISSy.
'r ou come with me while 1 look. 1 sag,.
ind us run off to my room like tu.0 little prankish girls.
\'at] guard the door. 1 say.
)hc giggle. Okay. sht, say. Nobody coming. Coast clear.
1 lie back on the bed and haul up my dress. Yank down nly
"i;lc!rrrcrs. Stick [he looking glass twecn my Icgs. Ugh. All that
. , ~ i r I. h e n my pussy lips be black. Then inside look likc a wet
,' . c
I ! , i lot prettier than you thought, ain't i t ? she say from the
<
'\SO!..
 It mine. I silk'. Where the button'!
Right up near [he top, she say. Thc part that .;tick out a little.
1 look at her and touch i t with my finger. A littlc shiver go
through me. Nothing much. But just enough to tell mr: this the
right button to mash. Maybe.
She say. While you looking, look at your tittie> too. I haul up
my dress and look at my titties. Think bout my babies sucking
them. Remember the little shiver I felt then too. S o n ~ e t i m c sa big
shiver. Best part about having the babies was feedin, ' cm.
Albert and Hal-po coming, she say. And I yank up my drawers
and yank down my dress. 1 feel like us been doing something
wrong.
I don't care if yo11 sleep with him. I say.
And she take me at my word.
I take me at my word too.
But when I hear them together all I can do is pull the quilt aver
my head and finger my little button and titties and cl-y.
Dciir God,
(inc night while Shug singing a hot one. who should come
prancing through the door of Harpo's but Sofia.
She with a big tall hefty man look like a prize fighter.
She her usual stout and bouncy self.
011. Miss Celie, she cry. I t so good to see you again. It even
gtwd to see Mr. - , she say. S h e take one of his hands. Even
il'iris handshake is a little weak, she say.
flc act real glad to see her.
i Icrc.. pull up a chair. he say. Have a cold drink.
!;irnrne a shot of white lightening. she say.
ill-irefighter pull up a chair. straddle it backwards. hug o n Sofia
likc they at home.
I see Harpo cross the room with h ~ little s yellowskin girlfriend.
ti: look at Sofia like she a hant.
! hi, Henry Broadnax. Sofia say. Everybody call him Buster.
(;.wCj friend of the family.
1 l ~ you
~ w;rll'? he say. H e smile pleasant and us keep listening to
ti-lt: music. Shug wearing a !gold dress that show her titties near
h ! ; i ( to the nipple. Everybody sorta hoping something break. But
! i ' ; ~ t clrcss strong.
?'!an oh man, say Buster. Fire department won't do. Somebody
C:::l :he I,aw.
 Mr. - - ~ , h i \ p cto
r Sofia. L4'hel.c y0111.children at'?
She ~\.hi\pcr.hack. M;, childl-en at horne, where your\'?
t3c don't say nothing.
Both [he girls bigged and gone. B11h in and out o f jail. If his
grandaddy wasn't the colored uncle of the .herifl. who look just
like Bub, Huh he lynch by now.
I can't git over how good Sofia look.
Most Momen with five children look a little peaked, I say to her
cross the table w,hen Shug finish her song. You look like you
ready for five more.
Oh. she say. I got six children now, Miss Celie.
Si.r. I am shock.
She toss hcr head. Iaok over at Harpo. Life don't atop just
cause you leave home. Miss Celic. You know that.
My life stop when I lef home. I think. Hut then I think again. It
stop with Mr. - maybe, but start up again with Shug.
Shug come over and she and Sofia hug.
Shug say, Ciirl. you look like a good time. you d o .
That when I norice how Shug talk and act sometimes like a
man. Men say stuff like that to women. Girl, you look like a good
time. Women alwaya talk hout hair and health. i-Iow many bahies
living or dead. or got teef. Not bout how some woman they hug-
ging on look like a good time.
All the men got they eye\ glued lo Shug'c bosom. I got my eyes
glued there too. I feel my nipples harden under my dress. My
little button sort of perk up too. Shug. I say to her in my mind,
Girl, you looks like a real good time. the Good Lord knows you
do.
What you doing h e r e ? ast Harpo.
Sofia say. Come to hear Miss Shug. You got a nice place here
Harpo. She look around. This and that her eyes admire.
Harpo say, I t just a scandless. a woman with tive children
hanging out in a jukejoint at night.
Sofia eye go cool. She look him up and down.
Since he quit sluffing himself. he gained a bunch of height,
face, head and all. mostly from drinking home brew and eating
left-over barbecue. By now. he just about her size.
A woman need a little fun. once in a while. she say.
A bornan need to be at home, he say.
She say. This is my home. .I'hough I do think it go better as a
jukejoint.
! l.,[po look at the pri/t' tighr,:~-.I'rirctighte~.pu\h h ; ~ c hhis chair
', [t~!lcb.pick up hi\ d r i n k .
1 ?ion'[ tigh~Sufi;, h;~t~Ii..
he \'I\.,.MyJob tu love h c ~;ir~J
. t;ike hcr
,,\,c.~-cshc want to go.
1 I;II.~'O breathe \omc relief.
1 .el's clancc, he say.
S O ~ Ilaugh.
;~ pit up. Put both arm\ round his neck. 'I'hc~Jslow
,I, ; ~ out g cross I he floor..
[[iirpo little yellowish girlfriend hulk. hang~ngover the bar-. She
;, liii.c girl, friendly and everything. but she like me. She d o any-
r\,!!';: tiarlx) say.
ilc' give her a little nickname. loo. call her Squeak.
ilr.ctty soon Sque'3k pii up her nerve to [ I - \ to cul in.
i [<lr.potry 10 turn Sofia so \he can't see. Hu? Squeak keep on
t,:i!pi~lgand tapping on hia shoulder.
t ~nallyhe and Sofia atop dancing. They hout two feet from our
l;ll~lL~.
'ihug \ a ) . uh-oh. ,ind point with her chin. \omething bout to
:li;l~\ right there.
!irho dis woman. say Squeak. in thia lirtle tccnounc) voice.
\ ou know who \he is. say Harpo.
t.ique:tk turn to Sofia. Say. You better leave him alone.
hotia say, Fine with me. She turn sound to le;~ve.
IIar-po grab her by the iirrn. Say. You don't have to go no
.:hc.rc. Hell, thi\ your house.
\cluc;tk say. What you mean, l l i a her house'.' She ~ a l out k on
. . ~ I I Walk a u a y from the house. I t over now. ahe say to Sofin.
'sofa say. Fine with me. Try I O pull auag from Htrrpo grip. He
111. .id her right.
I Isten Sque'ik. say Harpo, Can't a m;in dance with hi\ own
. ,, ; I t. ',)
bqueak say. Not if he my man he can't. Y o u hear [hat. bitch.
-.';c',;I); to Sofia.
. \ ~ t i agitting a little tired of Squeak. 1 can tell hy her e a r \ . .lhey
.*!-r ;)f push back. But she saq again. aorta end of argument like.
i iL.. . , fine with me.
'iqucak \lap her- up cros.; rhc head.
%'ha[ \he do that for. Sofia don't even deal in little lad\,ish
...&s such
,:t7 7 s I ; ~ . She ball up her fist. draw back, :inti knock
a $ 1 of Squeak's \idc reef out. Squcak hit the floor. One toof
t .!:1;1g on her lip. the other one uphide my cold drink g1:1\s.
 dm-
Then Squeak start banging on Harpo leg with her shoe.
You git that bitch out a here, she cry. blood and slobber run.
ning down her chin.
Harpo and Sofia stand side by side looking down at Squeak, but
1 don't think they hear her. Harpo still holding Sofia arm. Maybe
half a minute go by. Finally he turn loose her arm, reach down
and cradle poor little Squeak in his arms. He coo and coo at her
like she a baby.
Sofia come over and git the prizefighter. They go out the door
and don't look back. Then us hear a car motor start.

Dear God,
I-iarpo mope. Wipe the counter, light a cigarette, look out-
doors, walk up and down. Little Squeak run long all up under him
!rying to git his tension. Baby this, she say, Baby that. Harpo
look through her head, blow smoke.
Squeak come over to the corner where me and Mr. -at.
She got two bright gold teef in the side of her mouth, generally
grin all the time. Now she cry. Miss Celie. she say, What the
rnalter with Harpo?
Sofia in jail, I say.
In jail? She look like I say Sofia on the moon.
What she in jail for'? she ast.
Sassing the mayor's wife. I say.
Squeak pull up a chair. Look down my throat.
What your real name? I ast her. She say, Mary Agnes.
Make Harpo call you by your real name. I say. Then maybe he
5t.c you even when he trouble.
She look at me puzzle. I let it go. I tell her what one of Sofia
bstcr tell me and Mr. .
Sofia and the prizefighter and all the children got in the
~ r i ~ e f i g h t car
e r and went to town. Clam out on the street looking
'k c \omebody.
. Just then the mayor and his wife come by.
 All these children. say the mayor's wife. digging in her
pocketbook. Cute a s little buttons though. she say. She stop, put
her hand on one of the children head. S a y . and such strong white
teef.
Sofia and the prizefighter don't say nothing. Wait for her to
pass. Mayor wait too, stand back and tap his foot, watch her with
a little smile. Now Millie. he say. Always going un over colored.
Miss Millie finger the children some more, finally look at Sofia
and the prizefighter. S h e look at the prizefighter car. S h e eye
Sofia wristwatch. She say to Sofia. All your children so clean, she
say. would you like to work for me. be my maid'?
Sofia say. Hell no.
She say, What you say?
Sofia say. Hell no.
Mayor look at Sofia. push his wife out the way. Stick out his
chest. Girl, what you say to Miss Millie?
Sofia say, 1 say, Hell no.
H e slap her.
I stop telling i t right there.
Squeak on the edge of her seat. She wait. Look down my throat
some more.
N o need to say no more, Mr. say. You know what
happen if somebody slap Sofia.
Squeak go white a s a sheet. Nrrn,, she say.
N U N nothing,
> I say. Sofia knock the man down.
T h e polices c o m e , start slinging the children off the mayor,
bang they heads together. Sofia really start to fight. They drag her
to the ground.
This far a s I can go with i t . look like. My eyes git full of water
and my throat close.
Poor Squeak all scrunch down in her chair, trembling.
They beat Sofia. Mr. say.
Squeak fly up like she sprung, run over hind the counter to
Harpo. put her arms round him. They hang together a long time,
cry.
What the prizefighter d o in all this? I ast Sofia sister, Odessa.
H e want to jump in. she say. Sofia say No. take the children
home.
Polices have they guns on him anyway. One move. he dead.
Six of them. you know.
Mr. ___ go plead with the sheriff to let us see Sofia. Bub be
in so much trouble, look so much like the sheriff, he and Mr.
.._- almost o n family terms. Just long as Mr. --know he
colored.
Sheriff say. S h e a crazy woman. your boy's wife. You know
that'?
Mr. say. Yassur, us d o know i t . Been trying to tell
tiarpo she crazy for twelve years. Since way before they marry.
Sofia come from crazy peoples, Mr. say, it not all her
fault. And then again, the sheriff know how womens is, anyhow.
Sheriff think bout the women he know, say. Yep, you right
there.
Mr. say, We gon tell her she crazy too, if us ever d o git
in to see her.
Sheriff say, Well make sure you do. And tell her she lucky she
itlive.
When I see Sofia I don't know why she still alive. They crack
hcr skull, they crack her ribs. ~ h e ~ - t e her
a r nose loose on one
4ide. They blind her in one eye. She swole from head to foot. H e r
tcrngue the size of my arm, it stick out tween her teef like a piece
of rubber. S h e can't talk. And she just about the color of a egg-
plant.
Scare me so bad I near bout drop my grip. But I don't. 1 put it
on the floor of the cell, take out comb and brush, nightgown,
witch hazel and alcohol and I start to work on her. The colored
lendant bring me water to wash her with, and 1 start at her two
little slits for eyes.
 bluybe you git out on good behavior, say Harpo.
Good behavior ain't good enough for them. say Sofia.
. . - -
, Nothing
les\ than sliding on your belly with your tongue on they. Doors
, can
-C I
even git they attention. I dream of mur-der-,she sily. I aream ul
murder sleep or wake.
Us don't say nothing.
Flow the children? shc ast. . . I
'They a11 fine, say Harpo. Tween Odessa and Squeak, they g ~ t
by.
Say thank you to Squeak, she say. Tell Odessa I think about
her.

Dear G o d ,
They put Sofia t o work in the prison laundry. All day long from
five to eight she washing clothes. Dirty convict uniforms, nasty
sheets and blankets piled way over her head. Us see her twice a
month for half a hour. Her face yellow and sickly, her fingers look
like fatty sausage.
Everything nasty here, she say, even the air. Food bad enough
to kill you with it. Roaches here, mice, flies, lice and even a snake
or two. If you say anything they strip you. make you sleep on a
cement floor without a light.
How you manage'? us ast.
Every time they ast me t o d o something. Miss Celie. I act like
I'm you. I jump right up and d o just what they say.
She look wild when she say that. and her bad eye wander round
the room.
Mr. ____ suck in his breath. Harpo groan. Miss Shug cuss.
She come from Memphis special to see Sofia.
I can't fix my mouth to say how I feel.
I'm a good prisoner, she say. Best convict they ever see. They
can't believe I'm the one sass the mayor's wife, knock the mayor
down. She laugh. It sound like something from a song. The part
where everybody done gone home but you.
Tuelvc years a long time to be good though. she say.
 ;,., ,1:1).. Angels all in white. uhitc hair and white eyes. look like
:,ll,lnos. God all whitc too. looking like some 4tout white man
;,,\r.k at the bank. Angel4 >trike they cymbals. one of them blow
!,I. iiorn. God blow out a big breath of fire and suddcnly Sofia
['I-<: L-
V'ho the warden'.; black kinfolks'! say Mr. --.
Xcrbody say nothing.
I.~nallythe prizefighter speak. What his name? hc ast.
! lodges, say Harpo. Bubber Hodges.
i )It1 man Henry Hodges' boy. say Mr. C;sed to live out
0 1 1 thc old Hodges' place.
(rot 11 brother name Jimmy'? :\st Squeak.
Yeah. say Mr. , Brother name Jimmy. Married to that
()~ri:rnangirl. Daddy ou,n ~ h hardware.
c You know them'!
Squeak duck her head. Mumble something.
5,1y u.hat'? ast MI-.-.
\ q t ~ e a kcheek turn red. Shc mumble again.
k\c your what'.' Mr. _ - ast.
Dear God. C'uusin, she say.
!I!-. -- look at her.
Us all sit round the table after supper. Me. Shug. Mr. -, 1):iddy. she say. She cut her eye at Harpo. Look at the floor.
Squeak, the prizefighter, Odessa and two more of Sofia sisters. fic know anything bout i t ? ast Mr. .
Sofia not gon last. say Mr. Yeah, she say. H e got three children by my mama. T w o
Yeah, say Harpo. she look little crazy to me. )ounger than me.
And what she had to say. say Shug. My God. tlis brother know anything bout it'? ast Mr. -.
Us got to d o something, say Mr. . and he right quick O n c time he come by the house with Mr. Jimmy, he give us all
about it. q>l:\l~ters. say we sure do look like Hodges.
What can us do'? ast Squeak. She look a little haggard with all 211.. rear back in his chair. give Squeak a good look from
Sofia and Harpo children sprung on her at once, but she carry on. t)i.,~J ro foot. Squei~kpush her greasy brown hair back from her
Hair a little stringy. slip show, but she carry on. CI
Bust her out, say Harpo. Git some dynamite off the gang that's 1 cCih. say Mr . 1 see the re5emhlance. He b r ~ n ghis
building that big bridge down the road. blow the whole prison to L i ~ <down
i ~ ~ on the floor.
kingdom come. \f cll, look like you the one to go.
Shut up, Harpo, say Mr. - , us trying to think. I 10 u here. ast Squeak.
I got it, say the prizefighter, smuggle in a gun. Well, he rub his see thc warden. He your uncle.
chin, maybe smuggle in a file.
Naw. say Odessa. They just come after her if she leave that
way.
Me and Squeak don't say nothing. I don't know what she think,
but 1 think bout angels. God coming down by chariot, swinging
down real low and carrying ole S o f a home. I see 'en1 all a s clear
 m- m tc01.o~PURPLE
,,,;,kc' sure he know you living with Sofia husband. say Shug.
hiake sure you git in the part bout being happy where she at,
,,,,r-se thing could happen to her is to be some white lady maid.
I Jon't know, say the prizefighter. 'This sound mighty much like
sc,meole uncle Tomming to me.
Shug snort, Well, she say, Uncle Tom wasn't call Uncle fur

Dear God.
Us dress Squeak like she a white woman, only her clothes
patch. She got on a starch and iron dress, high heel shoes with
scuffs. and a old hat somebody give Shug. Us give her a old
pocketbook look like a quilt and a little black bible. Us wash her
hair and git all the grease out. then I put i t up in two plaits that
cross over her head. Lrs bathe her so clean she smell like a good
clean floor.
What I'm gon say'? she ast.
Say you living with Sofia husband and her husband say Sofia
not being punish enough. Say she laugh at the fool she make of
the guards. Say she gitting along just fine where she at. Happy
even, long as she don't have to be no white woman maid.
Gracious God, say Squeak, how I'm gonna tune up my m o ~ ~ t h
to say all that'?
He ast you who you is. make him remember. Tell him how
much that quarter he give you meant to you.
That was fifteen yearb ago, say Squeak. he ain't gonna reinem-
her. that.
Make him see the Hodges in you. say Odessa. He'll remember.
Tell him you just think justice ought to be dune. yourself, But

92
 1 fact'.' he s a y ,
!1:1! ;I
come from bchintl hi\ dc\h. lean over my c h ~ ~ i l - .
111-

\\'\lo , o u r -folk>? he ast.

!ell him my munia'c name. grandmama's name. Cir~nndpa's
[1<!~llc.
%'ho !,our- daddy'? he act. Where you git them c y e s ?
.\in't got no daddy, 1 say.
("!)me on now. he say. Ain't 1 seen you before'?
say. Yessir. And one time bout ten years ago. when I u a s a
[ri!lc girl. you give me a quarter. 1 sure did preyhate it. 1 say.
1 don't remember that. he say.
\l'ou come by the house with my mama friend. MI-. Jimmy. 1
\:I\'

Squeak look round at all of us. Then take a deep breath. Mum-
Iiie
Sa), ~ b h a t ast
? Odessa.
Dear God. \I eah. say Shug, if you can't tell us. who you gon tell. God'.'
1Ie took my hat off. say Squeak. Told me to undo my dress.
Pool. little Sqlle~rkcome home with a limp. Her dress rip. Her :,h.: drop her head. put her face in her hands.
hat missing anti one ot'the heels come oft' her shoe. \I\, Ciod. say Odessa. and he your uncle.
What happen'! u~ ast. tlc say if he was my uncle he wouldn't do it to me. That be a
He raw the Hodges in me. she say. And he didn't iihe it unc bit. ,111. R I Ithis
~ just little fornication. Everybody guilty of that.
Hnrpo come up the steps from the car. My wife beat up. my Shc turn her face up to Harpo. Harpo. she hay. d o you really
wornan rape, he say. I ought lo go back out there with guns. 11.1eme. or just my color'?
m:i!.t;e set fire to the place, burn the crackers up. Ilal-po say. I love you, Squeak. He kneel down and try to put
Shut up. Harpo. say Squeak. I'm telling it. liik ;irms round her waist.
And she do. %tie stand up. My name Mary Agneh. she >ay.
Say. the minute 1 walk through the door. he I-en1c:nhered me.
What hc say'! us ast.
Say. What you want? 1 say. I come out of the interest I haves in
seeing Justice is done. What you say you want'? he ast again.
1 say what yall told me tc) ha). Hout Snfi:t not being punish
enough. Say she happy in prison. strong girl like her. H e r main
worry is just the thought of ever b u n g sorne n.hite woman maid.
-,
I hat what start the fight. you know. I say. hlayor's wife ask Sofia
to be her maid. Sofia s a shc never going to he no white woman's
ilothing, let alone maid.
'l'hat s o ? he ast. all thc time looking mc' ~ ~ v cre;~l
' r g~)i)d.
Yc<sir. I say. Say. prlson suit her.ju.;t fine. Shoot, u,a>hingand
ironirig all day is all \he d c ;it home. She go1 six chi1drt.n. you
k:10u
 They call\ nie yellow
like yellow be my name
They calls me yellow
like yellow be my name
But if yellow is a name
Why ain't black the same
Well, if I say Hey black girl
Lord, she try to ruin my game

Dear God.
6 months after Mary .4gnes went to git Sofia out of pribon. she
begin to sing. First she sing Shug's songs. then she begin to make
up songs her own self.
She got the kind of voice you never think of trying to sing a
song. It little, it high, it sort of meowing. But Mary Agnes don't
care.
Pretty soon, us git used to it. Then us like it a whole lot.
Harpo don't know what to make of it.
It seem funny to me. he say to me and Mr. S o sudden.
It put me in the mind of a gramaphone. Sit in the corner a year
silent a s the grave. Then you put a record on. it come to life.
Wonder if she still mad Sofia knock her teef out'? I ast.
Yeah, she mad. But what good being mad gon d o ? She not evil,
she know Sofia life hard to bear right now.
How she git long with the children'? ast M r .
'I-hey love her. say Harpo. She let 'em do anything they want.
Oh-oh. I say.
Besides, he say, Odessa and Sofia other sisters always on hand
to take up the slack. They bring up children like military.
Squeak sing,

Dear God,
Sofia say to me today. I just can't understand i t .
What that? I ast.
Why we ain't already kill them off.
Three years after she beat she uut of the wash house, got her
color and her weight back, look like her old uelf, just all time
think bout killing somebody.
Too many to kill off, I say. Us outnumbered from the start. I
speck we knock over one or two. though. here and there. through
the years, I say.
We sit on a piece of old crate out near the edge of bliss Millie's
yard. Rusty nails stick out long the bottom and when us move
they creak gainst the wood.
Sofia job to watch the children play ball. ?'he little boy throw
the ball to the little girl. she try to catch it with her eyes shut. It
roll up under Sofia foot.
Throw me the ball. say the iittle boy, with his hands on his hip.
Throw me the ball.
Sofia mutter to herseIf. half to me. I'm here to watch, not to
throw. she say. She don't makc a move t o u r d the ball.
Don't you hear me talking to you. he shout. He maybe six
years old, brown hair, ice blue eyes. t-le come steaming up to
where us sit. haul off and kick Sofia leg. She .;wing her foot to one
side and he scream.
1Vliat the trouble'? I ast.
!>one \tab his foot u'ith :i rusty nail. Sofia say.
Sure enough. hlood cvnle leaking through his shoe.
t-{is little sister conle ~vatchhim cry. He turn redder and redder.
, .III his mama.
Miss Millie come running. She scared of Sofia. Everytime she
:,ilk to her it like she expect the worst. She don't stand close to
!.or either. When she git a few \.ards from where us sit. she
:ilotion for Hilly to come there.
Vy foot, he say to her.
Sofia do it? she ast.
1,ittle girl pipe up. Billy do it his own self. she say. Trying to
iu.i~kSofia leg. The little girl dote on Sofia. always stick up for her.
Sofia neLrer notice. she as deef to the little girl as she is to her
!.,~-\,ther.
Miss Millie cut her eves at her. put one arm round Billy shoul-
iicr and they limp into-the back of the house. Little girl follow.
- r abe bye-bye to us.
She seem like a right sweet little thing. 1 say to Sofia.
Who is? She frown.
I'he little girl. 1 say. What they call her, Eleanor Jane'?
1 Yeah. say Sofia. with a real puzzle look on her face, 1 wonder
wh\. she was ever born.
I
Well. I say. us don't have to wonder that bout darkies.
She giggle. Miss Celie, she say, youjust as crazy as you can be.
This the first giggle 1 heard in three years.
 One of Sofia children hr-cnk in. the oldest h o ~ l. l c tit11 and
h:tndsome, all the time \criolrs. And mad a lot.
He say, Don't say sl~tving.M a m a .
Sofia say. Why not? They got me in a little starer-oom up under
the house. hardly higgcr than Odeisa's porch. and just about :ta
warm i11 the winter time. I'm a t they heck and call all night and :ill
day. Thcy won't let me see my children. Thcy ~ v o n ' tlet mc see no
rnens. Well, after five years they let me see y o ~once
l a yea.. I'm a
\lave, she say. What would you call it'?
A captive, he say.
Sofia go o n with her story. only look at him like she glad he
her\.
S o I say. Ye\ m:t':im. I can teach you. if ~t the \anw krnd of car
1 learned o n .
Next thing you know there go me and hlic. Millic all up and
clown the road. First 1 drive and she watch. then she start to try to
tlrive and 1 watch her. Up and down the rontl. Soon :IS I finish
cooking breakfast. putting it on the table. washing dishes and
sweeping the floor-and just before 1 go git the mail out of the box
clcwn by the road-we go give Miz Millie her driving lesson.
S o f a would make :I clog !:i11yh. t~tlking:thou? those people she Well, after while she got the hang of i t . mol-c o r Icss. Then ahe
\\or-k for. The! have th: nei-LC10 Ti-! t ~ mitlic r us think slnver!. tell really git it. Then one day whcn we come home from riding. she
thr.ough bcc;.tusc. of i ~ \\;I!. Soii~t.1 ike us ~licln't ha\,e zcnse say t o me. I'm gonna drive you home. Just like that.
crio~tyhto h;lndle it. 411 the tinlc i ~ ~ c ~ t khoc i n g handles and letting H o m e ? I ast.
thc rnalcs loose in the \\ heitt. 1311;ho\\ :r:ih.t hing t hey build can Yes, she say. Home. You ain't been home or seen your chil-
last ;.I dab is :I \\ondcr- :o nic. The! b:~ck\\.:~i-d. \he silk.. Clumsy. dren in a while. she say. Ain't that righ!?
kind crn!ucl<y. I say, Yes ma'am. It beer1 fivc year\.
kkiyor bo\cght I l i 7 %lillie ;I new car. c : 1 ~ : ~she c \aid if She say. That's a shame. You just go git your things right now.
color-ed coi~ldhave C ~ I I - L !hen one t ) r hci. ?\.:I\ pa51 due. So he Here i t is. Christmas. Cio get your things. You can stay all day.
tloi~ght her a car, onlk hct rc!'~ricrc) ;hn\i her. h o ~ \to . clr.ivc it. For a11 day 1 don't need nothing hut what 1 got 011. 1 say.
f,.ver!: dit? tlc' come h o m i f!.or?>; ( ) \ \ I ; hc I ~ w k;if her. look out the Fine. she say. Fine. Well git in.
n.indon at her c;tr, i:ty. 110\1 !:oti i.nji)!.ing 'cr- Illir h4illie. She fly Well. say Sotia. I wits so use to sitting I I there
~ next to her
off thc soki in a huff. slam th.2 <loili.p,oi:;g in tllc bi1throor11. tcitchinp her how tc) drive. that I just ~laturallyclammed into the
She ;tinst got no fl-it.!ldi. front seat.
So onc dab she \;I! to IIIL..car i?c:!! .ittint! o i ~ in t the yard tu.o She stood outside o n her \itic the car clearing her throat.
!:lO~llh~.SOfi~i.L ? C * v(.)(! kr10\,\, !IP.;v\' it) tir.ii,c'! 1 gt!c.<\ \he re[Tlenl- Finally she say. Sofia. with a little laugh. This i.s the South.
hcr.ccl 1!!.,t seeing rnc L I Pg:~in\t !iu,tc:. R r o i ~ t l ! ; :ci~r-. ~~ Yes ma'am. I say.
Y7c\ ~ ~ i ; ~ ' !: s~~mt y.I'ni
. ?I:tving :[\i:ty ,.~cci~-~ir:g ihlit ! ~ i g they She clear her throat. laugh some more. 1,ook u h e r c ) , ~ I sitting.
I
0 1 (lo\n.nat the ~ O : ~ L > Iclt . I ?the ;t;tir.. Thcs ;:~.trcitl !'unn\ hont that
,,tie say.
~ stir~gcr
P ~ ~ ~?-;:> !. pl.~!il\ I\ sr:it~.cci he 071 it. L : \ . C ~ . I'm sitting where 1 alwa!, s sit. 1 say.
b ( ~ \ tihii~li!(.):! L,<*\JIJ t~ C C } J~I I < " \:-!,: ,,it\
Lx,
I'hat's the pl-ohlern. \he say. Have you ever seen ; I \\.hire per-
 son and a colored sitting side by side in a cur. when one of 'em Oh, she say, 1 couldn't ride in a pick-up uith a strange colored
w~1sn.ts h o ~ i n gthe other one hou to drivc i t or clean it? i1l;ln.
1 got out thc car, opened the back door and clammed in. She sat I ' l l ask Odessa to squeeLe in too. I say. That would give me a
down up front. Off us traveled d o ~ the n road. Miz Millie hair chance t o spend a little time with the children. 1 thought. But she
blowing all out the window. a y , N o , 1 don't know her neither.
It's real pretty country out this w.ay. she say. &,hen we hit the So it end up with me and Jack driving her back home in the
Marshall county road, coming toward Odessa's hc)ust:. pick-up. then Jack driving me to town to git a mechanic. and at
Yes ma'am. I say. tive o'clock 1 was driving Miz Millie's car back to hcr house.
'Then us pull into the yard and all the children come crouding 1 spent fifteen minutes with my children.
round the car. Nobody told them I was coming. so they don't And she been going on for months bout how ungrateful I is.
know u h o 1 is. Except the oldest two. They fall on me, and hug White folks is a miracle of affliction. say Sofia.
me. And then all the little ones start to hug me too. I don't think
the). even notice 1 was sitting in the back of the car. Odessa and
Jack come out after I was out. s o they didn't see it.
Us all stand round kissing and hugging each other, Miz Millie
just watching. Finally. she lean out the window and say. Sofia,
you only got the rest of the day. I'll be back to pick you up at five
o'clock. The children was all pulling me into the house. so sort of
over my shoulder I say. Yes ma'am, and 1 thought I heard her
drive off.

But fifteen minutes later. Marion says. That white lady still out
there.
Maybe she going to wait to take you back, say Jack.
Maybe she sick, say Odessa. You always say how sickly they
IS.
1 go out to the c a r , say Sofia, and guess u h a t the matter is? The
matter is. she don't know how to d o nothing but go forward. and
Jack and Odessa's yard too full of trees for that.
Sofia, she say, How you back this thing up'?
I lean over the car window and try to show her which way to
move the gears. But she flustered and all the children and Odessa
and Jack all standing round the porch watching her.
I go round o n the other side. Try to explain with my head poked
through that window. She stripping gears aplenty by nou,. Plus
her nose red and she look mad and frustrate both.
1 clam in the back seat, lean over the back of the front, steady
trying to show her how to operate the gears. Nothing happen.
Finally the car stop making any sound. Engine dead.
Don't u,orry. 1 say. Odessa's husband Jack will drivc you
home. That's hi4 pick-up right there.
 The minute she say it I know I don't like Grady. 1 don't likc his
,h:ipe, 1 dori't like his teef, 1 don't like his clothes. Seem like to
~ n ehe smell.
[is been driving all night, she say. Nowhere to stop, you know.
Hut here us is. She come over to Grady and put her arms round
him. look up at him like he cute and he lean down and give her a
kiss.
I glance round at Mr. ___. He look like the end o f t h e world.
1 know 1 don't look no better.
.And this my wedding present to us. say Shug. The car big and
dark blue and say Packard o n the front. Brand new. she say. She
look at Mr.. take his arm, give it a little squeeze. While we
here, Albert, she say, 1 want you to learn how to drive. She laugh.
Clradv drive like a fool, she say. I thought the polices was gonna
catch us for sure.
Finally Shug really seem to notice me. She come over and hug
Dear God, me a long time. Us two married ladies now? she say. T w o married
Shug write she got a big surprise, and she intend to bring it ladies. And hungry, she say. What us got to eat'!
home for Christmas.
What it is? us wonder.
Mr. -think it a car for him. Shug making big money now,
dress in furs all the time. Silk and satin too, and hats made out of
gold.
Christmas morning us hear this motor outside the door. U s
look out.
Hot diggidy dog, say Mr. throwing on his pants. H e
rush to the door. I stand in front the glass trying to make some-
thing out my hair. It too short to be long, too long to be short. Too
nappy to be kinky, t o o kinky to be nappy. N o set color to it
either. I give up, tie o n a headrag.
I hear Shug cry, Oh, Albert. H e say, Shrrg. I know they hug-
ging. Then I don't hear nothing.
I run out the door. Shirg, I say, and put out my arms. But
before I know anything a skinny big toof man wearing red sus-
penders is all up in my face. Fore I can wondzr whose dog he is,
he hugging me.
Miss Celie, he say. Aw. Miss Celie. I heard so much about you.
Feel like we old friends.
Shug standing back with a big grin.
This Grady, she say. This my husband.
 Yall make 1oc.c any bettcr'? she ast.
I s try. I a , Hc try 11) pJii\. with the button hul feel like his
Ilnger, i r y . LI; don't g ~ now t here much.
You \till a v ~ r g ~ n4' . 'h ;141.
~
I rcc kon. 1 4ay.

Dear God,
Mr. -drink all through Christmas. Him and Grady. Me
and Shug cook, talk, clean the house, talk, fix up the tree. talk,
wake up in the morning, talk.
She singing all over the country these days. Everybody know
her name. She know everybody. too. Know Sophie Tucker,
know Duke Ellington. know folks I ain't never heard of. And
money. She make so much money she don't know what to d o
with it. She got a fine house in Memphis. another car. She got one
hundred pretty dresses. A room full of shoes. She buy Grady
anything he think he want.
Where you find him at'? I ast.
U p under my car, she say. The one at home. I drove it after the
oil gave out, kilt the engine. H e the man fixed i t . U s took one look
at one nother, that was it.
Mr. ___ feelings hurt. I say. I don't mention mine.
Aw, she say. That old stuff finally over with. You and Albert
feel just like family now. Anyhow, once you told me he beat you.
and won't work, I felt different about him. If you was my wife,
she say, I'd cover you up with kisses stead of licks. and work
hard for you too.
He ain't beat me much since you made him quit. I say. Just a
slap now and then when he ain't got nothing else to d o .
 I \$as surprise. iio\\ I: \ t 1 1 1 1 ~. ~ 4 I l i l ~I ' tinish t~.i:~i!ll~llg
Ili\ ~ L I I I - .b 1 0 ~ \
~ I I C hl~wcicirip L(?u1 1 O I \ I L , ~ '~1.1dI I ~ C \ \ up 111). , ~ o c l < i ~l~i ~ y n. +he,
\io11'1ne\ei- looh 'L!in(.\\ I ! . L I I ~ i!l':c~. ~ ~ l h ' i ~ ,. A i l t . j ?<(:i11.c.
I1on.t c1.1. (.'elii:. :<hc!g .a). I)o:i': ~ 1 . 1 %he . \iir!I h~syingthe
L L , : L ~ ~ I :\i
- 11 co[n,?;lo\\17 \id<: i l l \ l . ; i C ~ .
After while I \;I>.;\ila:n;ifirr;tll) ;:br ho\+.iorlle 5i1c I I I I llis ~ hail.
i l l the girl4 I-OO~I; if he ~ l i ) r ~ 'rt ~ c \ cgo ~ - in thcrc irhc he \ ' i y . I'h:ll
\.\hen hc told he^. 1 I I ; I . ~ :i I-),,: 1.1-icnc!.S o l n ~ho\ ttc \;I) he \CU'
<,ncakingout the b;~chd i ~ < ) iI-t. ihc bc,) ' h hair. hc .,:I!. not h i i . Y-o!~]
I \ ! ~ ~ Lhc,u L she love lo z!rl ;!nh !?X)dgi l ~ ~ i ! .hl: . ',LO.
1 IC>VC C L I ~hair. ! S l t i ! ~ si:lc':
. I \ < ; I \ :I lit!It* hill).
thing. 1.d I-LIII gL)gi! the icis\o~-s11 1 sav, 11~1ir 4 : o ~ n ~ ~~ iIyI. LI'd~ ~ 1 1 :
;lnd cut. long as I c.t,uiid,. !'h;it i l o ; i corric 1 wii4 [lit‘ O I ~ Ci l l ? hi\
h;~ir.But :\lua!s t)ch)r.t: 1 c ~ i t~ ont lhc front po~.ch.11 got ti) thc
where e ~ ~ ~ l - ! ~ 1t l~~; Ll ~IIliill
\r . coiilitlg \ + i t h the ,cisiori and the

Dear Ciod. i,<)rnband the -.:ooI. 1 4:;~l.t :o c1.1

Shug say. U'rlliuh. 1 ihoughl it L+:LA only uhircfolki do
Mr. --.-_:~nd G r a d gone off' in the car together. Shug ast me (r-eakish things like th:~t.
could she sleep ~ ~ i me.t h She cold in her and Grady bed all alone. My niani;\ die. I tell Shug. h l ! , histel- Ycttic run au.ay. Mr.
I ~ ' stalk bout this and that. Soon talk about making love. Shug come git n-le to tahe care his ro!ten children. He ne\er :\st
don't actually say making love. Shc say something nasty. She say nothing bout 11!y4elf. He ciain on lop uf Inc i ~ n df ~ ~ :tnd c k f11ck.
fuc k. Cvcn when my heail llandaged. N ~ h o d yeve]. love me. I say.
She ast me, How was it with your children daddy'? She say, 1 love you. hIiss relie. And then shc ha~rloA':ind kiss
The girls had a little separate room. 1 say. off to itself. con- tni: on the mouth.
nected to the housc by a little plank walk. Nobody ever come in Utn, shc 4ay. like she s~~!-prisc. I hiss her hack. ~ i y 11tt7, . to[).
there hut Mama. But one time when mama not at home, he come. 11s kiss :lnd kiss t i l l 11scan't h;~r.dl\kiss 110 1nor.c. Then us to!.~ch
Told rne he want me to trirn his hair. He bring the scissors and sach other.
comb and hrush and a stool. While I trim his hair he look at me I don't know nothing hout it. 1 say to Shug.
funny. He 21 little nervous too. h u t I don't know u,hy, till he grab I clon't know much. slle say.
hold of me and cram me up tween his legs. hen 1 feels son1ething real soft ;,nd we! 011 1~1.1).b~.e>ist, ~ C C I like
1 lay there quiet. listening to Shug breathe. one of my littie los! babies mouth.
I t hurt me. you know. I iay. I h a s just going on fourteen. 1 Way after while, 1 act like 21 l~ttleloit h;~hytoo.
nevereven thought bout men having nothing down there so big. I t
icarc me just to see i t . And the way it poke itself and grow.
Shug so quiet I think she sleep.
AAer he through. I say. he make me finish trimming his hair.
I sneak a look at Shug.
Oh. Miss Celie. she say. And p ~ her ~ t arms round me. They
black and smooth ancl kind of glou8yfrom the lamplight.
I xtart to cr) too. I cry and cry and cry. Seen1 like it all come
back to rnc. laying there in Shug arms. How i t hurt and how much

Dear God,
Grady and Mr. - come staggering in round daybreak. Me
and Shug sound asleep. Her back to me. n1y arms round her
waist. What it like? Little like sleeping with mama, only I can't
hardly remember ever sleeping with her. Little like sleeping with
Nettie, only sleeping with Nettie never feel this good. It warm
and cushiony, and I feel Shug's big tits sorta Hop over my arms
like suds. It feel like heaven is what i t feel like. not like sleeping
with Mr. at all.
Wake up Sugar, I say. They back. And Shug roll over. hug me.
and git out of the bed. She stagger into the other room and fall o n
the bed with Grady. Mr. fall into bed next to me, drunk.
and snoring before he hit the quilts.
I try my best to like Grady. even if he d o wear red suspenders
and bow ties. Even if he d o spend Shug's money like he made it
himself. Even if he d o try t o talk like somebody from the North.
M e m p h ~ sTennessee
. ain't North. even I know that. But one thing
I sure nuff can't stand. the u,ay he call Shug Mama.
I ain't your fucking mama. Shug say. But he don't pay her no
mind.
Like when he be making goo-goo ekes at Squeiil, and Shug
sorra tease him about it. he say, Aw. hlania. you know 1 don't
mean no harm.
Shup l ~ h eSqueak too, t ~ to
y help her \lng The!, $11 in Odc\\a'\
front room with all thc ch~ldrenc m u d e d rouad them ilnglng and
wrong.
What about all them funny voices you hear singing in church?
Sbug say. What about all them sounds that sound good but they
(tot the sounds you thought folks could make'? What bout that'?
Ihen she start moaning. Sound like death approaching, angels
i;in3t prevent it. It raise the hair o n the hack of your neck. But it
really sound sort of like panthers would sound if they could sing.
I tell you something else. Shug say to Mary Agnes. listening 10
!.ou sing, folks git to thinking bout a good screw.
Aw, Miss Shrrg, say Mary Agnes, changing color.
Shug say. What. too shamefaced to put singing and dancing and
!'ucking together'? She laugh. That's the reason they call what U S
\ing the devil's music, Devils love to fuck. Listen. she say, Let's
go sing one night iit Harpo place. Be like old times for me. And if 1
hring you before the crowd, they better listen with respect. Nig-
gers don't know how to act. but if you git through the first half of
one song, you got 'em.
You reckon that's the truth? say Mary Agnes. She all big eyed
ltnd delight.
I don't knou if 1 want her to sing, say Harpo.
How come? ast Shug. That woman you got singing now can't
git her ass o r i r the church. Folks don't know whether to dance o r
ct-eep t o the mourner's bench. Plus. you dress Mary Agnes up the
right way and you'll make piss pots of money. Yellow like she is.
stringy hair and cloudy eyes. the men'll be crazy bout her. Ain't
that right, Grady , she say.
Grady look little sheepish. Grin. Mama you don't miss a thing.
he say.
And don't you forgit it. say Shug.
I
1
 mm& '1 H h ('01O K p~u~1-F

box 1 hope for newx. But nothing come. She dead. 1 say.
say. s h e wnuldn'[ be someplace with funny stamps, You
r,on-l reckon.?She look like she studying. Say. Sometinles when

yes, Lord, I say. Smart as anything. Read the newspapers

Dear God. MheIlshe was little more than talking. Did figures like they was
I
~ ~ l real k ~ d too. And sweet. 'There never was a
This the letter I been holding in my hand, .;M:eelcr girl, 1 say. Eyes just brimming over with it. She love me
too, 1 say to Shug.
Dear Celie, s h e tall or shorta) shug ast. What kind of dress she like to wear?
what her birthday'? \vh:it her favorite color'? Can she cook? S e w ?
you think I am dead. But 1am not. 1 becn writing to you
too, over the ).'ears, but Albert said you'd never hear from me What ahout hair'?
Everything bout Nettie she want to know.
'gain and since I never heard from you all this time, I guess he
was right, Now I only write at Christmas and Easter hoping m y
letter get lust among the Christmas and Easter greetings, or that
,
I
1 talk so much my voice start 10 go. Why you want to know so
milch bout Nettie'! 1 ast.
Albert get the holiday spirit and have pity
? , us.
cause the <,nly one vou ever love. she say. sides
here is so much to tell YOU that 1 don't knou:, hardly, where to
begin-and anybay, You probably won't get this letter. either,
sure Albert is still the only one to take mail out of the box.
But if this do Flet through, one thing 1 want you to know, I love
you, and I am not dead. And Olivia is fine and so is your son.
We are all coming home before the end of another year,
Your loving sister.
Nettie
One night i n bed Shug aSt me to tell her bout Nettie, what she
like? Where she a t ?
her how Mr. -try to turn her head, How iqettie
refuse him. and how he say Netrie have to go.

112
 I\l\i [;ilk ;\nd l:i~~gli
i\i t \ ) (i!.:i<i> , IIiirpo ;t11ci S\+t;ii~i.
:LII,.\ t 1 . i IcL~I.!)
i:o\r to d~.iveS h t ~ gC;II..
1 \v;it~hhilll \() ~ [ o , c .I htgi11 1,) fee\ ;I I i g h ~ c ~ ~
11)~ lhc
ng ~ C Z L .
I:orc I know :lnq.(hirig I ' m i r ; ~ n J i n ghind hi\ chair :r i t l i l1i.i i.~i/()r
fi.~17cn.
'!'hen I Shug l:illgIi. like somerhingJust too l'unn~,. Shc \:I>
! I ) I-nt.. 1 kric~~v 1 rolci 1 need xorncthing lo c i ~ l[hi\ hangnail
!i irh. bur Albert sit real niggerish bout his i-a/or.
Mr. look hehind him. Pur t h i ~down.
~ he sak. U ' O ~ ~ I I .
il\vays needing to cut this and ,h:ive th:i(. and ;il~viivsgi~~ill~?illg
. ~ the p r;iLor.
Shurr not her hand on rhe r ; ~ r o rnotr. She \:I!.
L. c.
Oh ~t look dull
cnbway. She take and sling i t back. in the shaving box.
Ali da!. long 1 act just lihc Sofia. 1 r u r r c r . I rnurtcr to mb'sclf. 1
slumble bour the h o u ~ ec~-:iz! for Mr. hloocl. I n ni) mind.
+e f:tlling dead evcrv u.hish a w a y . Hg., lime nigh[ come. 1 can'l
,peak. Every time I open ni\ niouth ncithing come out hut a little
Dear God. Iit~rp.
Shug tell everybodv 1 got ;I icvcr and she put me to bed. I t
All of a sudden Shug buddy-buddy again with M r . . They ~ ~ r o h a b ~l ya t c h i n gshe
. sa! to Mr. M;i)be you better sleep
sit on the steps, go down Harpo's. Walk to the mailbox. homewhere else. Bur she \ray with me ; i l l night long. I don'l
Shug Inugh and laugh when he got anything to say. Show teef .,ieep. I don't cry. 1 d , ~ n ' td o norhing. I'ni cold too. Pretty soon 1
and tits aplenty. : hink maybe I'm dc:id.
Mc and Grady try to carry on Iikc us civilire. But it hard. When Shug hold me clobe to her and s o ~ n e t i n i ctalk. ~
I hear Shug laugh I \cant to choke her. slap Mr. -- face. One thing niy mania hated IT-refor u.as hou much I love to f'uck.
All this week I suffer. Grad) and me feel so down he turn to .,he say. She never love to clo nothing had anything lo d o uzith
reefer. J turn to prayer. 10111chingnobody. she say. I tr!, to kiss her. she turn her mouth
Saturday morniilg Shug put Nettie letter in niy lap. t i t t l e fat ,t\v;i!,. Say. Cut that out 1,illie. she say. i,illic Shug's r-cal nanii..
queen of England stamps on i t , pius stamps that got peanut,. i t : e just so sweet they call her Shug.
coconuts. rubber trees and say Africa. I don't know where En- My dadd!. jc>ve tu kiss and hug him, bur she didn't like the
gland at. Don't know where Africa at either. S o I still don't know 1c)oks of that. So \\hen 1 met Albert. and once 1 got ~n his arm.;.
where Nettie at. ;:cthing cc>uld i t me out. It was good. too. \he ~ y You . know tor
He been keeping your letters, say Shug. ; n c to have three hahie\ by Albert and Albert b e a k a s he i4. i t had
Naw, I say. Mr. __-- mean sometimes. hut he not that mean. it, he good.
She say, Humpi. he tha! mean. I had every one of my hahie\ ar home. roo. Midwil'e ctmle.
Hut how come he d o it? I i i r t He knou. Nettie mear; everything :'reacher come. a btrr~chof the good 1:idit.s iron1 the church. . l i ~ s t
in the uc)rId to nlc. ~. ,.\ hen 1 hurt so rnuch 1 don't kiloiv o w n name. they think kt
Shug say she don'[ know. but us gon find out. ..<)id tirne to talk bout rcpcnt.
(-1s se:tl the letter up again and put i t back in __packe~. She lauyh. I w;ls too big a fool 1.0repcnr. Then \hc s ; ~ .I. luved
He uiill\ round with it in his coat all day. He never mention i t . )ic some Albcl-1

I I.;
 .1-11i: C'ok.on 1 ' ~RI1i I 'I'HE COI-OKPCKPLE

1 don't even want to say nc~thing.Where I'm at i t pc:iceful. It myself. w h y 1 hurt her 1 used to keep Albert a\%ayfrom home
c:~lni.No Albert there. N o Shug. Nothing. fc,r a week a t the timc, She'd come and beg him for- money to buy
Shug say. the last haby did it. The!. tusned me out. ! b e n t to gl.oceries for the children.
stay with my mama wild sister in blcnlphis. Shc just like me. I feel a few drops of watcr on my hand.
Mama say. She drink, she tight. she love men4 to ticiith. She work ~~d when 1 co1112 here. say Shup, I treated you s o mean. Like
in a roadhouse. Cook. Feed tifty men. her-eu tifty-five. mjas a And all because Albert married You.
Shug talk and talk. didn't want him for a husband. she say. 1 never really
And dance, she say. Nobody dance like Aiber-t when he was wanted Albert for a husband. But just to choose me. You know-
young. Sometime us did the ~noochiefor a ho11r. After that. noth- nature had already done it. Nature said. You two folks.
ing to d o but g o somcwherc and lay down. And funny. Albert was ,look up. cause you a good example of how it %posedto g o I
SO .fitrzrry. He kept me laughing. How come he ain't funny no didn't want nothing to be able to go against that. But what was
more'! she ast. How come he never hardly laugh'? Hoiv come he good tween us must have heen nothing but bodies. she say. Cause
don't dance'.' she say. Good God, Celie, she say, What h~ippento 1 don't know the Albert that don't dance, can't hardly laugh,
the man I love? never talk bout nothing, beat kou and hid Your sister Nettie's
She quiet a little bhile. Then shs say, 1 w a s so surprise when 1 letters. Who h e ?
heard he was going to marry Annie Julia, she say. I'oo surprise to 1 don't know nothing. I think. And glad of it.
he hurt. I didn't believe it. After all. Albert knew a s well as me
that love would have to go some to be better than ours. U s had
the kind of love couldn't be improve. That's what 1 thought.
But, he weak. she say. His d:lddy told him I'm trash, my mama
trash before me. His brother say the samc. Albert try to stand up
for us. git knock down. One reason they give him for not marry- I
ing me is cause 1 have childr-en.
But they izis, 1 told old Mr. -. I
t i o w us know'? He ast.
Poor Annie Julia, Shug say. She never had a chancc. I was so I
mean, and so wild, Lord. 1 used to go round saying, I don't care
who he married to. I'm gonna fuck him. She stop talking a n ~ i n - i
1
ute. Then she say. And I did, too. Us fuck so much in the upcn us
give fucking a bad name. ,
But he fuck Annie Julia too, she say, and she didn't have noth- I
ing, not even a liking for him. Her family forgot about hcr once
she married. And then Harpo and all the children start tc, come.
Finally she start to sleep with that man that shot her down. Alhe1.t
beat her. The children dragged on her. Sometimes I ~vonderwhat
she thought about while h e died.
I know what I'm thinking bout, I think. Nothins. And as much
of it as I can.
1 went to school with Annie Julia, Shug say. She was pretty,
man. Black as anything, and >kin just as cmoc~th.Big black eyes 1
look like moons. And sweet too. Hell, say Shug. I liked her 1
116

!
Dear God.
Now that I know Albert hiding Nettie's letters. I know ex-
actly where they is. They in his trunk. Everything that mean
something to Albert go in his trunk. He keep it locked up tight,
but Shug can git the key.
One night when Mr. ____ and (jrady gone, us open the trunk.
U s find a lot of Shug's underclotht.~.w m e nast), picture post-
cards, and way down under his tobacco, Nettie's letters. Bunches
and bunches of them. Some fat, some thin. Some open. some not.
How us gon d o this'! I ast Shug.
She say. Simple. We take the letter-s out of the envelopes, leave
the envelopes just like they is. I don't think he look in this corner
of the trunk much, she say,
I heated the stove, put on thc kettle. Us \team and steam the
envelopes until we had all the letters laying on the table. Then us
put the envelopes back inside the trunk.
I'm gonna put them in some kind of order for you. say Shug.
Yeah, I say. but don't let's d o i t in here, let's go in you and
Grady room.
S o she got up and us went into they little room. Shug sat in a
chair by the bed with all Nettie letters spread round her. I pot on
the bed with the pillows behind my back.
These the first ones, say Shug. They postmark right here.
Dear Celie. t h e first l ~ t t r .Fa\'.
r
You've got to fight and get away from Albert. H e ain't no good.
When I left you all's house. walking. he followed me o n his
horse. When we was we11 out of sight of the house he caught up
with me and started trying to talk. You know how he do. YOU
sure is looking fine, Miss Nettie, and stuff like that. 1 tried to
ignore him and walk faster, but my bundles was heavy and the
sun was hot. After while I had to rest. and that's when he got
down from his horse and started t o try to kiss me. and drag me
back in the woods.
Well, 1 started to fight him, and with God's help. I hurt him bad
enough t o make him let me aIone. But he was some mad. H e said
because of what I'd done I'd never hear from you again, and you
would never hear from me.
I was s o mad myself I was shaking.
Anyhow, 1got a ride into town o n somebody's wagon. And that
came somebody pointed me in the direction of the Reverend Mr.
' s pIace. And what wah my surprise when a little girl
opened the door and she had your eyes set in your face.
love.
Nettie
Nest onr ?(lid,
Dear Celie.
I keep thinking it's too soon to look fbr a letter from you. And I
know how busy you is with all Mr. -- 's children. But I miss
you so much. Please write to me, soon as you have a chance.
Every day I think about you. Every minute.
The lady you met in town is name Corrine. The little girl's
name is Olivia. The husband's name is Samuel. The little boy's
name is Adam. They are sanctified religious and very good to me.
They live in a nice house next to the church where Samuel
preaches, and we spend a lot of time on church business. I say
"we" because they always try to include me in everything they
do, so I don't feel so left out and alone.
But God, I miss you. Celie. 1 think about the time you laid
yourself down for me. 1 love you with all my heart,
Your sister,
Nettie
Dearest Celie,
By now I am almost crazy. I think Albert told me the truth, and
that he is not giving you my letters. The only person I can think of
who could help us out is Pa, but I don't want him to know where I
am.
I asked Samuel if he would visit you and M r . , just to see
how you are. But he says he can't risk putting himself between
man and wife, especially when he don't know them. And I felt
bad for having to ask him. he and Corrine have been so nice to
me. But my heart is breaking. It is breaking because I can not find
any work in this town, and I will have to leave. After I leave.
what will happen to us? How will we ever know what is going on?
Corrine and Samuel and the children are part of a group of
people called Missionaries. of the American and African Mission-
ary Society. They have ministered to the Indians out west and are
ministering to the poor of this town. All in preparation for the
work they feel they were born for, missionary work in Africa.
I dread parting from them because in the short time we've been
together they've been like family to me. Like family might have
been. I mean.
Write if you can. Here are some stamps.
love. Nettie

Next one, f a t , doted trlv months lutpr, soy
Dear Celie.
I wrote a letter to you almost every day on the ship coming to
Africa. But by the time we docked I was so down, I tore them into
little pieces and dropped them into the water. Albert is not going
to let you have my letters and s o what use is there in writing
them. That's the way I felt when I tore them up and sent them to
you on the waves. But now I feel different.
I remember one time you said your life made you feel so
ashamed you couldn't even talk about it to God, you had t o write
it. bad a s you thought your writing was. Well, now I know what
you meant. And whether God will read letters or no, I know you
will go on writing them; which is guidance enough for me. Any-
way, when I don't write to you I feel a s bad a s I d o when I don't
pray, locked up in myself and choking on my own heart. I am so
lonc,ly, Celie.
The reason I am in Africa is because one of the missionaries
that was supposed t o go with Corrine and Samuel to help with the
children and with setting up a school suddenly married a man who
was afraid to let her go. and refused to come to Africa with her.
So there they were, all set t o g o , with a ticket suddenly available
and no missionary to give it to. ~t the same time, I wasn't able to
find a job anywhere around town. But 1 never dreamed of going t o
Africa! 1 never even thought about it as a real place. though
122
' 1 ~ 1 1 COLO K PURPI.~
Samuel anti Corrint: and even the children talked about i t ;ill the
Miss Beaslel used to say it was a placi: overrun with savages
who didn't wear clothes. Even Corrine and Samuel thought like
!his at times. But they know a lot more ahout it than Miss Beasley
o r any of our other teachers, and besides. they spoke of all the
good things they could do for the downtrodden people from
whom they sprang. People who need Christ and good medical
advice.
One day I was in town with Corrine and we saw the mayor's
wife and her maid. The mayor's wife was shopping-going in and
out of stores-and her maid was waiting for her on the street and
taking the packages. 1 don't know if you have ever seen the
mayor's wife. She looks like a wet cat. And there was her maid
looking like the very last person in the world you'd expect to see
waiting on anybody. and in particular not on anybody that looked
iike that.
I spoke. But just speaking to me seemed to make her embar-
rassed and she suddenly sort of erased herself. It was the
strangest thing. Celie! One minute I w.as saying howdy to a living
woman. The next minute nothing living was there. Only its shape.
All that night 1 thought about i t . Then Samuel and Corrine told
me what they'd heard about how she got to be the mayor's maid.
'That she attacked the mayor. and then the mayor and his wife
took her from the prison to work in their home.
In the morning I started asking questions about Africa and
started reading all the books Samuel and Corrine have on the
subject.
Did you know there were great cities in Africa. greater than
Milledgeville or even Atlanta. thousands of years ago'? That the
Egyptians who built the pyramids and enslaved the Israelites
were colored? That Egypt is in Africa? That the Ethiopia we read
about in the Bible meant all of Africa?
Well, 1 rcad and I read until 1 thought my eyes would f.dI\ out. I
rcad where the Africans sold us because they loved money more
than their own sisters and brothers. How we came to America in
ships. How we were made to work.
1 hadn't realized 1 was s o ignorcint. Celie. The little 1 knew
about my own self wouldn't have filled a thimble! And to think
Miss Beasley always said 1 was the smartest child 5he ever
taught! But onc thing 1 do thank her for. for teaching mc to learn
123
 for nlysclf. by reading and studying and writing a clear hand. ,And
for keeping alive in me aornehnfi, the desire to k n o ~ t . So
. \hlhen
Corrine and Samuel asked me if I would colne with them and help
them build :r school in the middle of Africa, 1 said yes. But ollly if
they would teach me everything thcy knew to make me useful a s
a missionary and someone they would not be ashamed to call a
friend. They agreed to this condition. and my real education be-
gan at that time.
They have been as good as their w,ord. And 1 study everything
night and day.
Oh. Celie, there are colored people in the world ~ . h want
o us to
know! Want us to grow and see the light! They are not all mean
like Pa and Albert. o r beaten down like ma was. Corrine and
Samuel have a wonderful marriage. Their only sorrow in the be-
ginning was thar they could not have children. And then. they
say. "God" sent them Olivia and Adam.
I wanted to say. "God" has sent you their sister and aunt. but I
didn't. Yes. their children, sent by "God" are your children.
Cclie. And they are being brought up in love, Christian charity
and awareness of God. And now "God" has sent me t o watch TI,(, t,(,.r[ lpt1(),* (ttit~rill(^[ sli?,

over them. to protect and cherish them. To lavish all the love I
feel for you on them. It is a miraclc. isn't it'? .And nu doubt
impossible for you to believe.
But on the other hand, if you can believe 1 an1 in Africa. and 1
am. you can believe anything.
Your sister. Nettie
l)e;~r Cclie.
while wc Mere in town Col-rine bought cloth to make me two
sets of outfits. One olive preen and the other gray. Long
and suit jackets to be worn with white cotton blouses
gored
and lace-up boots, She ;,lso bought me ;i woman.- boater with a
checkered band.
l t h o u g h I work for Corrine and Samuel and look after the
chi!dr.cn, 1 don't feel like a maid. I guess this is because they
teach me. and I teach the children and there's no beginning or end
to teaching and learning and working-it all runs together.
Saying good-bke to our church group was h a r d But happy.
t o o Everyone ha, such high hoper for what can be done in A 1
ric;~. Over the pulpit there is a swing: Ctiziopi(~Sh(rl1 Stretc.1~
o H i t . o . Think what it means that Ethiopi~tis
Africa! All the Ethiopians in the bible were colored. It had never
occurred to me, though when you read the bible it is pcdectly
plain if you pay :~ttcntiononly t o the w o r d s It is the pictures in
the bible that fool you. 'The pictures that illustrate the words. All
of the people ;Ire white and so you illst think all the people from
the bihlc were hhite too. I3ut really ~t./ritt~ white people lived
 \ o r n e \ ~ t ~ c ~clsc r . c tlirr-~r~g th,)ic. !:rl,es. 'I.t1;1['\ 1\11). [he hlbiC S ; I ~ S
[ll;it Je\us ('tll.is1 h i i t i 11:iir lihc I;iilltl'\ \ L O O [ . l , ; i ~ ~ l b M' sO O ! is not
\tr-;iighl, i c.lic. I 1 isn't even cu1.1~
Lb'l~iitcan I lell hcii! ;ihoi~tNeil L'OI h-01- e \ e n ;i!)o111 the train
l h , i l took 114 rherci LVc had lo rrtlc in rhc sit-doit11 ,ec;ion of. the
! i ; i i i ~ , but Cclic, there :ire bcdx on 11-;11rls1 And a rcslii111:inl! And
[0iiet4' The becis C O I I I ~d t w n out o f t h e ~ \ ; i l / so\,er . the t o p o f t h e
seiits. ;ind ;ire zallcJ bur-lhs. C)nl\~white peoplc caul r-ide in the
bcJ\ and i ~ s clhc r-c\l:icr[.anl. And [hey ~ B L diffcrenl C loile!.; from
col01.ctl.
0 1 i ~ while marl on lhc pl:ilIo~-rllin S o ~ ~ Car-olin;i th
b4 hcl-c ujcrc going---he had got olf lhc train to ~ C some
.tir ,{:-idlo dust rhc grit ;1nJ C I U ~ I0111 four clothes. Whcr~we s;iid
'\!'ric;~ he Iooketi ofkndvd and ti~,kledloo. Nigger4 going to .4f-
ric't. he \aid to h i \ \kifc. Now I i t c l ~ < seen c ~ evcl-?thing.
When we go1 :o N e w York we were tired and di~.~!.Hut so
c k.c~lcdII-islen. C'eiic. SCLV 1'0;-k is :i h c t r r r t i / i r l cily. .And colored
O U I I ;I M hole section oi'il. ~:;~lled ~S;II-lern. '1'hcl.e ;Ire colored peo-
ple in more t'i~ncyn;o!or. Cii1.4 t h a r ~I thought existed. and living in
houses th'it arc tinct. rhsn iiny uhite pcrson's house down home.
T'here arc Inore than i i hundrctl chul-chcs! .And we went to eLery
<:nu 01' Ihem. And I xlood hefore each congregalion \cilh S;~mucl
iind C'c~rl-ineand the children ~ i n dsometimes our mouths l a s t
Jr-opped open from the genel-osily and goodness of [ h o w Hal-lcm
people's hearts. They live in such bciiaty ancl dignity. Celit:. And
they give and give and rhcrl reach d o ~ nand give some more.
\iller! !he niirne ".Africav is rnentioncd.
.Jhcy io1.r~i\frica. l'hev defer~cl i t al the drop of a hat. And
p e a k i n g ot'h;l.l\. i t ' u e had pa4sed our hats alone they s o u i d not
h a ~ , cbeer1 enouglt 1<) hold a11 (he donalions tc? our enter-prise.
I-;vcn the childi-t:n dredged up their pennich. 1'le:isc g i ~ these
the children of ,.2fricu. they said. They were all drehsed so beauti-
h ~ l l y .too. C'elie. I uish you could have seen them. 1-here is a
frishion in Harlem ncw tor holji 1 0 wear- something ci!l!c*d hnick-
..I.\---sort of baggy plinrs, firred light ju4r bclow the kncc, and for-
g!u!-lslo ivear. g;i~.I;ir~ds 01' flo~versin their hair-. 'The! rr~ustbe the
lT1ostbc;iu[it'ul children ali\,c. iund '4iiarn and Oli\ i , ~j:oir!dn't t ~ ~ h t -
:/I;II.eyes of'[ rherri.
l'hen ther-c ~ e 1 . ethe tlinncrs \ne were ini,ircd to. thc br.ealflrls1s.
;% . , , .~_ >. c sL .I I I ~4 ~ 1 p p ~ :I- ,g:~irwd
i , , L -\. ti^^ p ~ > ! j i l i j \ j (~~~\Vt O ItT; ~- I\ t i i l ? ; 1 \\':I5
[ ~ C \ .L 1:etI~ ~ 1c~l.':;tl;\ Cdl,
. ~
rric lights!
Well. \ye had two week4 of srudy in the 0link;i cii:ilcct. \bhich
the people in this region speiih. Thcn u e were c\;irnined by a
doclor (colored!) and given medic;il 4upplic4 fol oursc1~c.sand for
our host vi1l;ipc by the Missionar!, Society of N e u Yorh. It i \ run
by while people and they didn't m y ;inything ;ihui~tc;iring about
Africa, but only about duty. There is ii1rc:rciy a ~ h i t cwoman
missionary not far from our \ill;ige who has lived in Afric;i for the
past twenty years. She is said to be much loved by the natives
asked us even though she thinks they are an entirely different species from
I fresh what she calls Europeans. Europeans arc white people M ho live
in a place called Europe. That is where the white people down
home came from. She says an African daisy anJ an English daisy
are both flowers. but totally different kinds. The man at the Soci-
ety says she is successful because she doesn't "coddle" her
c h a r g e s She also speaks their language. He is a white man who
looks at us as if we cannot possibly be as good with the Africans
as this woman is.
My spirits sort of drooped after being at the Society. On every
wall there was a picture of a white man. Somebody called Speke,
somebody called Livingstone. Somebody called Daly. Or was it
Stanley'? I looked for a picture of the white woman but didn't see
one. Samuel looked a little sad too. but then he perked up and
reminded us that there is one big advantage we have. We are not
white. We are not Europeans. We are black like the Africans
themselves. And that we and the Africans will be working for a
common goal: the uplift of black people everywhere.
Your sister. Nettie
e to
 &-
m CL i.111 ( ' 0 1 O R l ' ~ ~ 1 ' 1 . E

I; t,,lL. I , L c l i l C ~ very young ti) be :I rr~issionar~.but

\ i ; l c , \.cr! willing. and that, anywa)'. nlY Prl-
s ~ ~ , ~ ~ !
t h l t r 1
,,,:,,! illll !':, ,,(1,,1(( bc I I ~ I ~ I Iivith I ~ the children and teach in^ ;I
kinJcrpal.teil ;:I;I\, or' i \ \ U .
olIr\h,)l.ki,ci:;lll ,ccm \ornewhat clearer in ilnpla~ldbecause

,%nd Ye; the h l c ( i , h ;isiii[e ur they do not. Although Africans

tlild ;, bultr!. ~ i ~ i l i ~ a t ithan
o n the European (though of
c L e n the ~;,:,glish d o not say this: I get this from reading a
ni,metj .I, ;I,~ ~ ~fhr~severalr , centuries
) they havc fallen on
! ~ l m c s ..\l:,,d
, rlnlcs.' is a phrase the Engli4h love to use,
Dear Celie, 4hi,-;,, And it i x easy t o forget that Africa's
whcl, ,i,csk,ng
Samuel is a big man. HC dresses in black ..ha,.<,rllnr.s...,jcl.c made l1;,l-der by them. Millions and millions of
[he sold into s~avcry-you and me, Celie!
except for his white clerical collar. And hr is black, Until you see ,Aj.ic:answcl-e c;lpturctj
his you think he'\ somber. even mean, but he hiti [he most r2nd whole '.jtiet; bere destroyed b y slave catching wars. Today
and gentle brown eyes. When he prllpie or Afiic.;-}l;lving murdered or sold into slaver^ their
$omething it stronsvst folks---.:,re r l ~ d l e dby disease and sunk in spiritual and
you. because he never says anything off [he top of his
and phi.sicd! cl)ofu,ion They believe in the devil and worship the
never Out to dampen your spirit or to hurt. corrirle is a
lucky Woman to have him as her husband, d c a ~ l>ol-
. ~ ; l they
n read or write.
But let me ivl;l ijill the,, sell usG?How the) hare done it'! 2 n d why
You about the ship! The ship, ~h~ ~ ~ l ~ ~ ii,lc ~ ;hen,,?, These were the thoughts I had as we
was three stories high! And we had rooms (called cab,nsl do ,7,.e
beds. Oh. Celie- to lie in a bed in the middle o f t h e !ranlpe~,hioLlpbthe streets of London. I studied England
And ltle
Ocean! Celieq more water than you can imagine i n one plilce, I t .,, a mc,l,. ,o nc;,t ; , n ~serene. and I became hopeful i n spite of
took two mirclf+h;,t ~ ilillch~gL,li J n for~Africa is posrihlc. given hard work and
which a
to cross it! And then we were i n E
full of white people and some of ttlcln i,sry
~ ~
he
~
, , , And
, we
then sailed for Africa. I~eaving
nice and with [heir own ANi-Sl;ivery & h~~iisionar); society, Southamptoo, hng!;lnc{on the 24th of July and arriving ill Man-
rovii,, I ,ibel i;, on ihc 12th of September. On the h e stopped
churches in England were also v e r l eager to help ;,nd n h i t e
"Im and in l,jsbon. P,\~-t~lgal and Dakar. Senegal.
us to who looked just like the ones ;it home. irlvilrd were
gatherings and into their homes fc,r tea. a[1d to talk hl~~:-o~ ' i athe last place we were among people
\+;Is
about O u r work. ''Tea'' to the English is really 21 sc,mekih:,t used t o , since i t is an African country that u';is
illdoors. .-~(,undcd.- hi er-sl;lves from America who came hack to Africa
"lrnty of sandwiches and cookies and of course hot le;,, wc all
used the same cups and plates, t o live, ~ ; , d of their parents or grandparents been soldinltrl
aj
~ , ~ ~ 1~uonclcred. , ~ ~ ~and~ what ~ i was; ~their
. feeling. once

128
179
slaves. now coming back, with close ties ti, the country that
bought them. to rule.
Celie7 I must stup now. The sun is not so hot now alld 1 "lust
Prepare for the afternoon classes and vesper yerviee.
I wish you were with me, or I with vou.
My iove,
Your sister. Nettie

Ilctarest Celie.
It was the funniest thing L Ostop uver in Monrovia after- my first
glimpse of Africa. which was Senegal. The capital of Senegal is
Dakar and the peoplc spcak their own language. Senegalese 1
guess they would call i t . and French. They are ?he blackest peo-
ple 1 have ever seen, Celie. They are black like thc people u e are
talking about when u,e say. "So and so is blacker than hlack, he's
/>l~crblack." The) arc s o hlack. Cclic, they shine. Which i.; some-
thing else foiks down home like to say about real black fokks. But
Celie. try to imagine a city full v f these ihining. blueblack people
wearing brilliant blue robes with designs like fancy quilt patterns.
Tall. thin, ~ i t long
h necks and straight backs. Can you picture i t
at all. Cclie'! Because 1 felt like 1 was seeing hlack for the first
time. Arid Celic. ther-e is something magical about it. Because the
black is so black the eyc is sirnply darrled. and then therc is the
shining that seems to come, rcally. from moonlight. i t is so lumin-
ous, but their skin glows even in the sun.
But 1 did not really like the Senegalese 1 met in the rnarkct.
Thcy were concerned only with thcil- sale of produce. l f ~ v edid
not buy. they lookcci through us as quickly as they I ~ ~ o k c d
through thc white French people who live there. Somehou I had
not espectccl to ice an)' white people in Africa. hut they A[-ehere
in dr-eve.,. -2nd not :ill ; ~ r crniisionarie\.
 on deck ; ~ n dgave l l ~ i t r l k10~ ( i ~ dfor letting 115 \ C C t h l~i t ~ l t l
for which OUI- nlo1t1i.r~and Siithtrj cried-:ind l i ~ c dand died-10
see again.
oh. Celie! Will 1 ever be able to tell ) ' O U :ill'!
1 dar-e ask, [ k n o w . But leave i t 211 1 0 God.
'('our everloving sihler. Y ~ l t i c
 That better than nothing.
Celie, she say. Nettie not the only one you got to worry bout.
Say \+hat. 1 ast.
Me. Celie. think about me :i little bit. Miss Celie. if you kill
Albert, Grady be all 1 got left. 1 can't evcn \[and the thought of
that.
1 laugh. thinking bout Grady's big toofs.
Make Alhert let me \leep with you from n o h on. while you
here. 1 say.
And somehow or other. \he do.

Dear G o d ,
What with being shock. crying and hlo~\ingrnq. noye. and trying
to puzzle out words u\ don't know, i t took a long tlmo to read just
the first two or three letters. By the time us got up to where she
good and settled in Africii. Mr. - iind GI-ad4come home.
Can you handlc it? ast Shug.
How I'm gon kt:zp from killing him. I say.
Don't kill. she saq. Nettie he coming home before long. Don't
make her have to look :it yo11 lihc us look at Sofia.
But it so hard, I say. whilc Shug empty her suitcase and put the
letters inside.
Hard to be Christ too. sa) Shug. But he manage. Rememhcr
that. Thou Shalt Not Kill. He said. And probably uantcd to add
on to that. Starting with mc. He knowed thc fools he wa:, dealing
with.
Hut Mr. -- not Christ. I'm riot Christ. I say.
You somebody to Nettic. she say. And she be pi\st'd it' you
change on her while she on her. way home.
11s hear Grady and Mr. -___ in thc hitchen. Di\hcs ral~ling.
siire door open and shut.
Naw, 1 think 1 feel bcrtcr if I kill him. I s:i\.. I fccls sickish.
N ~ ~ r n nuw..
b,
Sit\\ you won't. Nobotl! k e l bettc.1- for. killing nothing. 'l'heg.
t'cc~l, O / ~ l , ~ l , ' ~ iis
t l ,all.
~
 Yeah'? 1 say.
Yeah. And another thing,
~ - - I used to put o n Albert's pants when
we was courting. - And he o n e time put on my dress.
No he didn't.
. - . he did. H e use to be a lot of fun. Not like now. But he
Yes ~-~

loved t o see me in pants. It was like a red flap to a bull.

1Jgh. 1 say. 1 could just picture it, and 1 didn't like it one bit.
Well. you know how they is, say Shug.
What us gon make 'em out of. I say.
We have to git our hands on somebody's army uniform. say
Shug. For practice. That good strong material and free.
Jack, 1 say. Odessa's husband.
Okay, she say. And everyday we going to read Nettie's letters
and sew.
A needle and not a razor in my hand, I think.
She don't say nothing else. just come over to me and hug.
Dear G o d ,
Us sleep like sisters, me and Shug. Much a s I still want to be
with her, much a s I love to look, my titties stay soft, my little
button never rise. Now I know I'm dead. But she say. Naw. just
being mad, grief, wanting to kill somebody will make you feel this
way. Nothing to worry about. Titties gonna perk up. button
gonna rise again.
I loves to hug up, period, she say. Snuggle. Don't need nothing
else right now.
Yeah? I say. Hugging is good. Snuggle. All of it's good.
She say, Times like this, lulls. us ought to do something differ-
ent.
Like what? I ast.
Well. she say, looking me up and down, let's make you some
pants.
What Ineed pants for? I say. 1 ain't no man.
Don't git uppity. she say. But you don't have a dress d o noth-
ing for you. You not made like no dress pattern, neither.
I don't know, I say. Mr. not going to let his wife wear
pants.
Why not'? say Shug. You d o all the work around here. It's a
scandless, the way you look out there plowing in a dress. How
you keep from falling over it or getting the plow caught in it is
beyond me.

Dear God,
Now I know Nettie ali1.e I begin to strut a little bit. Think,
When she come home us leave here. Her and me and our two
children. What they look like, I wonder. But i t hard to think bout
them. I feels shame. More than love, to tell the truth. Anyway, is
they all right here? Got good senbe and all'? Shug say children got
by incest turn into dunces. Incest part of the devil's plan.
But I think bout Nettie.
It's hot, here, Celie, she write. Hotter than July. Hotter than
August and July. Hot like cooking dinner on a big stove in a little
kitchen in August and July. Hot.
Dear Celie,
We were met at the ship by an African from the village we are
settling in. His Christian name is Joseph. He is short and fat. with
hands that seem not to have any bones in them. When he shook
my hand it felt like something soft and damp Wac falling and I
almost caught it. He speaks a little English. what they call pidgin
English. It is very different from the way we speak English, but
somehow familiar. He helped us unload our things from the ship
into the boats that came out to get us. These boats are really dug-
out canoes, like the Indians had. the ones you see in pictures.
With all our belongings we filled three of them, and a fourth one
carried our medical and teaching supplies.
Once in the boat we were entertained by the songs of our
boatmen as they tried to outpaddle each other to the shore. They
p;iicl very little attention to us or our cargo. When u e reached lhc
.ihol-e they didn't bother to help us alight from the bo;it and ~ictu-
:ill! set some of our supplics right down in the ualer. 11s soon as
the!. had hrou heat poor S:imuel out of a tip that Jweph said was
too big. they were off h:illooing another group of pcoplc who were
uxiting a t the edgc of the hater to bc t;iken to the ship.
'I'hc port is pretty. but too shallow for large ship4 to use. So
there is a good business for the haatmen. during the season the
ships come by. These bo:itmen Icere all considerahlq. larger and
more muscular than Joseph. though all of them. inclirding Joseph,
;ire a deep chocolate brown. Not black, likc the Senegalese. And
Celie. they all have the strongest. cle;inest. whitest teeth! I was
thinking about teeth a lot on the voyage over. because 1 had
toothache nearly the entire time. You knou. h o ~ vrotten my back
teeth are. And in England I wa5 struck by the English people's
teeth. So crooked. usually, and blackish with decay. 1 wondered
if it was the English Lvater. But the Africans' teeth remind me of
horses' teeth. they are so fully formed. straight and strong.
The port's "town" is the size of the hardware store in town.
Inside there are stalls filled with cloth. hurricane lamps and oil.
mosquito netting, camp bedding, hammocks, axes and hoes and
machetes and other tools. The whole place is run by a white man,
but some of the stalls that sell produce are rented out to Africans.
Joseph showed us things we needed to buy. A large iron pot for
boiling water and our clothes, a rinc basin. Mosquito netting.
Nails. Hammer and saw and pick-ax. Oil and lamps.
Since there was nowhere to sleep in the port. Joseph hired
some porters from among the young men loafing around the trad-
ing post and we left right away for Olinka, some four days march
through the bush. Jungle, to you. Or maybe not. Do you know
what a jungle is'? Well. Trees and trees and then more trees on top
of that. And big. They are so big they look like they were built.
And vines. .4nd ferns. And little animals. F r ~ g s .Snakes too.
according to Joseph. Rut thank God we did not see any of these.
only humpbacked liz,ards us big as your arm which thc people
here catch and eat.
They 1oI.e meat. All the people in this village. Sometimes if you
u n ' t get them to do anything an!, other way. you start to mention
ineat, either a little piece extra you just happen to habc or maybe.
it').ou want them to do something big. you talk about a b a r b e c ~ ~ c .
)'c\. a barbecue. They remind nlc of f ~ l k ;its homc!
 M'cll. w.e got he1.c. .4nd I th(\t!ght I \\auld n c \ c r gcr the kinks
our of 111y hips from being ca~-~.icd in ;I h;~rnmockthe whole way.
I i \ ~ e r - ~ b o diny the vill~lgecl-o\\.deci round us. Coming our of iitrle
round huts \rith something th;~t1 thought \\'us slraw on top of
them but is reall). n kind o!'Ient'th;lt gr,o\\,severywhere. They pick
i r and dry it and lay i t SO i t overlaps to makc rhe roof rainproof.
l'his pill-t is women's work. Menfolks driirc the srakcs for [he hut
and xomerinlcs help build the m,alls with ~rludand rock from the
~trearns.
You never a & such cur.ic~usfitces :is the village f o l k sur-
rounded 11s ~ v i t hAt . first they just looked. Then one or two of the
women toilched mv and Corrine's dresses. My drcss was so dirty
round the hem t'rorn dragging on the ground tbr three nights of
cooking round a campfire that 1 \+as ashamed of myself. But then
1 took a look at the dresses they wc~.c~ ~ e a r i n Most g. looked like
they'd been d l - L Ii\CI-O>s ~ the yard by the pigs. .4nd they don't fit.
So then they moved LIP n little bir~-nobody saying a word yet-
iind touched our hair. Then looked down at our shoes. We looked
ar Joseph. Then he told us they were acting this \say because the
inissionaries before us were ivhite people. and vice versa. The
men had bee11 to the port. some of them, and had seen the white
rnei-chant. so they knew &.hite men could he something else too.
Hut the Lvomen had never been to the port and the only white
person they'd seen \r.;is the missionary they had buried a year
ago.
Samuel asked if they'd ever seen the white woman missionary
twenty miles farther on. and he said no. Twenty miles through the
jungle is a very long trip. The men might hunt up to ten milex
around the village. but the women stayed close to their huts and
fields.
Then one of the women asked a question. We looked at Joseph.
I-le said the woman wanted to know if the children belonged to me
or to Corrine or to both of us. Joseph said they belonged to
Corrine. The w m a n looked us both over, and said something
clse. We looked a? Joseph. 1-le said the woman sairl they both
looked like me. We all laughed politely.
Then anothel- m.oman had a quejtion. She wanted to know if I
b a s also Samuel's wife.
Joseph said no. that 1 wras a n:i~sionar)~ just like Sarnucl and
Curl-ine. Then someone \;lid they never suxpccted missionaries
 1.111( ' 0 1( ) I < 1'1 1<1,1 I T H ECCIIO K PURPL.F

greed) chief took so much of t h ~ \I;r~ldthat c \ c n the elders \\ere lie. 1 was so tired and sleepy and full of chicken and groundnut
tlisturbed. So he \impl\ bought the111oft'-~\ith ;i\es and clorh a n d ,teu. my ears ringing with song. that all that Joseph said made
cooking pots that hc got from rhe co;~sttr.uders. Pt'lfwt sense to me.
Hut then there came a great st01.111 (luriny the rain! heason that I \yonder what you n.ill rnake of all this?
destroyed ,111 the l.oofs on ;ill the hilt\ in the \.ili:igc. : ~ n t l the 1 send my love.
people discovered to their dlsrnii) t h ; i t there \\as no longer ;In). Your sister.
roofleaf to he f o ~ ~ n tM'hcre
i. roolleui' hiid tlgurished flum time's Nettie
beginning. there wii:, cnssav:i. Millc~.(;roundnuts.
For six months the hea\,cn$and the binds abused the people of
Olinka. Kain came down in :,pc:~l.s.stabbing :iv.:iy the mud of
thcir walls. 'The wind was so fierce i t blew the rocks out of the
halls iind into the people's cooking pots. -1'hc.n cold rocks. shaped
like millet balls. fell from the sk!. \triking cverkone. men iind
women and childrcn alike. and giving them fevers. 'The childr-en
fell ill first. then thcir parents. Soon the vill;ige bzgan to dic. H y
the end of the I-sin!. season. half the village \%,asgone.
The people prayed to their god\ ;ind uniteci impatientl!. for the
seasons to change. .4s soon as the rain >topped they rushed to the !
old roofleaf beds and tried to find the old roots. But oft he endless
numbers that had aluays grolvn there. only a felt, doren re-
mained. 1t was five year> before the roofeaf became plentit'ul
again. Dllring those five years n1;in!l more in the village died.
hlany left, nevcr to return. Man?, ~cer-ccaten hy iinimals. Many.
many b,.erc sick. The chief \\,:I\ given all his storehought utensils
and forced to halk ;i\va!. from the village fc)rever. 131shive\ here
given t o other men.
On the day N-henall the huts had roofs again t'rom the roofleaf.
the villagers cclebr:ited by hinging ancl tiallcing and telling the
stcx-).of the roofleaf. The rooflc:if became the thing they warshtp.
1,ooking over the hczid.; of the children at the end of this talc. I
saw coming slo~vlytowards us. a large bro\vn spik) thing as big :I> ,
. ,,.,
a room, u,ith a dozen legs walking slowly and c:ircf~~ll) under i t .
When i t I-cached out. canopg... it was presentecl l o us. I t 1 \ 3 4 our -- , I
< ,

root'. -L #

A \ it approachetl. the people Im\\.ed dou n. - ii

'The white missionat-y before gou ~ c ~ 1101 ~ lle:d us h:ivc this 3 . ..

f
ceremony. haid Joseph. H u t the 0 l i n k ; i like i t vcr!, much. CCc'
~ I I a ~ roc,tle:if
W i \ not Jesus Chri\t. bi~ti n i ~ oL\n
\ 11~1rnhlc u a k . is
it not (;od?
SO t h we~ S i i t~, ('clic. I':~CI: to fiice nith the 0 l i n k : i b o c i . .And
I

14.
 -
9 %
Dear Celie.
It tias been :i long time ~ i n c ei had linic to u r i t c I I .
matter what I'm doing. I a m writing to hou. Dcitr (:elic, 1 s:i! in
my head in t he middle of Vespers. the rnlddlc (,I I hc night. a,hile
cooking. Dear. dear Celie. And I imi~gincih'lt ) O L I rciilly d o get
my letter5 and that you ;.ire ujriling nrc h;~ch: I)c:ii Nettie. !his i r
what life is like for me.
We are LIPat five o'clock ti)r :Ilight hrc:ikl;is~ of millci purririgi.
and fruit, and the morning classes. Wc teach the chilllrcrl Eiigliih.
reading, writing. hijtorv. geog~iiphy.nrithillctic and the \tl)riri or'
the bible. At eleven o'clock break for lurlch ;~nri/ i o ~ ~ s ~ : h o l ~ i
duties. From one until four it is id') hot lo moic. !huligll
the mothers sil behind their huts and sc\i. At t o l ~ l i -t>.citich \vc
teach the older children iintl al night \.ic t11.e ;~\':ril;il;lcti)r. a!iaIis.
Some of the older children are ~lscti:o i o ~ l l i n y:I, ihr, ~ l ; i > \ i o ~
~ h o ~hut l . the smaller ones are not. - I h t : r ~1lot1~1~1-s stiillciiln~s
d 1 . i ~them here, scre:iming and kicking. 'l i11.e ;\I1 ho,,. !)li\,icl
is the on15, girl.
The Olinka d o not believe gills s h ~ ~ i l 1r3; l .i.iiii.~I,~i.!i i tier1
asked s m o t h e r why she thought thi*. shc \ ; ; i ~ i :\ ; . i l l i - ! ~ i ~ l t ! lto! l ~
frersclf: only to her husband can ;he l ~ t . ~ . o r\o~:ictilii:!.
r~~*
What can she hecome'? I asked.
Why. she said. the mother of hi\ chilci~i~rl
But I am not the mother of;inyhod) i ciiil~li: : I , i , . ~ i < i ~ : : r ~1~:ir:;i
sonlcthirrp.
T H I -COLo n PI.'RPL.E
Yoti are not much. she said. The missionary's drudge.
I t is true that I \tork harder here than 1 ever dreamed 1 could
\ ~ t , r k .;lnd that I sweep out the school and tidy up after service.
but I don't feel like a drudge. I was surprised that this woman,
~
1 \\ hose Christian name is Catherine. saw me in this light.
She has a lrttle girl, Tashi. u h o plays with Olivia after school.
:illam i5 the only boy who will >peak t o Olivia at school. They are
! "01 mean to her. it is just-what is i t ? Because she is where they
2,r.c doing "boys' things" they d o not see her. But never fear.
i"t,lie, Olivia has your stubbornness and clearsightedness. and
hht. is smarter than all of them. including Adam, put together.
Why can't Tashi come to school? she asked me. When I told
her- the Olinka don't believe in educating girls she said. quick as a
flash. They're like white people at home who don't want colored
I people to learn.
O h , she's ,harp. Celie. At the end of the day. when Tashi can
I
gr't a"ay from all the chores her mother assigns her, she and
I Olivia secret :heniselves in my hut and everything Olivia has
IL:;~rnedshe hhares with Tabhi. T o OLivia right now Tashi alone is
At.rica. The Africa she came beaming across the ocean hoping to
tirrd. Everything else is tlifficult for her.
T h e insects. for instance. For some reason, all of her bites turn
irito deep, runny sol-es. and \he has a lot of trouble sleeping at
(light becn~ibethe noises from the forest frighten her. It is taking a
!!)ng time for her to beco:ne used to the food. which is nourishing
! > i l l . for the moht part. indifferently prepared. T h e women of the
I- !Ilage take turns cooking for us. and some are c!eaner and more
of
..,inicien~iousthan others. Oliviagets sick from the food prepared
1.: any of the chief's uives. Samuel thinks it may be the water
i
;he! uit.. which comes from a separate spring that runs cle:ir even
i l l the (iry season. But the rest of u i have no ill effects. It is a s if
( )livia fears the food from these wives because they all look so
11r;hap~yand u,ork so hard. Whenever they see her they talk
,ihout the day when she will become their littlest sisterlwife. I t is
ji1s1 :1 Joke. and they like her. but I wish they wouldn't say it.
'::cn though they are unhappy and work like donkeys they still
l!link it is an honor to be the chief's wife. H e walks around all day
I:$\idinghis belly u p and talking and drinking palm wine with the
I ;!c:;iler,
iI'h! d o they s;ly I uill bc a wife of the chief'? asks 0livi:i.
I'hitr ii as high u i tiley can rhink. 1 tell her.
145
 1-111: C ' O L ()I{ F'[,RI>I t.

t j c is pat and shiny with huge pc.,-fect teeth, thinks has

nightmares ahout him.
You will grc'u UP to he ii strong C.hristi;~n\r.oman, I tell her,
S('lneone who helps her peopic la advance. You N ;/Ibe a teacher
or a nurse. You will travel. You u,ill know many people greater
than the chief.
Will Tashi? she wants to know,
Yes. 1 tell her. Tashi too.
Corrinc inid to me this morning. Nettie, to *top any kind of
confusion in the mind.; of these people. ( think N'e should call one
t h e m u p to m y
another brother and sister. all the time. Some ofthem seem ,,,, dL,y 1.11 p u t them up. but once. when I he'd
to get it through their thick skulls that you are not ~ ~ ~other u ~ l ' I;,hric
~ ;inif mat walls they made me fee'
Christ w h i c h
wife. I don't like i t . she said. them down, Even the picture
Almost since the day we arrived I've noticed a change in c u r -
,,,,!,;,p p y , so 1 anywhere looks pectlliar hers. We ofc"urse
, z,,ncs;illy looks of Christ
nne. She isn't cick. She works as hard a s ever, She is still sweet pictures hung in the school and
i,,:,,- of these the church. That is enough- think' though
and good-natured. But sometimes I sense her spirit is beinn tested [he illtar
and that something in her is not at rest, hare picture\ :i~ldrelics ( ~ r o ~ ~i n ft hse i)l
\:,nlLlcland Corr,ne
That's fine. I said. I ' m glad you brought it up,
And don't let [he children call you Mama Nettie, she said, even
in play.
This bothered me ;i little, hut I didn't say anythine The chjj-
dren d o call me Mama Nettie sometimes because 1 do a good bit
of fussing over them. But I never try to take Corrinets place.
And anothcl' thing, she said. I think we ought to try not to
borrow each other's clothes.
Well- she never borrowed anything of mine because I don.t
have much. But I'm all the time b o r r o u ~ i ~something
g of hers,
You feeling yourself'? I asked her.
She said yes,
wish you could see my hut. Cefie. 1 1 it. Unlike our
which is rquarc. and unlike our church. which doesn't have
N'alls--at least during the dry season-my hut is round, walled,
with a round roofleaf roof. ~t is twenty steps across the
and ~ mud walls I have hung Olinka platters
me to a T . O V Cthe
and mills and pieces of tribal cloth. The ()linka are known for
'heir beautiful cotton fabric which they handweave and dye ,,.,,ith
berries. clay. indigo and tree b a r k Then there is my paraffin
Camp stove in the center, and my camp bed to one covered
with mosquito netting SO that i t aln10st looki like the bed of a
b r i d e r h e n I have a small writing table where 1 write to you, a
i " m ~ .iind 3 st001 Sonle wonderful rush mati on the flour, 11 is all

146
 l ' i i t ('01 O K 1't,n1~1
I

( ,ll,. \\ ~.c\pcctc.d here. said [hc t'arller. \\~~l~ld

i'
,,,\,.,. let tllcnl ll-;lmp [he \\t,l-ld :I\ ,-\rnc.~-ic;~n
\\omc.n ~ i .]-hcl-c
10 100k ;lfter the Olink:~\\oman. rZ flthcl-.
~ ~ .

hl,, c,Iil- pcol,lc pit) \\olncn 5~1c.h:I\ !,ou \\ ho arc C : I \ ~ olll.

\,,,,,,, rlc,l t.l-oln,\hcl-c. into a ~i01.1d~ ~ n k n o \ \to
, n ~ O L\\I hc1-c
. \OLl

~ , , ~ , . ~,a,(]
h ~I-;i\hi'\
~ ~ ~ ttrhcr.
~ - \\e
~ . i11.c not \impletons.
,r,,L~c.!.,,~clnd
~h;llthere arc placc, in the \ \ o d d \ \ h ~ l - cNomen l i \ c

Dear Celie.
Tashi's mother and father n c r e J U S ~here, ~h~~ arc upset be-
cause she spends so much time a i t h O l i ~ i ; ~s h, e ,,
ch;,nginc,
becoming quiet and too thoughtful. the) , s h e is ~ o c o n l i n g ('tlri,ti2\ns hers. 11.) h:~r-dto change 11s. get hick and go back
someone else: her frice is beginning to show the or ~ h e l . e \ e r h,ou
. come from. On14 the trader on the
her a u n t s of of t o England,
was sold t o the trader hec;iuss .;he no longer fit into l.emains. and even hc. is not the samc \+ tlitc man. ),car in and
life. This aunt refused to mi3l.r) the nlall chosen f(,,. We knov, because L4.e scnd him \\omen.
Refused to bow to the chief. Did nothill? but lay u p . cl.ack cola .I.a,hi is very intelligent, I saicl. She C O L I be ~ ~ a teachel-. A
nuts between her teeth and giggle,
They want to know what Olivia and .T:ishi d o i n my h u t all
the other little girls a1.e busy helping !heir mothcrs,
1s Tashi lazy at h o m e ? I asked.
The father looked at the n ~ o t h e She
. said. No. o n the contrar4.. I'c.actl only the boys'.; 1 asked.
Tashi works harder than niost girls her :lge And is to
finish her work. But i t I S only hecaurc she r i s h r \ 1,)
her
with Olivia. She leiirrlr i.\'crything I te;,ch her :is if she
knows i t . said the mother. but [his knoa,ldge docs not
really enter her sou].
The mother seemed puzzled anc{ afraid,
The father, angry.
I A h a Tiishi knows she is lellrninf a wily of life %I, hi, knees. And what can 1 say to this'.' Again. it oul- o a n
never live. But I did not say this, Ijc. t~;lviori \ ~ - ~ Pa.
~nd
The world is changing. I said. It is no longel- a \+.orid; l l , l firr h e x t time -rushiappeal-\ at your gate. !'OU bill \end her h [ r : l ~ ~ h [
boys and men. \lc,rrlc her
, father \aid, 'Then hc. ,miled. Your ( ) l i \ ' i ; l c;ln her.
>!;,iIcarn what womctl al-C f01..

I48
I19
 I smiled a l w . Olivia must lcarn to take ller cduciltion i~hootlife
wherc she can find it. I thought His offer will milhe ;I ~plendid
opportunitv.
Ciood-bye until the next time. dear Celie. from ;I pitiful. c;i\t.
out &.oman who may perish during the rainy season.
Your loving slster.
Nettie

Dear Celie.
At first there was the faintest sound of movement in the forest.
A kind of low humming. Then there was chopping and the sound
of dragging. Then a scent, some days, of smoke. But now. after
two months, during which 1 or the children or Corrine has been
sick, all we hear is chopping and scraping and dragging. And
every day we smell smoke.
Today one of the boys in my afternoon class burst out. as he
entered, The road approaches! The road approaches! He had
heen hunting in the forest with his father and seen it.
Every day now the villagers gather at the edge of the village
near the cassava fields, and watch the building of the road. And
watching them, some on their stools and some squatted down on
their haunches, all chewing cola nuts and making patterns in the
dirt. I feel a great surge of love for them. For they do not ap-
proach the roadbuilders empty-handedly. Oh, no. Each day since
rhcy saw the road's approach they have been stuffing the road-
hililders with goat meat, millet mush, baked yam and cassava,
..yola nuts and palm wine. Each day is like a picnic, and I believe
many friendships have been made. although the roadbuilders are
from a different tribe some distance to the North and nearer the
coast, and their language is somewhat different. I don't under-
\[and i t . anyway, though the people of Olinka seem to. But they
ill-e clever people about most things. and understand new things
quickly.
 ' ~ H COI
F OR PCRPLI. 1~ I I :COLORP U R P L E
It i s hard to believe we've heen herr five years, l-ime moves h r o ~ l d i i k egarments and cl-Y in a high
s l o w l ~ . but passes quickly. Adam iind Ojivia are nearly ;Is tall Iilces "hite and wear the body in barkclath and bul-ied it
me and well in 311 their studies, Adsm has a Lccning ]-hey
'ptitude fur figures and it worries S;imuel that soon he will have L,ndei. a big tree in the forest. lashi heartbroken All he'.
,I,Llng l i >he ~ has tried to her father. never quite realizing
t o teach him in this field. having exh;lusted his own girl. She never could. But the death brought herarld her
knowledge. ihilt. acloser together. and now Catherine feels l i k e one of us.
When were in England we met missionaries who sent their
,nother and the children :ind sometimes Samuel.
one d us I mean
back home when i t was no longer possible to teach and sticking close to her hut. but she says
in t h e bush. But i t is hard to im;~ginelife here she is i n mourning
the chil- U,ll not marry again (since she already has five boy children
They love the open feeling of the village. and love living in can now do she wants. She has become an honorary
h u t s The) are excited by the hunting expertise of the men and that
the Self-sufficiency o f t h e women in raisinE their crops. N~ matter ,,;,,I L,nd 1 went
to
to visit her she made it very
learn, She is the most i n d u s t r i o ~ ~
Of ~all
how down may be. and sometimes 1 pet very d o a n indeed, a hug Tiishi must
.I.iirhi.s(utherqswidow\, and her fields are praised for their
from Olivia or dam completely restores me l o the level offunc- produc[jvjt~and %enera)attractivenesi. perhaps I can help
tiuning,if nothine else. Their mother and ] arc not as close as we
,ri[h her work. I t is in work that the women get lo know and
Once were. but I feel more like thejr aunt than cvel-, ~~d the three each other. It was through work that Catherine be-
of us look more and more alike every day. citre
,.an,l: friends with her husband's other wives.
,About a month ago. Corrine asked me no[ to invite samuel to I - b , r frielldship among women is something Samuel often
my h u t unless she were present. She said it gave [he villagers [he husband does
wrong idea. This was ii real blow to me hecatire I treasure his L,bout, [lecause the women share a husband but the is cOnfus-
Since Corrine almost never visits me her-+,elfl will have n(,t their friendships. it makes Samuel uneasy
ing. 1 ~ n d i,y Samue1.s duty as a Christian minirter to
to [all. to.Just in friendship, But [he children sill dil-ective of one husband and one wife.
preach the
and sometimes spend the night when their to is confLlsed because to him, since the Women are friends and
be alone. 1 love those times. We roast proundnll[s (lo anything for one another-not always. but more often lhan
sit On the 'oar and study maps of all the countries on nly stove,
in the jone from Alnfrica would expect-and since they giggle and
Tashi comes ovcr and tells stories that are popujar cosrip ;ind nurse each other's children. then they must be
among the Olinka children. I am e n c o u r q i n g her and Olivia to as they a r e ~ u many t of the women rarely spend
Write lhem down in Olinka and English. I t will be ,,, iih
Or mid-
practice ,\ ,,h their h u s b a n d s Some of them were promised l o
for Olivia feels that. compared to Tarhi, she has no ,.:lc.aged men at birth, Their lives always Center around work and
to tell. One day she stal-ted in on an . G ~ n c l e R ~ ~ ~ ~ . .
to discover Tashi had the original version of it! w~~ jirtle face
just B u t t h e n we got into a discussion of how hi.^ people.s
stories got to America. which fascinated Tashi s h e cried whe,l
'Iiviv told how her grandmother had been treated as a
No One in this village wants to hear ahout how-
e v e r They acknowledge no responsibility whatsaever, hi^ is
O n e thing about them that I definitely du not like,
We lost Tashi's father during the ~ i i \ train) season, H~ fell ill
with and nothing the healer concocted
refused him, He
take the medicine we use for it, or to let salnlrel "isit
him at a l l * my first Olinka funera]. 17hewomen paint their

152 153
 THEC O L ~ O R

And God forbid that the child of a favorite Wife should fall
That is the point at which even the women,s friendships break
down. as each woman fears the accusation of sorcery from the
other. o r from the husband.
Merry Christmas to You and yours. dear Celie we celebrate i t
here O n the .'dark" continent with prayer and song and a large
picnic complete with watermelon. fresh fruit punch, ;lnd bar-
becue!
God bless you,

I meant to write you in time for Easter, but it was not a good
timc for me and I did not want to burden you with any distressing
new>, s o a whole year has gone by. The first thing 1 should tell
about is the road. The road finally reached the cassava fields
about nine months ago and the Olinka. ~ ' h love
o nothing better

I think Africans are very much like white people back home. in
[hat tlley think they are the center of the universe and that every-
l h l n g that is done is done for them. The Olinka definitely hold this
\ ICU . .And so they naturally thought the road being built h'as for
them. And, i n fact, the roadbuilders talked much of how q l l i c k l ~
tlic ())inkawill now be able to get to the coast. With a tarmac road
i~ 1 5 c,nly a three-day journey. By bicycle it Will be even less. Of
,o,;r.ae no one in Olinka owns a bicycle, but one of the roadbuild-
c~ 5 t-~;,, one. and all the Olinka men covet it and talk of someday
yoon purchasing their own.
1ft:ll. the morning after the road was "finished" a s far a s the
!)iink:i were concerned (after all, i t had reached their village).
k i ! ~ : ~>hould
l we di\cover but that the roadbuilders were back at
iii,l;.. .].hey have instructions to continue the road for another
 'l'lctr <'C)I.OR PUIIPI.~. THECOLORPCRPL
1:

were literally up in arms. They had guns. Celie. ~ ~ i orders th to Wc fight the white man, they said.
shoot! nlan is not alone. said the chief. He has brought
the
It was pitiful, C'elie. The people felt so betj-ayed! They stood by
helple.;sly-they really don't knowi how to fight, and rarely think
of i t since the old days of tribal wars-as their crops and then
their very homes were destroyed. Yes. The roadbui]del-s didn't
deviate an inch from the plan the headmL1nwtas following, E~~~~
hut that lap in the proposed roadpath was leteled. And, Celie. our
church, our school. my hut. all went dowin in a matter of hours, vli.k,na!h,le, corrine has been very ill with African f e v e r Many
Fortunately. w'e were able to save all of our things, but with a missionaries in the past have died from it.
tarmac road running straight through the middle of it. the village are fine. The boys now accept Olivia >lndTashi
itself seems gutted. Hut mothers are sending their daughters lo school'
i n class iind more
Immediately after understanding thc roadbui]ders' intentions. .I.he men do not like it: who wants s wife who knows everything
the chief set off toward the coast. seeking explanations and repa- her hu+,and knows: they fume, But the women have their waysq
rations. T w o weeks later he returned with even more distlirbing they love their children, even their girls.
news. The whole territory. including the Olinkac' village, now I ill when things start lookine UP. 1 trust God
belongs to a rubber manufacturer in England. A s he neared the
coast- he was stunned to see hundreds and hundreds of villagers
much like the Olinka clearing the forests on each side of the road,
and planting rubber trees. The ancient. giant mahogany trees, all
thetrees. the game, everything of the forest was being destroyed,
and the land was forced to lie flat. he said. and bare as the palm of
his hand.
At first he thought the people who told him about the English
rubber company were mistaken. if only about its territory includ-
ing the Olinka village. But eventually he \vat directed t o the gov-
ernor's mansion. a huge white building. with flag, flying in its
yard. and there had an audience with the white man i n charge, ~t
was this man who gave the roadbuilders their orders, this man
who knew. about the Cllinka onlv from a map. H e spoke in En-
glish. which our chief tried to speak also.
It mLlst have been a pathetic exchange. Our chief never learned
English beyond an occasional odd phrase he picked up from
Joseph, who pronounces "English" "YanglLlsh,"
But the worst was k'et to be told. Since the Olinka no longer
oLi.ntheir village, they must pa)' rent fc~rit. and ill order-t o use the

156
 T H ~COLOR
. PURPIt

, brollghtthe bible. and placetl my hand on it. and snore.

ne\?er known me to lie. Corrinc. I said. P1ca.s~believe I
;,,n not lying now.
-[-hen she called Samuel. and made him swear that the day she
mc was the day he met me also.
H~ .;aid: I apologize for this. Sister Nettie, please forgive 11s.
,A, soon as Samuel left the room she made me raise m?'dress
>he sat up in her sickbed to examine my stomach.
1 felt so sorry for her. and so humiliated. Celie. .4nd the way
she treats the children is the hardest part. She doesn't %ant them
near her. which they don't understand. HOWcould they'? The)'
don't even know they were adopted.
*[.he village is due to be planted in rubber trees this coming
The Olinka hunting territory has already been destroyed.
the men must go farther and farther away to find game. The
Dearest Celie, spend all their time in the fields, tending their crops and
praying.They sing to the earth and to the sky and to their cassava
This whole year. after Easter, has been difficult, Since Car-
and groundnuts. Songs of love and farewell.
rine.3 illness. all her work has fallen on me, and I must nurse her We are all sad. here. Celie. I hope life is happier for You.
as well. which she resents.
One day when I was changing her as she lay in bed, she gave
me a long. mean. but somehow pitiful look. Why do my children
look like you? she asked.
Do You really think they look so much like me:' I said,
You could have spit them out. she said.
Maybe Just living together, loving people makes them look like
You, I said. You know how much some old married people look
alike.
Even these women saw the resemblance the first Jay we came,
she said.
that's worried you all this time? 1 tried to laugh it off,
But she just looked at me.
When did you first meet my husband? she wanted to know.
And that was when 1 knew what she thought. She thinks Adam
and Olivia are my children. and that Samuel is their father!
Oh. Celie. this thing has been gnawing away at her all these
years!
I met Samuel the same day I met you. Corrine. I said. ( 1 still
haven't got the hang of saying "Sister" all the tilnz.) ~ o isdnly
witness, that's the truth.
Bring the bible. she said.

158
 I I ~C'OIO H
RJ~%& -I PL'RPL
t

\, l l c l l :hc , , ~ i $ l h ~ ! brought
!,l&lt.:Li i!ncl L~t~sni.
h her husband's hod\. h0111e. it had
'1'11~sight of it nearly killed hel-. ~ ~ ~he''
lci
l,,:cl,
W ; I \ born ;it this tilne. .Althollk?h the
,2,.,)!!, !,;I!?!. ,,ij\f.) $11.
;I
!, ,,\\J ., h,,j) :CcI)\'~~~d . was never the same. She con-
mind
,il,llc
,,,
fi,, her. husba!l<l's plate at mea\timesjust as she'd ~ ~ W L I Y ~

<lOl,c. al,<l
;lln;l)\, t ' ~ 1 l 01' t;111\ ;1h011t the plans shc and her
,,(i h L r jn i L i t j 'I'he
~ . neighbor\. though nor ill\\,ays intending
!,,,
c . ~ 1nr)re
s ~ , ~ , n n I,L-:. ~ ,mu more. partly because the plans she
,;,,LL.;-i ,lb,,!;t \\CI.C pr;indcr than anything the); could even con-
i c ~ l \c, (,t s(.,:,. , , J ~ , , -pcoplc.,
~J nncl partly because her attachment to

Dear Cclie.
\rhat'.' Samuel thought the childrcn were minc too! .rhat
is he urged n1e to Come to Africii with then1, when 1
ed ,hc c:,rrlrna!l,t). :1!1d la\,ishcil all his attention o n the Midow and
U p at their he thought I \\;IS to~lowingmy cllildreo. a n d , tic, ct,llcj!.t~rl: ;, ~ O I . I ii'hilc. :hey were married. Almost ;it once
In ;
' ~ ~ ~ - h e a r tas
c dhe is. didn't have the heiirt to turn
aa,ny, .klc. ,.\i,, I)1.cgn21nr:I thil-cl time. though her mental health was no
If they are not yours. he said, whose are the!.? ,-.i.l:..:., L:,\ ,..-h thc~.eaf:er. she was pregnant. ever); year she
But 1 had some questions fqr him. f i r s t , I,,..' ,iie :,c:;kcl. ;lr,d n1or.e mentally unstable. unfil, many Years
Where did you get them" 1 ~ ~ s k c.And d . i.elie. hc told nlc
\tory .,:I,: ,;-;,: fi~al-ried the stranger. she died.
for it.
my hair stand on e n d 1 hope you, poor thing, i.C,ldy ,.,:, , C;li.4 bcful-e \he IIIcd she had a baby girl that she was too
Once upon h e . there was a \re]l-[(>-dofarnler & h o owned
his property near t o w n o u r t o a n . ~ e l i c And
,
farmirleand everything he turned his hand to plospcrcd, hc did
he
lo open *tol-e. and try his luck selling ,lry
as ivrjl.
did so well that he talked two of his brottlers i n l o
him run it. and. as the month> ii;cn: 1,) they
doing
Then the white merchanti. t>eg;lnto tuee,hcr
and that this store war t;~king [he bl;lck business
a\vay from them. the man's blacksmith shop \hiit hc i,p
the store. \+'a5 taking '(>me of the uhite, i.his would not
do so. one night. the man's store way hurnclj d o w n his
!;!:! ;hi.l,. (,,.it nowhere. I appeared. He Put two and two
and the man and his t \ r brother\
~ dlilgged olit ..:tic,-, I-clTlcmher-c~j t h ~ ~hist old running buddy had ;llways
their homes in the middle of [he night ;ind hilnped. "; ,. !
..c;!nil,, Lurid took in without any questions. Which.
. .;:;.!r-,,!h.had ; l l s a > s pur.~ledmc. hut 1 put i t down I(' Chris-
. ; i . : i . ; i \,. (--c,,-rifichad :~skedme once whclht.r I running

I hO 161
 THF.COI.ORI ' ~ K P [ . ~ :

away from home. Hut I explained I was a big gil-1 now, my family
back home very large and poor, anci it was time for me to get out
and earn my own living.
'l'ears had soaked my blouse when Samuel finished telling me
all this. 1 couldn't begin, then, to tell him the truth. Celie, I
can tell You. 1 Pray with all my heart that you will get this
letter. if none of the others.
Pa is not our pa!
Your devoted Sister.

-rh;,t., it. say s h u g . Pack your stuff. You coming back t o Ten-
ne\zct' bith me.
HLII 1 feels daze.
daddy lynch, My mama crazy. All my little half-brOthel-s
no kin to me. My children not my sister and brother.

I'OU mmst be sleep.

 'I'HE C'OI.ORP C ~ M IP L

us drive through, it make 11sreal quiet. I knou [hi$ \ouncl

e , even the silo seemed to rtami little lc'neer
~ ~ [ [ ibut
iLlnn,,
M.,.ll. say hug. all this is pretty enough. You never wid how

I t u.asn.t [his pretty. 1 say. F.\.ery Easter time it L I W to

~ flood.
;,,d ;,(I us children had colds. Anyhow. I say, 11s stuck close to the
hou';e. 2nd i t sure ain't SO hot.
-That ain't so hotn?shc ast. as we swung up a long curving hill 1
j,dn.t reinember, right up to a big yellow l\r,o S101-5' house \\'it11
green shutters and a steep green shingle roof.
1 latlgheJ, Us must have took the wrong turn. I say. This some
LVtlit~ person'> house.
11 \vas pretty though that us stop the car and just set lookinf.

1)c;ir Nettic What kind of trees all them f h ~ e r i n g ?ast Shug.

I don.[ know, I say. Look like peach. plum. apple. mayhe
For the li15t l i ~ i ? ?111 rn) i ~ f ~ ' I \+,!n:c?dt I r so m e shLIp cherry. But whatever they is. they sure pretty.
(Ires, in O I I I n c u bloc r i , I ~~ .~ ~ (tlc,[ l ~ l nta ~~~ C t l hig ,loppy A \ \ ,-oLtndthe house. all in back of i t . nothing but blooming
h s t e r h:its t h : ~ t i~l,~tch !of.).c..cl,t her. so\c4 1 . ~ ~ 1 . yellow. clnd tree!;. Then more lilies and jonquils and roses clamming over
u\ ~l;l!ll in tlic P:icb:it,i ;I!II.{ ?\itfc !,vcl -rhcl pllt i n p21vi.d everything. And all the time the little birds from all over the rest
roads 2111 11p ;!nd 1J:)~r.ntilt.. i , , l l r l [ \ i:c,ii :In,j t , \ e n t ) . m i l e s go like of the county sit up in these trees just going to town.
nothing.
I saw I'a once irncc I Ici't hi,p;; d;:,, :,ncl M,.,
Lu(ji:~c11p tllc ,+\:t~:,)!l 11;; fci.t~ .,iorc, \vith blLiy say Shu_p,probably in church. A nice bright Sunday like
E1lc.n 2nd she \ + : I \ t l L!!I~: ::,i i \ 11i-I sii,,;ki,l,,, bent down
('bCr t1cr Icp .l!ld t h . i \ t ~ i ~t gh ',(o~.l,l:lp
~ ill!() ;, ~ i l i :Ih,,,\,t"
! ~ he]- knee,
and he W:I\ .Tt:incling 01 c:. ~ C I ~. : l ~ - t ; ~ p - [ ; i p(,!,p I ItllCs I g FI.;LL.el \vith
his cal!c. L.c)ob like he w.;r\ t h i r i k : ~ t, ~, ~ l ~ r her it,
b'!~'. M'cnt L I P to :h~:,niiI1 f ~ . i ; : ~ J j vy .~ ~hi\ [ }hand
~ rtllck
olit. kept loarling rhc v.;,gon Lin!j!i~r,hin,g ;it the p a ~ ~ e l -on na ilc. ?it out on his side, then go round to open the dool- her.
the ' a c h ~ .1 nc\.cr tholrpt~:1'i.l :.Lcl- hnt t o \csl. h i m Ilgaiii, hi;i, :tress to kill in a pink suit. big pink hat and pink shoes. a little
'&'ell. it \ ~ ' ; r \ ;I k-~t-ightSpl ~n;;tl;lh ,(,;I-: ,,I' L . \ , i ~ i tir,(. !,kc i t be pirii; purse hanging on her arm. They look at our liceme la? and
round F:;l~ti'r. and Ihe f;l-\t thing I!,., r!,);lc:c \c.i~,n ijc inlo then come up to the car. S),s put her hand through hi5 arm.
1;lne i\ hold g:.ci.ll c\,e~.)iti:r!gi,. /;hi: ,;\c,;; , ] l ~ l i ,the ~ gro,lnd \?orning, he says, when hc gits up to Shug's \vindo\\
cver5'iirh*.rt: c i \ c ~101 ~ \ i \ ~ . n l cI:,) d < ~ a ) ~ j)',;,, , liInd it.nrm 5,10rning. she says slow, and I can tell he not :vhat hhc expect.
r c ; l d ~ so. i ' h ~ n:!I] ;iii)nir h i ,-c.,:l,ir ~ l c ' : ~ , L . , ll;lhtCI. .\;\\.thing I can do for youc?Hc ain't notice mt: and ~ r o b a h l ~
] j j i C S and
Joncllllls :inti il,ll'fc)di?\ ;inti i \ i n t j \ !;f i l l ; lib c.lir.l\. Lv,!dflowe,.s, \\;)llliln't even if he loohed at me.
-1-hv1' ~ 1 \I ~ C ! ~ I C:illC t h I>irL!\
~ j;rlgI!lg l/.:cy li!!ic ijlj and $hug say, under her breath, Is this him'?
(lii\vn the hcdgt:. !h:i; !::,i.l!' i, pll!tir1; ( , : I t i i t ! l c S'ullow fiu\b.crs
rnt:ll I ~ k cb'ir.?ir!i;t i;.eepcr (I ,,\i ,(,tjij,fi,l.LI!l! from I , l c the

!h l
 .['HE COIo~ PL-:KJ'I
I
look older than the child he ~ i t h even
. if is dress Lip like a
woman. he look young for somchod), to be anybody got
grown children and nearly gI.<\Mngrandchildren. But then 1 re-
meniber. he not my daddq,. J u h r m y children dadd),.
What your mania do. ast Shug. rob the cr:ldlc.,l
Hut hc not so young.
1 brought Ct.lie. saq. Shug. Your daughlcl- Celie. She b,anted to .
visit you. Got home question5 to as[.
H e 5erm to think back a second. C'plic:' he 5ay. Like. w h o
Celie'? Then he say, Yall git out and conic up on the porch. Daisy,
he say to the little woman with him. go tell Hctty to hold dinner,
She squeeze his arm. reach up and kiss him on the j a w . H e turn
his head and watch her go U P the walk, up the steps, and through
the front door. H e follow us up the steps. up on the pc>rch. help us
pull out rocking chairs, then say. N o h , wh;lt yilll want?
T h e children here? I a s [ .
What children? he say. Then he laugh. Oh. they gone ~ ~ i they t h
mama. She up and left me. you know. Went back to her f(>lks.
Yeah, he 5ay. you would remember May Ellen.
Why she leave? I ast.
He laugh some more. Got too old for me. I reckon.
Then the little woman come back out and sit on the armrest of
his chair. H e talk to us and fondle her a,-m,
This Daisy, he say. My new wife.
Why. say Shug. you don't look more than fifteen.
1 ain't. say Daisy.
I'm surprise your people Ict you marry.
She shrug. look at Pa. They work for him, she say. Live on his
land.
I'm her people nwv. he say.
1 feels so sick I almost gag. Nettie in Africa. I say. ,A, mission-
ary. S h e wrote me that you ain't our real pa.
Well. he say. S o now you know.
Daisy look at me with pity all ovel- her fiice. It just like him t o
keep that from You. she say. H e told me how he brought up two
Ilttle girls that wasn't even his. she sa!,. I don't think 1 really
believed i t , till now.
Naw, he never told them, say Shug.
What a old slt'eetie pic. say Daisy. kiuing him on top the head.
He fondle and fondle her arm. Look at me 2nd grin,
Your daddy didn't know hot\ to git along. he sag/. Whitefc)[ks
166
1 ' ~COLOR
t PUKPL
I;
I , n i h him, T~~ sad a story to tell pitiful little growing girls. he
LI;,y, :xIly man would have done what I done.
hjiI4 not. say Shug.
look her. then look at me. He can tell she know. Hut what
he s a y , 1 know how they is. The key to all of 'em is
.p;lkc
,,,,,nC),,~h~ trouble with our people is a s soon a s they got out of
they didn't want to give the white man nothing else. But
t h e pIct is. you got to give 'em something. Either your money.
v,,llr liind. your woman o r your ass. S o what 1 did was .just right
off offel. to give 'em money. Before 1 planted a seed. 1 made sure
one and that one knowed one seed out of three was planted
~ e f o r e1 ground a grain of wheat. the same thing. And
br
bhen up your daddb,'s old store in town. I bought me my
lrhjte boy to run it. And what make it s o good, he say. I
bought him \rith ~vhitefolk5'money.
~~k the busy man your questions, Celie. say Shug. 1 think his
dinnel. getting cold.
Where my daddy buried. I ast. That all 1 really want to know.
~ e v tot your mammy. he say.
Any marker. I ast.
H C look at me like I'm crazy. Lynched people don't git no
marker. he say. Like this something everybody know.
Mama got one? I ast.
4top. 13) the time us got to the cemetery. the sky gray.
C!:, look for Ma and Pa. Hope for some Scrap of wood that say
\ornc.ttlinS. But u j don't find nothing but weeds and cockleburrs
;inti piper flowers fading on some of t h graves. ~ Shug pick up a
old horschhoe somebody horse lose. U S took that old horseshoe
;111!i 11, turned round and round together until we were dizzy
c:lo~~ch fall out, and where us would have fell us stllck the
~ \ " l . ~ c ~ h in
t , ethe ground.
Shug Us each other's peoples now. and kiss mc.
 THECOLORPURPLE

and Pa was a real shock to him.

' Then I remembered what you told me about seeing Corrine and
ad dI)livia in town, when she was buying clolh 1 0 mahe
olivilldresses, and how you sent me to her because she
[hll only woman you'd ever seen with money. 1 tried to make
Corrine remember that day, but she couldn't.
She gets weaker and weaker. and unless she can believe us and
feel something for her children. 1 fear we will lose her.
Oh, ce1ie,unbelief is a terrible thing. And so is the hlJrt we
C;,LIsE others unknowingly.

Dear Celie.
I woke up this morning bound to tell Corrine and Samuel every-
thing. I went over to their hut and pulled up a stool next to
Corrine's bed. She's SO weak by now that all she can do is look
unfriendly-and I could tell I wasn't welcome.
1 said. Corrjne, I'm here to tell you and Samuel the truth.
She said. Samuel already told me. If the children yours, why
didn't you just say so?
Samuel said. Now, honey.
She said, Don't Now Honey me. Nettie swore on the bible to
tell me the truth. To tell God the truth, and she lied.
Corrine. I said, I didn't lie. I sort of turned my ba'i< more on
Samuel and whispered: You saw my stomach. I said.
What d o I know about pregnancy, she said. 1 never experi-
enced it myself. For all I know, women may t;r: able to out all
the signs.
They can't rub out stretch marks, I said. Stretch marks go right
into the skin, and a woman's stomach stretches enough so that it
keeps a little pot, like all the women have here,
She turned her face to the wall.
Corrine. I said, I'm the children's aunt. Their mother is my
older sister, CeIie.
Then 1 told them the whole story. Only Corrine was still not
convinced.

168
 'Tr-11-COL-ORPLVRPI
I

[>,, remember buying this cloth'? I asked. pointing to a

,l~,,~c.,.cc 1 s q l l ; r ~ cAnd
. what about this checkered bird?
tS:,ced the patterns with her finger. and slowly her-

so much like Olivia! she said. 1 was afl-aid she'd want

her. hail\, so 1 forgot her as soon as 1 could. .411 1 let myself think
;,t,oLI: i14 how the clerk treated mc! I was acting like somebody

Dearest Celie,
pool. thing! said Samuel. And we sat therc talking a little and
Every day for the Past week I've been trying to get Corrine to holding on to each other unfil Corrine fell off to sleep.
remember meeting you in town. 1 know if she can just recall your ~ u t Celie,
. in the middle of the night she woke UP, turned to
face. she will believe Olivia (if not Adam) is your child. ~h~~ saInuel and said: I helieve. .And died anyway.
think Olivia looks like me, hut that is only because I look like Your Sister in Sorrow.
you. Olivia has Your face and eyes, exactly. It amazes me that
Corrine didn't see the resemblance.
Remember the main street of town? I asked. Remember the
hitching Post in front of Finley's dry goods store'? Remember how
the store smelled like peanut shells?
She says she remembers all this, but no men speaking to her.
Then I remember her quilts. The Olinka men make beautiful
quilts which are full of animals and birds and people. Arid as soon
as Corrine saw them. she began to make a quilt that alternated
one square of appliqued figures with one ninc-patch block, using
the clothes the children had outgrown. and some her old
dresses.
I went to her trunk and started hauling out quilts,
Don't touch my things, said Corrine. I'm not gone yet,
I held U P first one and then another to the light, trying to find
the first one 1 remembered her making. And trying to remember,
at the same time. the dresses she and Olivia were wearing the first
months 1 lived with them.
Aha. 1 said, when I found what I was looking for, and laid the
quilt across the bed.

170
 ;l,cil l 1 1 , l l l'lL!<V
l \ ~ \ '(1.C \ )OLI ,' <{:;I[' ?i!\[<:!'. '! i l ~ '\ L ' , I I . ; l i t t ~ , cit>l1.ic
~ < 1 1 ) < j~ O I I ~ ~
I\ i , l l ~ i ~.! ~ -!, * ~ i ~ i ! i < ' i ' . t . > ~ ~ i~ I ' : ) I <)!1t1.
I ( ) l l .I i. L ~ I C\ i A b . ;!l~ci\ c (I!, \\c
11,,1,1 11, < ~ : : I ; I I ~ : . I I I . f !c)<.tk:I 11 O ! ' \ L ? I ~1 1 . i o i \ i ~ h < . ~r-c!lcctc~{
\\. ~I-OII~
,(, l l l ~ ! ~ ~ t . - ~1 ~ .iil, !t)11c ~ ~ c: i ;\l >. ti^;^: \tit' ~ ; 1 / i i 7 ~ into
! !,OLII. c l c \ .
I . I I I citr~litilic!cx < ) / I~. ' c l ihlh- ~ : lit2 he[-i.
i5 li,!!!~,~~g i111: \,! k.);-k, :J. o ~ i i .Y.o~%.. ~ i c ~ \\t,t.r.!
i . ' ~ i ' t i ~ i,girlhood
t I
!?<t\eh:ic! pi~\>cclI I I C t ) ) , \ r t t i I h ~ l . iic~tt-li!~? .,~ (it' 0 \ 4 11. N o

Il1;11i.I ! ~ I ct~i!circn.IIO ,cI\~\c t'r~ii~iil. c.\c.c>~~I1%)).' 5 ~ 1 i ~ 1 1k311t ~ 1 , 1 i!o

l l . c ~ l .a ~ i d( > : I \ ; ; I . A I I ~i .(10
l l c ~ tc: , c ! ~ ~ . ~ l ~ ,-\~~::ITI ~ I?a\c ~iicnci\.Tastii ; i ~ i c i
c.ailiii j:~~c. I c v c o h>t\,c; I I:~lnil!- [hi. \ illqig: n Irich has t;illct~o n

Just \r.hcn I think I'vc leiir.nc.cl to livo ~ i l the

h he:~t,the constant
dnrnpncii. e\.cn stc:~rnincssof nil. clothes. thc swampinecs under
my arm.; and hettbccn my legs. my friend comes. And cramps and
:iches and pitins-hut 1 must still keep going a i if nothing i~ hap-
pening. 01-be a n cmbarrasmcnl to Samuel. thc children kind my-
self. Not i o mcntion the villagers. u.ho think \vomen who have
their fr~encfii h o l ~ i dnot cvcn be seen.
Right ; ~ f t e rher niothcr'\ death. Olivia got her- friend: she and
Tashi tend to each other is my gue\s. 3othing i s skii~lto 1 1 1 ~in . any
event, and 1 don't knobv h ~ \ vto hr-iflgthe suhjecl up. Which ft.e!s
vl,rong to me: but if you talk to an Olinha g11.l about her private
par[.;. her mother and fathe]. ~ i i l he
l :inno\icd, and i t is very impor-
tant to Olivia not to be looked upon as an outsidel.. Altho~ighthe
one I-itu~il(hey d o have tc) celcbr.;ile \c.omanhood is so bloody and
painful. I forbid Olivia to even thinh ahnst i t .
Do vou I-cmernbe~- hou scared 1 \\:is vliicn it firit happened to
me'! I thought I had cut rn\,self. H u t thank (iod yo11were thcre to
tell mc I \V:IS all right.
We buried C'orrinc ir? the Olink:~ u';ty. urappccl in barkcloth
under a 131-gctrcc. ,411 of her- ;wcct w a y \ \\en! \vith h c r , All of' her
ctluc;ition and a hc:irt intent on doing y o ~ d Shc . [aught nle so
much! 1 Er~louI will miss her al\%.;iys.The children were sti~nned
by their- mother.', dcatll. They line\\. she \\a5 \'el-).sick. but death
rs not something the! thrnh about in relation to their piwcnts or
 Pt R P I I .
I'Hl C 0 l . 0 ~

which all seem to have been made with gi;\nts i n mind. so I was
~ l ; l dlo have Corrine's Ihings. ,4( [he hame lime. I dreLlded
them on. I e em em be red her saying we should stop we;iring each
other's clothes. And the memory pained me,
Are you Sure Sister- Corrine would want this'? 1 asked Samuel,
Yes. Sister Netrie. he said. I'ry nor lo hold her- fears against
her. At the end she understood, and believed. .And fc>l-gave-
whatever there was to fc~rgive.
1 should have said something sooner, I said.
He asked me to tell him about you, and the words poured out
like water. I was dying to tell someone about us. 1 told him about
my letters to you every Christmas and Easter-. and about how
much it would have meant to us if he had gone to see you after I
left. He was sorry he hesitated ro become involved,
If only I'd understood then what 1 know now! he said,
But how could he'? There is so much we don't understand, ~~d
so much unhappiness comes because of that,
love and Merry Christmas to you, d more, I write to you.
1 don't write to ~ o no
Your sister Nettie What happen to God'? ast Shug.
Who that? I say.
She look at me serious.
RIP a devil as you is, I say, you not worried bout no God.

ain'r go1 religion.

;\.hat God do for me'? I ast.

.~ilil lowdown.
She jay, Miss Celie. You better hush. God might hear you.
[ el 'jm hear me. I say. If he ever listened to Poor colored
\\t,rl,;:n [he world would be a different place. I can tell you.
She !alk and she talk. trying to budge me way from
(j.11I blaspheme much as I want to.
.';I[ In! life 1 never care what people thought bout nothing did.
I : \ 13111 deep in my heart I care about God. What he going to

174 175
 think. .And come to find out. hc i i o ~ ~ tt1111k.
'! J ~ \ i ( I ~ 1 1 3there
glorying in hcing derf. I rcckor~.I3ut i! ain.1 cay!. 11\i11gI,) do
withour God. Eivcn if you know hc ain't thc1.c. I~.yin:,.I C d~ o hith-
out him is a t r a i n .
I is a sinner, say Shug. Cause I was born. I don't ilcny i r . Rut
oncc you find out what's out thcrc \\:titin? t'or , I , , , \\.ha[ a.l\t. can
you be'.'
Sinners have more good limes. 1 \ t i > .
You knoh why? she axt.
Cnusc you ain't all the time wor~.yingb ~ u ijoci,
t I \:I\.
Naw, that ain't it. she say. Us IVOI.I.?. boirt (;o<i lor. Hut once
CI
us feel loved by God. us do the best iIi can to plcaxe him with
what us like.
You tellitig me God love you. and you ain't ncvcl. dclrle nothing
for him? 1 mean, not go to church. bing i n tllc choir. fecd the
preacher and all like that?
But if Ciod love me, Czlie, 1 don't h:r\,e 10 do .dl r h ; ~ Unless
~.
want to. There's a lot of other !hingh 1 can do th.it i ~ p c c kGod
likes.
Likc what! I ast
Oh. she *as, I can lay inch 'ind ;u\t adn111-cyt~iff Uc h'lppy.
H a ~ ae good tlme.
Well. this sound like blasphemy sur-e nuff.
She say, Celie, tell the truth. have you e\:ei- lbunci God in
church'? I never did. I just found a bunch of folk3 hoping for him
to show. Any God I ever felt in church I brought in \vith nlr. And
I think all the other folks did loo. They come I ~ church I to slirrre
God. not find Cod.
..~ .
Some folk5 didn't have him to iharr. I stid. Fhc! the ones
didn't speak to me while I war there .trt~?gliiling ~ , i t i nl i l big bclly
and Mr. children.
Right. she say.
Then she say: Tell me what your God look irhe. C'clie.
Aw naw, 1 say. I'rn too shame. Nobod! c \ er;1\1 Ins tliis before,
sd I'm sort of took by surprise. Beside\, \i!~cnI t h ~ n kiih011tif, i t
don't seem quite right. But i t all I got. I decidr lo \lick u p tor. him.
just to see what Shug say.
Okay. I say. H e big and old and tall ~ n tgr.;~!/hc:~!-deii
l ;111d ~ i h i t e .
wear white robes and go bat.ciooted.
Blue eyes'? she as!.
.. -
Cool. k31g though. White Inshet. I s a )
l,l.]~]ili\h-gfi~y.
She' 1;,11gI~.
wl1) )",I I;ragh'? I art. I don't think it so funny. What you
c\P
\)in1 to look like. Mr. -?'
7h;,t ~ o u l d n ' tbe no improvement. she s a y Then she tell me
,hi, oiCi a.hite man is the same God shr used to see when she
pl.;,!c,i. if you *:lit to find Ciod in church. Celie. she say. that's
i r h,ond to show up. cause th;lt's where he live,
I~(,,L comc'l I ast.
C.;tu\e th2t.s the one that's in the white folks' white bible.
ghue! 1 hay. God wrote the bible, white folks had nothing to d o
~ , i t Iht .
HOW come he look just like them. t h m ? she s a v Only bigger?
And ;I 11e;ip more hair. How come the bible just like everything
el\e tbcy nl:ake, all about them doing one thing and another. and
:,\I ttre colorcd folks doing i:, gitting cul-sed?
I ~
1 ne.cr thought bout that.
xt.trjc say somewhere in the bible i t say Jesus' hair was like
lamb'i \\,ool. 1 say.
Well. say Shug, if he came to any of these churches we talking
bcut he'd have to have i t conked befr)re anybody paid him any
at!cntic:n. 'The last thing niggers want to think about they God is
tha! hi$ hair kinky
Thar's the truth. I say.
:\in'( no way to read the bible and not think God white, she
s , ! , ~ , , .'1.lit.n she sigh. When I found out I thought Cod was white,
; , i ; : i :, man. I lost interest. You mad cause he don't seem to listen
t i ; I , , . r l - (,l-i~ye,-s. j u l n p h ! D o the mayor listen to anything colored
\ \,k Sofia, she say.
t r I I I don't have to ast Sofia. 1 know m h ~ t epeople neker listen
! ~ c , l i , ~ neriod. ~d. If they d o , they only litten long enough to be
ai+ ! o t ~ l you l what to d o .
Ilcr-c's the thing, say Shug. The thing I believe. God is inside
)'OU <,nJ inside everybody else. You come into the u~orldwith
O o d . fiut only them that search for it inside find it. And some-
t i : ~ i t , 11 i ~ y manifest
t itself even if you not looking, or don't know
hila1 ! o ~ looking for-. Trouble do it for most folks. 1 think. Sor-
rl!\i . i d . Feeling like shit.
!i" i ; ~ , t .
k':.;th. It. Gad air1.t a he or a she. but a It.
 1 I l l ( ~ ( 1 1 i l l < 1'1 KPI 1 (.-()I < l K ! ' ~ ' K P [I

13ut \\..lliit do it look II!,~'.) ;i4t.

H ~ ~ ~ ii.illc~.
~ ~ . warer.
\ , a hig rock.
hklrd ivork, l e t me tell you. HC heen there *o long. he
L S / ? ~ / , qI! h : t y , ,, , , H~ thr~iitcnlightening. f l ~ a~n d dciir-lh- ~
Oh. she say. ( ; ~ dlove all then1 fc.clings. That.$ some *fthc best
q,li,hc\, (1, ,iC-ht,I hllrdly pray .I itit. t v e r ! [ i m ~1 ~ ~ n . i ilp
~ lac
s t ~ f f G o (did. l And V, hen I O U know God loves .em you enjoys 'em 1 ti-~i-o\\it.
a 101 more. Y O LC:ln ~ ~ ~ rci~lx,l ~go t\vith evcrythjnp tha('\ going,
and ~ ~ ~ I I (;od s c by liking v,hat you like,
God don't think i t dirt!''.' I nst.
she sav. God made i t . Listen. love evel-ything you
Iove-:lnd a mess of ~ t l l f 4.011 f don't. Hut marc than anything else,
God love admiration.
YOUsaying God ~ ~ a i n1 as[. ?
N a w - she sit)'. Not vain. ~ L I wanting S ~ to ?hare a g c ~ dthing. I
t h i n k i t P ~ S ~ CGod S off if !.Oil ~ v a l kI?).. the color pclrple i n a field
somewhere anti don't notjc.e it.
What i t do when it pj\icd off.! 1 a4t,
Oh. i t mukc someth~ng~lsc..People think pleasing ~~d is all
God cart. about. Rut any f'c,ol living i n the \$'(,rid can it always
trying to plcnsc 11s b ~ k .
Ycah'.' I s a y .
Yeah, she say. I t ; ~ l \ ~ ; t ym;lking \ 4ul-prises and
then1 on 11s when 11.; least ckpCct,
You mean i t ~ i ~ ton be t loved. ,;1lst the sL14'.
k'es, C e k . \he %:I).. I:\,cr!.thing xitnt t i , he ~ ~ \ ,ux ~ d , and
~iilnce.nlithc f i i ~ t . . ; and g i \ c f ? [ ~ ~ v eb0uq1lc!\.
r- 11.1j n g it, hc loved,

I78

Dear Nettie,
w h e n 1 told Shug I'm writing to yo11 instc;\d of to ~ o d she
laugh. Nettie don't know these people. she s i ~ y Considel-ing
. who
I been writing to, this strike me funny.
It was Sofia )..ou saw working a s the mayorss maid, .The woman
You saw carrying the white woman's p:ickages that day i n town.
Sofia Mr. --'s son Harpo's wife. Polices lock her up for
sashin&? the mayor's wife and hitting the mayor back, ~ j , - she
was in prison working in the laundry and dying fList,-j-hen us got
her move to the mayor'\ house. She had to sleep in a little room
UP under the house. but it w;is better- than prison. F:lies, rrlaybe,
but no rats.
Anyhow. they kept her cleven and a half yearh. Eivc her six
months off for good behavior so she could come hvi,:c early to
her family. Her bigger children married and gone, :~ndher littlest
children mad at her, don't know who she is. ?[.hink she act f u n n y ,
look old and dote on that little white gal r:.isc,
Yesterday us all had dinner at Odessa's house. o d e s x a sofia9s
sister. She 1-aise the kids. Her arid her husband ~ ; ~ ~~ k , ~
woman Squeak, and Have hinlself,
Sofia sit down at the big table like there's no ,-oom for her.
Children reach cross her like she not there. Harpo and squeak act
like a old married couple. Children c;ill Odessa mama. call
Squeak little mama. Call Sofia "Miss." The onl) one yeem to pay
her any tention at all is Harpo and Squeak'.; little i r l , S u r i c Q.
She sit Cross from Sofia and squinch up her eyes at her,
180
'1-H 1: C O L O K PL R P I 1:
,l,r,ll :,s dinner over. Shug pu,h hack her chair and light a
, , i\ come the time to tell yiill. rhc s:~Y.
I,,leaving, hug say again. MI-. -- look struck. like he
.;,! \ lOl,k when Shug bay she going ;inywhel-c. He reach do\vn
,Illd ,.llh hi, S t O n j a ~ hlook
. offside her head like nothing been said.
(;,.:,J, ,21y. sLIchgood peoples, that's thc truth. The salt o f [he
c,,rth, ~ut-time to move on.
sqlleaknot saying nothing. She got her chin glued to her plate.
I.nl nc,t hLlyingnothing either. I'ni waiting for the feathers to fly.
Celie is coming with US. say Shuf.
M,., 's head s\\.ivel back straight. Say what'? he ast.
cc\ic i, comillg to Memphis with me.
, ( ) v c ~my dead body. Mr. - - say.
you satisfied that \,:hat you want. Shug say. cool a s clabber.
MY. start up from his seat, look at Shug. plop back down
;ig;lin Hc. look over at me. I thought you was finall)' happy. he
\a!,. What wrong now'!
;,
you lowdob,n dog is u,hat's \strong. I say. It's time to leave
~t vou and enter into the Creation. And your dead body just the
welcome mat I need.
Say what'? he ast. Shock.
,411 ~ i r ~ ~then dtahle folkses mouths be dropring open.
\I'OLI 100k Iny sister Nettie away from me. I say. And she was
rhc o!il\ person love me in the world.
Mr. -- start to sputter. ButButButButBut. Sound like
\()ille c. 111dof motor.
BLII hcttie and my children coming home soon. I say. And
bhcn \hc do, all us together gon whup youi- ass.
Ut:t:~:: ;,,,d your children! say Mr. ___. You talking crazy.
~ 1 !:I,: children,
~ ~ I say. ' Being brought
s up in Africa. Good schools.
l o t \ ol'l'l-c\;hair and exercise. 'Turning out a heap better than [hc
""('Ix* ):ci\l didn't even try to raise.
tiold (,n. say Harpo.
0 1 7 , hold o n hell. I say. If. you hadn't ti-ied to rule over Sofia the
"hitc \'oil,\ never would have caught her.
S(rti;! Y O surprise to hear me speak up she ain't chewed for ten
nllni~,,.,
IXI
 HI.. ('01O H PIRI]I.I THECOIO R PURPLE

That's a lie, say Harp(>.

A little truth i n it. say Sofia.
EverY'hodi. look at her like they surprise she t h e r e I t like a
voice speaking from the grave.
Did , you for money'? 1 say. I never as( you for nothing.

y o u was all rotten children. 1 say. You made my [ifc a hell on

earth. And Your daddy here ain't dead horse's shit,
Mr. -reach over to slap me. I jab my case knife i n his
hand.

Shug say. A1bel.t. Try to think like you g,t some sense. why
any woman give a shit what people think is a mystcry to me,
Well, say Grady, trying to bring light. A woman can't git a man
if peoples talk.
Shu~ look at me and u h giggle. Then us laugh sure nuff. Then
Squeak start to laugh. Then Sofia. All us laugh and laugh,
Shue say. Ain't they something? Us say um /211112, and slap the
table. wipe the water from our eyes.
H a r ~ look
o at Squeak. Shut up Squeak. he say. I t bad luck far Mama ast one of Sofia children.
women to laugh at men. ~i~~ Sofia too, another one s a ~ l .
She say, Okay. She sit up straight, suck in her breath, try to ~ u Sofia t cry quick, like she do most things.
press her face together. Who going'? she ast.
He look at Sofia. She look at him and laugh in his face. I ~ ~ b say ~ ~ d ) It so quiet Y O U can hear the embers dying
had mY bad luck, she say. I had enough to keep me back i n the stove. Sound like they falling in on each other.
laughing the rest of my life. Fiii:lllv.Squeak look at everybody from under her bangs. Me.
Harp0 look at her like he did the night she knock Mary Agnes s h \~. i b . I'm going North.
down. A little spark fly cross the table, Yi,,[, coing What? say Harpo. He so surprise. He begin to sput-
I got six children by this crazy woman, he mutter, ter. ~ y ~ , ~just r . his daddy. Sound like I don't know what,
~ elike
Five, she say. 1 .(;it to sing. say Squeak.
\.I.

He so outdone he can't even say, Say whats?

He look over at the youngest child. Si,r sullen, mean, mis-
cheevous and too stubborn to live in this world. But he love her
best of all. Her name Henrietta.
Henrietta. he say. thing vou need I done provided for.
She say. Yesssss . . . like they say it on the radio, I 1;cccl to sing, say Squeak.
Everything she say confuse him. Nothing. he say, .Then he say, I , ; \ i c n squeak,
say H a r p 0 You can't go to Memphis ' r h a t ' ~
Go git me a cool glass of water.
She don't move. \l,tri. Agncs, say Squeak.
Pleasc, he say. : ; , , . ~ ~ ;M
. ~ k ,~ Agnes,
~ - what
~ difference do it make'?
She go git the water. put it by his plate. give him a peck the 1 1 !,;,ke a lot3 say Squeak. When I was Mary Agnes 1 could sing
cheek. Say. Poor Daddv. Sit back down.

182
 ÿÿ HI COIO K PCRPI.F.
THE COLOKPGRPL E

Just then a little knock come on the door.

Odessa and Jack look at cach other. Come in, say Sack.
A skinny little white woman stick most of herself through the
door.
Oh, you all are eating dinner, she say. Excuse me.
That's all right, say Odessa. Lrs just finishing up. But
plenty left. Why don't you sit down and join us. 01. I could fix you
something to eat on the porch.
Oh lord. say Shug.
It Eleanor Jane. the white girl Sofia ~isedto work for.
She look round till she spot Sofia, then she seem to let her
breath out. No thank you, Odessa. she say. 1 ain't hungry. I just
come to see Sofia.
Sofia. she say. Can 1 see you on the porch for a minute.
.411 right, Miss Eleanor, she say. Sofia push back from the table
and they go out on the porch. A few minutes later us hear Miss
Eleanor sniffling. Then she really boo-hoo.
What the matter with her? Mr. ast.
Henrietta say, Prob-limbszzzz . . . like somebody on the radio.
Odessa shrug. She always underfoot. she say.
A lot of drinking in that family. say Sack. Plus, they can't keep
that boy of theirs in college. He get drunk. aggravate his sister,
chase women. hunt niggers. and that ain't all.
That enough, say Shug. Poor Sofia.
Pretty soon Sofia come back in and sit down.
What the matter? ast Odessa.
A lot of mess back at the house, say Sofia.
You got to go back up there? Odessa ast.
Yeah, say Sofia. In a few minutes. But I'll try to be back before
the children go to bed.
Henrietta ast to be excuse, say she got a stomach ache.
Squeak and Harpo's little girl come over, look ap at Sofia. say,
You gotta go Misofia?
Sofia say, Yeah. pull her up on her lap. Sofia on parole. she
say. Got to act nice.
Suzie Q lay her head on Sofia chest. Poor Sofia, she say, just
like she heard Shug. Poor Sofia.
Mary Agnes. darling. say Harpo. look how Suzie Q take to
Sofia.
Yeah, say Squeak, children know good when they see it. She
and Sofia smile at onc ncther.
 b,,
;,,,_c
ti, w h o you think you i s ? he w y . You ciln't curhe
, l,onk ;a you. YOU b h c k . YOU POI-e. YOU ugly. it

,,,, n . say. you nothing all.

( ; ~ d ~ l a rhe
(10 right hy me. I say. cverything you even dream
L,nl,l
\\ill t.;,i(. 1 f i v ~i t to him straight, just like it come to me.
,,t70,
il ,ccrll 10come to me from the trees.
M ~ , , ~ heard , ~ ~ of~ ~such - a thing. say Mr. -. I probably
J,,'I \, h u p !'our ass enough.

Dear Nettie.

ing so much bout stuff to drink make me have to pee, Then us

have I* find a road going off inlo the bushes to relieve ourselves.
Mr.- try to act like he don't care I'm going,
You'll be back, he say. Nothing up North for nobody like you.
Shug got talent, he say. She can sing. She got spunk, he s ; l y , She
can talk to anybody. Shug got looks, he say. She can stand up and
be notice But what you got'? You ugly You skinny. You shape
funny. You too scared to open your mouth to people. 411you fit
to do in Memphis is be Shug's maid. Take out her slop-jar and
mavbe cook her food. You not that good a cook either. And this \I:~L,II. j ; ~ yShug. Amen, amen.
house ain't been clean good since my first wife died, And nobody
crazy or backward enough to want to marry you, neither. What
you gon do'? Hire yourself out to farm'.' He laugh. Maybe some-
body let you work on they ailro road.
Any more letters come'? 1 ast.
He say. What'?
You heard me. 1 hay. Any more letters from Nettie come,!
If they did, he say. I w80uldn't give 'em to you, you two of a
k i n d , he say. A man try to be nice to you, you fly in his face,

186

Dear Nettie.
So what is it like in Memphis? Shug's house is big and pink and
look sort of like a barn. Cept where you would put hay. she got
bedrooms and toilets and a big ballroom whel-e she and her band
sometime work. She got plent) grounds round the house and a
bunch of monuments and a fountain out front. She got statues of
l'olks I never heard of and never hope to see. She got a whole
bunch of elephants and turtles everywhere. Some big. some little,
some in the fountain, some up under the trees. Turtles and
elephants. And all over her house. Curtains go1 elephants,
bedspreads got turtles.
Shug give me a big back bedroom overlook the backyard and
the bushes d o ~ v nby the creek.
I know you use to morning sun. she bay.
Her room right crosa from mine, in the shade. She work late,
sleep 1:ite. gir up late. No turtles or e l e p h ~ n :on
~ her bedroom
furniture. but a few statues spread out round the room. She sleep
in silks and satins, even her shecls. And her bed round!
1 wanted to build me a round house, say Shug. but everybody
act like that's hackward. You can't put windows in a round
house, they say. But I made me up some planq. anywa),. One of
thcse d a y s . . . she say. showing me the papers.
It a big round pink house, look sort of like some kind of fruit. It
got windows and doors and a lot of trees round i t .
What i t made o f ? I ast .
'I'III COIo n P ~ K I I L E :
2 , 1 1 ~1 , , . LIII~I \vclilld~l.t~rlindconcrete. I hgure you could
,llr l l ~ i , l ~ lIbl
, each section, poiir the concrete in. let i t get
illl,L.i0 1 1 the mold. glue the parts togcthcr s o n i e h o ~and
, ,,,I.c!\la\.c !"Llr ~ O U X " .
li,,c'll.I like !hi4 one YOU got. 1 say. I h;\t one look a little slnall.
,,,, .,;,;! b;:il. \;I!. Shug. But I just feel funny living in a square. It'
&...
,clll;l~c'. then 1 C O L I I ~ take it better. she say.
I
(I, t a l l \ bout houses a lot. How they built, \!hat kind of wood
r,L,,,ie t l s ~ . 1.aIk ahoat how to make the outside around your
4cxncthing you can use. I sit down on the bed and start to
dra\, ;I ~\i!ldof \\ood hkirt a r o ~ ~ nher d concrete house. You can sit
,,,,[hi,. 1 \ a ) . v h e n ~ O Lget I tired of being in thc house.
7
j.,>:,tl.
. -
,tic .:I\,. arid let's piit awning over it. She took the pencil
arid [jut thc M , O O ~ skil-t in the shade.
I . I O \ ~ ~ ; Iboxes
. yo here. she say. drawing w m e .
,,\"(I g:'l.;:nlllmi in thern, 1 say, drawing some.
,411J ;t J'cL\ YTOIIC elephants right here, she say.
.4!1ci n turtle or two right here.
..\nd h o \ \ LIS know you I ~ v ehere t o o ? she ast.
I sly,
~ ~ l l l ~ / , . \ ~
H! the tlnlc u\ finlsh our house look like it c a n swim or fly.
Nohod! cook like Shug when she cook.
She g ~ , t rlp early in the morning and go to rn:~rket. Buy only
,tulf'!h;:t -, t'rt:\h. Then 4he come home and sit on the back step
I I I I ~ I I I ~ ! ! - : ~,~!ld.;belling pea.; 01-c1e;lning collards or fish or what-
~ \ c I\ t .i m . i,c!il~ht..]'hen she glt all her pots going at once and turn
('11 !- I,.!ICI. R p one o'clock everything ready and she call US to
! I ~ c taL)l5 I \.lm ;lnd gl-ecns and chicken and cornbread. Chitlins
;llld hI::, i..c:!cd peas and souse. 13jcklcd okra and watermelon rind.
( ~ ' ; ~ 1 ~ ~ 1 1 c;i!-,c.
1i~1 :\nd hlackherry pie.
1 \ c.;,: :1t1,1 c:~t.and drink a little sweet wine and beer too.
l'ili.il SilclL:;tnd mc go Pall out in her room to listen to music till
' I ' I i / l : l l t ' c ~ i ) ( ! h;\\e a chance to settle. I t cool and dark in her room.
I'cl' I)<:<I allL{nice. Us lay with our ar-ms round each other.
y"ll'cll~~lc.y ShLrg~-e;idthe paper out loud. The news alw;iys sound
'".'t/\. i ' c ~ ~ ~ pfusing lc and fighting and pointing fingers at other
P " ' ~ l i ' . i i l i i l ncvcr even looking for no peace.
l + ~ , ? ~n\;.inc.s ; ~ yShug. C r a ~ yas betsy bugs. Nothing built
Illii c ,
c;in I;lrl. I,i.;ten. she say. Here they building a dam s@
.
!Icicld nut a fndian tribe that been there \ince time. And
 '1.111. COl O R pl'l<131
1

look a [ this. the!, n ~ a k ~ n:I gpicture tlorrt that w i n t h ~ i tk i l t all th , L l c h , l l s\ ,l ; ~ ~ i lall

\ O V ~ I . he!- chairs. h:i\lging k i l l i n fr.r)n\ of' thc
errl
wonlen. I h c salnc man !h;lt pl~tyt t ~ ekiller. is playing the priest, , . , % c ~\p;iper
\ ~ I I ~ I C I I I \iind cloth ;ill < , \ e lthe t;ihle and
.An(! looh at theye \hoe\ they making no%.,shc \;I!. 1 . r ~to Walka
mile in a p;rir o f t h e m . slre ski!. j'ou l7c Iiniping all the way home,
, , , . SIICconic holnc. kiss me. stcp oilei ;ill the nicss Say.
hcfol.c ,llc Ic;iic ;rg:iin. H o u nluch moncy )oil thiiik you nced riiir
And ~ ' o usee ~ r ' h i r tthe\, tr-!irig to d o with that man that beat the
,L cc h "
(_'hincaccouple to death. Nvrhing \I hatsocver.. hc.1) [i11;111). one day I rniidc [he pellcct pail of pants. For my
\I-c:th. 1 \a?. bur some things plea\;int. ,.,,.,,- . They soft dark blucle~.se),uith tcen) patches of
,u$'.'. ll;itl~r;ill~
'-

Kighl. say Shug. tul-ning !he page. Mr. and blrs. Hamilton ,.c.d, liLIt\\ h ; ~ trnahc them so good is. t h e ~totally cornfort:thle.
Ff~rfflcmcyer.are pleased to nnnoL1nc.e the ivcdding of their- &ugh. Ca,l\c Shrlg ru it ;I lot ofJunk (111 thc 1.oad. ; ~ n ddrink. her stnmaih
ter June Suc. 'The Morrises of Enclover Road arc \peiirhcadinga blo;it, SO tlic pants can he let out without niesing up the shape.
social fol- the Episcop;ll church. hl1.s. HCI-bertEdcnfail was ona L ~ ~ ~ ,IIC ; ~have~ ~ to~ pack
L I her \tuffand fight wrinkle\. these pants
\,isit last ~ , e c kti) the Adironrliicks to see her ailing mother, the .I1-Ll ,(~f.t. hill-dl!, winkle at all. and the little figure.; i n the cloth
Sol-n~erMrs. Cieoft'rcy Hood. . , I \.\ ;10(1h ~ , \ p~11.k). and 01-igl~t. And they full round the ankle so ~f
All thest: t"icc> look happy enough. say S h ~ i g Hig . and beefy,
...
,he \ \ ; \ [ I [ 10 sing in 'em and wear 'em svrt of like a long dress. she
I-.yes c!ear and innocclit. like thcy don't knew then1 other crooks ,,n, 1'111,. once Shug put then) o n . \hc knock yolrr eyes out.
on the t'ront page. Hut they the w n e folks. she say. hlis\ ('clie. she aay. 1'011 is :I \i,onder to behold.
f3i1t pretty soon. uftcr c,ooking ir big dinner and rnaking a to-do I tl~lchrnv head. She run round the house looking at herself in
.~~

ahout c1e;ining the house. Shug go back to work. That mean she
rievcr give a thought to what she ear. Never give u thought to
\\(here she slccp. She on tllc road somewhere for u-eeks at a time,
come home with bleary eye.;. rotten breath. over\veipht and sort
c:f p ~ e u a y .No place hardly to stop and reall). wash herself. espe-
cially her hair. on thc I-o:id.
Let me go with you, I h a y . I can pr-ess your clothes. do your
hair. I t would be like c~ldtime\, ~ h r you n wa.; sinsingat Harpo's.
She sav. Naw. She can act like \he not bol.ed in front of a
audience of str:rnger.;. a lot of them uhite, but she \+,ouldn'thave
the ner\.e to try to act in St-ont of me.
Besidei. .;he say. You not my inaid. I didn't bring you to Mem-
phis Lo be that. 1 brought ~ O L Iherc to love you and ha.!? ).ou geton
your feet
And now she off on the road for t*o weeks. and me and CiradY
and Squeak rattle round the house trying to Z L . ~our..ituff together.
Squeak been going round to a lot of clubs and Grady been taking
her. Plus he seem to be doing u little farming out back the house.
1 sit in the dining rooni rnaking pirrlts after p:rnt\. I got pants
now in every color and size uncler the sun. Since 11s starter1 mak-
ing pants down horne. 1 ain't been able to stop. I change the cloth,
I shsngc the print. 1 charige tlic u ~ i i s t .1 change the pocket. I
c-hangt. the hem. I change the fallness of the leg. 1 nlake so many
pants Shug tcasc mc. I didn't knou *hut 1 was s t ~ i r ~ i n shc
mirr.o:.,. \ O rnattcr ho\\. S ~ look. C i h look
~ good.
YOLIk11ou hi)\\ it i s when you don't habe nothing to do, 1 say.
\\,hen ,he hrirg to <;rady ;rrltl Sque;ik bout her pants. I sit here
thinhln: I,oirt h u to ~ make a living and bcfol-c I hnou it I'm off on
a~nuthc~ p;r~rpanti.
H!. no\\ Squeak see a pair .\lrc, like. Oh. Mi\s C'elir. jhc. say.
C';rn 1 tr'. or1 t hoic'?
She pt~ton a pair the culol- of sunset. Orangish 1 ~ 1 t ah littlc
gLiqist tl(xck. She come back out lookinglust f n c . Ciri~cl~ look at
her- iii.;. I:<, ::)LLIJcat her up.
Shk:,: ! I : ~ + Ithe piece:, of cloth I got hanging on everything. It
1 s t . t'io\\ ing. rich and catch the light. This a f'ir cry from that
\tifl"1111\\ \ l i t us itarted with. she say. You ought to make up n
W'ii:~' I , . ~ I I .to thank and shou. Jack.
Wr,. \!\c s ; ~ ythat for. The next w e ~ kI'n: in and out of \tOl'C.;,
\Pc.ll,.i~!~- ~ r r ~ ro- 2f ~ h u g ' smoney. 1 $ i t lookir~gout cross the yard
"!ir::: : . , ~ , ein 171) mind what ;I pair of pants for Jack ~ o u l d looh
lib I tci, ;\ t:i11 and hind and don't hardly say anything. 1 . 0 ~ ~
. l<cspect his wife. ()de.;ja. ;\nd all Odessa ;ima/on st\-
' c i \ . \ ~ r ' . t h she r ~ ~want to take on. he right the1.c. Never talking
'l,lL1cl'i;;!):~gh.That's the main thirlg. And thcn I remember One
'"I". i!:. :oi<c/lme, i t felt like hi, fingers had eyes. Felt like he
""'" ', ', ,111 over. but he just tc111ch ~ n ilrm ) u p ne:ir the shoulder.
g . say, I ' ., rtl~tkc ants for- Jiick. The!. h:ii.e to be c;lmcl. And sot'[
 'I'HECOLOR['L:RI'I f

And they have to be w;lshable and the), have to tit closer round
the leg than Shug's so he can run if he need to snatch a child out
the way of sornething. And they h a ~ toc be sornething he can lay
back in when he hold Odcssa in ti-ont of thc fire. And . . .
I dream and dream and dream over Jack'c pants. And cut and
sew. And finish them. And send them off.
Next thing 1 hear, Odessa Rant a pair.
Then Shug want two more pair just like the first. Then
everybody in her band want some. 'l'hen ordcrs start to come in
from everywhere Shug sing. Pretty soon I'm hwamp.
One day when Shug come home. I say. You k n o ~ .I. love doing
this. but I got to git out and make a living pretty soon. Look like
this just holding me back.
She laugh. Let's us put a few advcrtisernents in the paper, she
say. And let's us raise your prices a hefty notch. And let's us just
go ahead and give you this diningroom for your fitctor-y and git 1 ,!, hc,l,P).. I got love. 1 got work, I got money, friends and
you some more women in here to cut and sew. while y c ) ~sit back r,mc, i L , , i a l i ~ . and
c be home soon. With our children.
and design. You making your living. Celie, she say. Girl, you on ,t.rcn;. , I n c l ~);~;.iene come help me with the business. They
your way. r u i n , y i , s e r married. Love to sew. Plus. Darlene trying to teach
Nettie, I am making some pants for you to beat the heat in I,,,\, I(, t;,ik. say l r s not so hot. A dead country give-away.
Africa. Soft, white, thin. Drawstring waist. You won't ever have l.,,u 1i ,\ he1.c most foiks say WE. she say. and peoples think
t o feel too hot and overdress again. 1 plan to make them by hand. c ~ i i l . ~ l + ~ . ~ , peoples l ~ ~ think
~ ~ you
l a hick and white folks be
Every stitch 1 sew will be a kiss.
\''h:!~ I I;(;-c'.' I st. I'm happy.
Amen. tz'! ,;,L ,:,> I feel more happier talking like she talk. Can't
Your Sister, Celie i:,:.! ,.;. i;l;ike me il;lppicr than seeing you again. 1 think. but I
Folkspants, Unlimited. :i : ni>t~llng. Every time 1 say something the way I say it.
Sugar Avery Drive . . ,!i.!ci\ I i;ay it some other way. Pretty soon it feel
Memphis. T e n n e s x e ;~t.,r i ,:.:.!.! t\>irll\,My :llind run up o n a thought. &it confuse. run
bL~c:!, . i i i : k.,)r-t of lay down.
t hI a ~ t .
\ i>:;L . i i - , ' [ h i 4 ~ y ~ r it'?
., ,; 1 c;,h, Bring me a hunch of books. Whitefolks all over
'h.!~: : ! i . i i ~ <h ~ ~;ipples
i t and dogs.
I"!;.! i . :tr-e hout dogs'? 1 think.
i):i.1. ..,. kcCCII, tr!.ing. Think how much better Shugfeel with You
'dl~,.::;,~,,!,,he s h e won't bc shame to take you anywhere.
 T f ~ r C'OIOH
. I'[.KPI k.

Shue szi). She can t;iIk in sign l ; ~ n g for~ ~ ; 1~c.,re,

~ ~ she
herself a nice cup of herh te:i :ind st;irt t:lll\ing hoot hl,t
hair.
I let Diirlcnc worry o n Somctin~esI think bout t h e aPp10
the dogs. ~ometimesI d o n ' t 1.0ok like la ole (,"ly a fool
would wan1 You to talk in :i uiiy th;,t feel peculi;ir to your mind
B u t she sweet :1nd she Sew good :iod us need ~ L > ~ l ~ e t toh j lhagg,;
lg
over while us work.
I'm busy making pants for so ti;^ n o w One leg be purple,
Ic% he r e d 1 dream Sofia wearing these p;ints. one jLiy she was
jumping over the moon.
Amen.
Your sister. Celie

~ l ; ~ lclowni i ~to~ Hal-po

~ and Sofia house it feel just like ~'ld
rime,, : cr,: lhc: house new. down below the jukejoint. and it a lot
bigFc,- i i was before. Then too 1 feels different. Look differ-
cn,, (;(,; ; , , i \<,rile (lark blue pants and a white silk shirt that look
rightcc,li.,, I-ittle red flat-heel clippers. and a flower in my hair. I
pay, $2,. house and him sitting up on the p o l - ~ hand he
didn't c:un know who I b a s .
! i ! s , ,,.,iicn I raise my hand to knock. I hear a crash. Sound like a

\\ . . ..,! Sofia, you said it. Now you can hush.

..., ,i,c your mother, say Harpo. But still.
': , . ',<it1 help us or not'.' say Sofia.
L: I:,; I ; ?on look like'! say Harpo. Three big stout women pall-

hc : : . il ,,,k like they ought to be home frying chicken.

i , : .,, ,:,.our-brothers be with us, on the other side. say Sofia. I
gut. ,i:) look like field hands.
1::;. ,;210plcsuse to men doing this sort of thing. Women
\,\'c,i. $:I. jlC \;,y, People ttlink they weaker. say they weaker. any-
) \ olnen %poseto take it ea\y. Cr). if you want to. Not try t o

1 \.I [;,kc over, say Sofia. The woman dead. 1 can cry and
.I\\;and lift the coffin too. And whether you help us or not
 1 :it !I!; <]I< 1'1 i<i,~I I'fik C.(II <)I< P LR f l I t

\ \ it11 1 1 1 !~ ; ? c h i ;rl!tl I ~ I L 'ih:!i~.\ : i ~ i t , lIhc g<:!-[c)gcti:~~.

c \ ; i ~ : ~\\i ~l i L i l i 1iI;it: !AL).
Ltf[t,l.\{;l~J, [halts , L,oll.t k1lc?\\. he say, Hci- illi~ld\\;~ncie~-,
cvcl-j tirlic \he t u r - 1 1 r~111tid
1 ~ ~ 1 1like
.
shi, t:11h I I ~ C s h t
\he w;int to see
. .
I t ;It :L':BI L!:I!L' ,I~!L:I ',3,1i,!~ I ~ ; L I . I ? <<), : I \ . I . L ; ! ~\()].I [{I SOjjil. w h y L,l,L,o~
l i ,.;IJ \ .
> ( ) I I iihc [ h i \ . !1~111?11 h\ \ O I I ;~!\\:\\.s 1 1 i i ~ l k4 ~ 1 ~h 1; \ \ e 1.0 things h ~ t h\n?ohc a lot of reefer. 1 say.
I \ \ 1 \\ : i ' i i s I I i I j L 1 1 R c c k l . .,;I) H ; ~ p o What . kind of ii thing i i that'.'
I
was
ill , j : ~ ~ i . Solllc'~hinp n1:lhc you feel good. 1 h a y . Something makc you sc'e
bbll:~! \l:c kL1! 'I,( S O ~ I ; , .
;' ..:,; ,,,,, ~011lc.thing
-. - make youl- l o \ e co~ilcdown. Hut if ~ O Lsmoke I
S l l ~\ ; I > ' ) o \ i t h ~ n k:! O:II. V,
,,,,,,,>a '

;i)0<1 ; ! \ :~ij\.h<)d! elbe'\. F ' I U ~ , it rllllch i t mahe you fcct>lt.~ninded.C:onf~~se. ,41\b;1ysneed to

Lourh. it
.luLchk,('lL1 c ~ t ~(rniehody.
' Cir;~dygrow it in thc backy:~r.d.I \:I)..
l:t~l!:ll
sl.)!l;i ' I n t . \ c l - Ileai.d crl'huch a thing. say Sotia. I t grow 111 the ground'?
I hlio\+ {i~i~tiig kwi. l-ifi i k:jo(:i, :t:~~h,hoi+. ~ , i ak ~~ i e e ~I lsay. . Grad) got half ;I ;ic're it he got a I'OW.
oh. I I , : i fli:i?lllg Opcrt !h.' sc1.cc.n. IIow good HULL. tiig- i! tit'.' ast ff;irpo.
k . \!I<: !(!:jk. g<?(.)tl.k 1,\1.p(!'?
) (111 / < ) < ~1 )t.>ri.t i l;\!-pc,>
\t;il.c :it i13c like he Rir!, 1 \;IF. W a y up oipermy head, Ancl Ilushy.
nc,ver hec!: mc I':.~'cII-c gnci \\hat part they smoke'?
. .
Sotiii g!\c. i n i b . I i . ' i ~I:!!L~ ;i;;,! h i i \ irl~> !:n the ,j:i:\. IVhcl-i. Miss Thc. le;~f.I \a). .
,Shtig')\hc: : I \ [ And thcq \make up all that? he asl.
Shu !I!\ the ~ . i , l , i t ! . I ..;I:. I+\![ s,llc \ < : i t , I.C;LI <#J~I.!: [L> h~,:ir your I 1;lugh. N;i\\. he sell mast of it.
InZma i':i'.'%. You evc'r taste it'? hc ust.
Well. \a! I.;(.I~;I.V~i:n;itichl tht go;^^! tight. I f thcrc', a glory Yeah. I .;;I!. He make i t up i n cig;~~-ettei. \;el1 'em for a dime. I t
;rny\\hcri. .,he i-igh; i l l t t ~ cmiil~lit fit. rot !,o~r~- h~.eath,I \ay. but ),all want to try one'!
1 4 0 ~you. H:I!.~o',' I ; l \ f , <?i!l c a t i ~ i g ' ) Not if it m;tke us cr;tz). 4ii! Suliil. 11 tiil!-~I e n o ~ g hto get b!
I-It. iuid S.l!i:! ';ttrgh. without beiilg i i li)oi.
I don't re~~hor: hl;!t.\. .~,Z:IL,L, :rtr!l!d ,.:or~ic h;!cb this time, say I t j~i\t like \vhiske~..I say. You got to st;)). ahead of it. YINI
,Sotiii. %tic \ \ ' I \ ,j!l\.! Ihc1.2h,;!.,~ :II~.\II:!I C\ ; I ~ oYOU
. ; ( I \ [ o~tg-htto see knov. :i little Jrjnh now and then never hurt nohocl!. hut \\hc.n
tier :incl Suric 0. L.,,!I'I git st;~l.ted~ v i t h ~ asking ut thc bottle. yo11 in trouble.
% a \ < .1 \;i!. She fi:i:ii!\ \:.!:.L irig \tc,td>. sir;ging at tu.0 or three F ' ~ ; t i. : l l ~ k eit. much. Mi\s Celie" H;lrpo :\st.
cluhs ~-o'tndI o v n . I o I k . ~lo\;: hc.1. ;I !at. i l~iih lihc :I fool'? I ; l i t . 1 \rnoke ~ ~ ' h 1c \+ant
n to talk to God.
S ~ t i i d ( $ pt.c;i~clof I:!:!- . t l ~ , \it!. l o \ < hi:[- ,inging. L,ove her 1 \mi)l..i, :?hen I \+ant to 1n;lke love. I>ntely I t'ecl like rnc and C;od
p e t f ~ l n ~ ii-.o\c
'. hcl. iIl-ci\c\. i i > \ cto \ic;tr lit1!-h;~t\% ;~rici;hues. rll;tki* I,,,. c iu\t fine nn1,hou. Whctller I srnoke r-ecf;rl.01-not.
I I o u \hl: L ! ~ . I lg I I I\c~t\o(~I'.'I C I ~ \ , ~ . ('clic! sn!; Sofia. Shock.
011.she !inc. \;!!. > 3 c r f i i i . S111al-[; i s :I I I I I ~ L ' L: hip. Oncc i h e got
cjvcr hcinp n1;1ti ttc.1- r;l:!!l;;l let'( hc.~.;lritiIbl!l;cl O I I ! I \ \ ; I \ tIenl-ictta's
re:(! rl?ctril:l..<hc\\:I\ :I/!rig!]!. S l i ~i,l i a t c ~ ticnrtt:l?i~.
l l o \ ~t l c ~ ~ r i c t t ; ~ ' . )
- . hlesi. I h a y to Sotia. God k n o ~\+hat
( ; { I ;1.111
I < ' i : o ~ ~ nthe
. I mean.
c l kitchen tahle and light u p . I shou 'em ho* to
I!? lhc') ~ i n d tlarpo . git strangle. Sofa choke.
l'i.cll\ \ooii Sufi;, say. rl'knt funny. I ncvc'i- heard that Ilumming
f:~.i!.\;I! Sofi:~. I . j ! ! I: t ; i c ~ :I.[~\.:L) 4 1oc.rC. like storm). \scather. I,cfo1,,
I I I t i I of it ! I too!, hi.1 c \ : ~ J d fort!, ) !ears LO \Vllal hi,i~llnir~~'.' kl~ir-poast.
iciirn i ~1~ ) />l~,i~si~:!l. ~ J c!~sr~'<i i i ) h c ll:!\i\ 10 hi\ ()\in nl;,. I .istLvi. ,he \;,\, .
i r-cal quiet and listen. Stire enough. 11s hear
Uinnlllli~!l,llT,m~,.
U.l:.(: !i coining fl-orrr'l Sofia. She git up and go look out the
'lo0i "lt!linL! [ ~ I ~ I -Sound C . . gir louder. LJmnl~nnirrimnl.

19-
 ! < i , 1~ ( t ; 1'1
<>I< i J I ~I1 'I ~ I C'OI
I o n PI I~PI I

\ \ 1 ~ 1 1!he I'ooii : I I I ~I ~ I C cl\::i~.\,;III~I ~11,: ~ ~ ~ ~ . that,s~ o ~ , ~ 1 ~ . he

~ \:I!. ~ H e~ r m i~~ r d\\andel-.
~ ~ S11c
~ 1;1Ik~ like ~shc ' ~ ~ ~ ~
c \ i ~ ~ : l1;i ~Ii<i! i pl:!r 1 0 I.!,). L1l,lll~ \ ~ l d- . \ c I > iirllc \ I I ~
l i ~ IOLIII~
r ~ look like shc \\an1 11) ~ t :
I 1 SIIt ' ~ ' : ~L~!I!L',
i \i'!~%t ! l i ! ~ 'I ~ ~ I\ :I\ \~
i3t ~ ~\01',1 ) 1 0 S01i;.\. Why
. \.c;!i
!OLI l i k ~ I ~ I \ h. l l l i ? L j ' h ~\.OLI :I!\!;L>,S ?111i1i> !<)ti h;i<.c t i ) d o things
XOLIl. L);\ 11 \\:I\ " i ,is! \ L)I.II !1;,1!1ii, il~)~.:! (,I\( [~[IIC, \\ jjjle y<,~1bJaS
in ,i:~il.
\\'I~~II \ h \~< i ! ',' <i->I SO~I:I.
%I12 \:I\, 011 th111k*> OLII \\..I, ;I<, soot1 ;(!< ;III\ !)oclh c l s c ~ s [)Ius,
. it

~ i ?1 .s:,),. Way u p over my head. A n d I ~ u \ h ) .

,I,,J I I ~ p;irl
I the) \rnohe'.!
The Ic;~l'.I .;:iy.
,4nd [tic) $rnoke u p all that'? he dst.
] l a i ~ g h N;IL\.
. he \ell r n w t of i t .
m a m a i';t\'.. y o u i.rrc.r- tastc it? he ; ~ \ t .
b e l l . \a! so ti:^. %:;!n::~ t i t 1 1 t h gnl\~l ~ light. 11' th~.:rc.'s a glory fiLIh. 1 \;I!. H e nl:tke 11 up in cig:~rctte\. sell 'ern fat- ?I dime. It
i111\'\\11~1-c\iic r1g11'i n [hc ~ l i ~ ~ l,,t'i[. <li< rat !.L)LII. t?l.c;l!h. 1 s t y . hut 1 1 11.4.o ~ c ' . '
~ ~ 1 1 10
k j t ) \ k \ 011. H : I ! . ~ o I" i 1 ~ 1 .qriil ~ 2 i t ~ i t 1 ~ " NO[ if Inahe 11s c l - ; ~ ~ ?<;.I!. . Sofj;~. It hi1l.J e110~1gh(0
I 1cs ,111ci Sotiir I:iugh. UII~OLII bciny 3 f ~ o l .
I don'^ ~ ' C C ~ < L ) I : I1,ir.i. iy:lc.&., ::!>III~ :-r\ms [lack lime, say 11 j i l \ 1 ~ l k c\ctlj\l\c!.. 1 s a ) , YOLI got to \t:iy ~1hei1~1 01' i t .
S ~ f i ~ l . \\,I, j!!~,:I I ~ , -i~,:,.,l L ~ ,i ; ~ ~ ; i n t;I?(,,! l YOII jLlS( o ~ l ~ to h tsee kno\\ a littlc (!rink nab. and then never hurt ~ l o l ~ o d !h. u t \\hen
her :ind SIIL~C0. 4.011 :.'in'! ,git ,tarlc~l without a k i n g the hottle. ~ O L I ~n t r o ~ l h l e .
!'/:I\<. 1 \;I! . She ( i i l : i i l \ \ \ L>I.~~III; ,lcc,(!> , \il;gillg l \ \ ' c j L)rthree i, * ; ! -,II;O~C 11. niuch. Miss Cclic'? kf:t~.pc):+\I.
C I L II-~ L.\
> \ I ~ti:,,\!^.
~! I o!L;s 107,~: \-,cr it I()[. I),\ I !(!(!I\ like :Ifool') 1 ast. 1 ~ n i ~ l M\ hen c I \v:tnt to talh 10 (.id.
S L I ; ~ (J ~ \L) ; ~ ~ OofL h(:r, I C I ~ b t >':I!,. 1 O \ C ilL:r ,ing~ng. 1 ,eve her
llerfurnc. i-.r)lc hcl- J~-c.si,c\ I.!I\ c to \ \ C>;I hl>r- h;\[4 :,ilC!\hc,es.
l l ~\h(: \ \~. ! ~ . V111I I ~\ c l ~ ~ \ oI l :I\.[.
',~
O i l . she !int:. \;L> S o f i ~ i .S1na1.t ;!\ ,i Ir!ric \chip. Onct: she got
O\c1- ~ : . ? I I I nt;ict
~ IICI- \n:;it~>:) lt:'[
IC~I!111i1r;1;1.<.he \ x ; i \ ;)I1 l.lg!i:,
~ c I . ; I I ~[,oI.!!,;
(~ \,I.;! 1 ~+;ls licnrie[ta'~ .
1 . i i ~.c,\,ndthe ki!cllen lahle and light up. 1 \ h o b 'em h ~ ) \ \to
!\<,tL. 0:1 l{cnricll;l, 'L1c.h I!! ~kie! \ \ i n d . Har-pcl git str:\ngle. Sotiu choke.
l ~ ! oI l ~e ~ ~ ~ - i c ~ t ; ~ ~ . ~ I J l . ~ i ! -\\>,)n
. Sofj;~ s ; .~'fkat funng', I nc\cr- hearii that humming

Y,III ~ . c crn1lc.h o!' him .' ! ,:,;

1 vh I I v-

I
 I HI ('01 O K 1 ' ~UP1 I

I1'11-pogo looh out the ~ i ~ n d o uN.o t h ~ n gout there. he sa, I

I hey a y . What? I

Well. say Harpo at the funeral. hcrc come the umamns.

Her brothers there too. I whisper back. What you call them?
I don't know, he say. Them three a l w y s stood by they crazy
sisters. Nothing yet could gct 'em to budge. I ~vondeswhat they
wives have to put up with.
They all march stoutly in, shaking the church. and place Sofia
mother in front the pulpit.
Folks crying and fanning and trying to keep a stray eye on they
children. but they don't stare at Sofia and her sisters. They act
like this the way it always done. I love folks. Dear Nettie.
Amen The first thing I notice bout Mr. is how clean he is. His
skin shine. His hair brush back.
When ht. walk by the casket to review Sofia mother's body he
stop, whisper something to her. Pat her shoulder. On his way
back to h ~ seat s he look over at me. I raise my fan and look off the
other \yay.
Us wcnt back to Harpo's after the funeral.
I kniw 10" won't believe this. Miss Celie, say Sofia. but Mr.
- - ~ictlike he trying to git religion.
Big I <levila s he is, 1 say, trying is bout all he can do.
He k l i \ ~ \ ' t go t o church or nothing, but he not so quick t o judge.
He H ( , ,h. I cal hard too.
Wh,:: ' 1 5ay. Mr. work!
. l l ~do. H e out there in the field from sunup to sundown.
And clc,tn that house just like a woman.
~ - - \ c Icook.
: hay H a r p . And what more. wash the dishes when
he fini,h.
I w y . Yal] must still be dope.
1311t lit: don't tall\ much o r be round people, Sofia sa),.
S o ~ l l llike~ . ~ craziness closing in to me. 1 say.
J k l \ ! !lien, Mr. walk up.
""'." \ o u Celie, he say.
I.III~:. I s;iy. I look in his eyes and I see he feeling scared of me.
h"i. :.\od. I think. Let him feel what 1 felt.

i IYY
 THE('01 O H PLIRPI
E

Shug didn't conle with you this time'? he saq.
N a b . I say. She have to work. Sorry bout Sofia mama thollgh,
Anybody be sorry. he say. The woman that brought Sofia in the
u,orld brought sorncthing.
I don't say nothing.
They put her away nice. he say.
They sure did. I say.
And so many grandchildren. he say. Well. Twelve children, all
busy multiplying. Just the family enough to fill the church.
Yeah, I say. 'That's the truth.
How long you here for'? he say.
Maybe a week. I say.
You k n o Harpo
~ and Sofia baby girl real sick'? he say.
Naw, I didn't, I say. I point to Henrietta in the crowd. There
she is over there, I say. She look just fine.
Yeah. she look fine, he say, but she got some kind of blood
disease. Blood sort of clot up in her veins every once in a while,
make her sick as a dog. I don't think she s o n make it. he say.
Great goodness of life, I say.
Yeah, he say. It hard for Sofia. She still have to try to prop up
that white gal she raise. Now her mama dead. Her health not that
good either. Plus, Henrietta a hard row to hoe whether she sickor
well.
Oh, she a little mess. I say. Then I think hack to one of Nettie's
letters bout the sicknesses children have where she at in Africa.
,lpc, s e n t u p there plenty nights to sleep with him. say Sofia.
'
uc,uld be ;ill cram up in a corner of the bed. Eyes
i l a n ~!iffepl.ec"'nt
''I-' pieces of furniture, see if they move in his
Jircctios, I.0~1know how littlc he ir. say Sofia And how big and
,,alll ~ ; , r p ois. Well, one night I walked up to tell Harpo some-
,hing-anJ the two of them was just laying there on the bed fast
,,ilscp, 1131-POholding his daddy in his arms.
i , c l -that. I start to feel again for Harpo. Sofia say. And pretty
.eon us start work on our new house. She laugh. But did I 5ay it
hcen If 1 did. Cod would make me cut my own switch.
Mfhat makc him pull through'? I ast.
oh. she say, Harpo made him send you the rest of your sister's
letters, Right after that he start to improve. You know meanness
);ill, she 53y.
Amen
1

Seem like to me she mention something bout blood clots. I try to !

remember what she say African peoples do. but I can't. Talking
to Mr. .___such a surprise I can't think of nothing. Not even
nothing else to say. ' ,

Mr. ___ stand waiting for me to say something, looking off I I

up to his house. Finally he say. Good evening. and walk away.
Sofia say after 1 left. Mr. _ _ live like a pig. Shut up in the
house so much it stunk. Wouldn't let nobody in until finally
Harpo force his way in. Clean the house. got food. Give his daddy
a bath. Mr. ___ too weak to fight back. Plus, too far gone to
care.
H e couldn't sleep, she say. At night hc thought he heard batS
outside the door. Other things rattling in the chimney. But the
worse part was having to listen to his own heart. It did pretty well
as long as there was daylight. but soon a s night come. it weat
crazy. Beating s o loud it shook the room. Sound like drums.
 ']'HI ~ PLKI'L
< ' oOH

Dearest Celie,

lerrlpol-:~l-\defcat.
Though thc Olinka n o longer ask anything of us. beyond teach-
Does this surprise you'? irrg thclr children-because they can see how powerless M'C and
W e were married last Fall in England where w e tried to get our i ;o<l211-c-Samuel a n d I decided we must d o something about
relief for tht: Olinka from the churches and the Missionary thi. , !rtj! o~rtrage.even a s many of the peoplc t o whom we felt
ety. cIoc'. :.I:, ;[way to join the mbe1e.c o r t'orest people, who live deep
As long a s they could, the Olinka ignored the road and the in ~ h r ;. , ~ l ~ y lrefusing
t., to work for ~ v h i t e so r be ruled by them.
while builders w h o came. But eventual]y they had :o notice them S , V,C ~ e n t with
, the children. to England.
because o n e of the first things the builders did was tell the people ! r A,,, ;I,, incredible voyage. Celie, not only because w e had
they must be moved elsewhere. T h e builders wanted the village ; ~ I I I ~ ' ~ \ I~ ' ~ r gabout
~ l t the rest of the world. and such thing5 a s ships
site a s headquarters for the rubber plantation. It is thp only spot L - . L L I !ire and and oatmeal. but because o n the
for miles that has a steady supply of fresh water, '~"IJ .. ! ! t i 11sW;IS the white woman missionary whom we'd heard
Protesting and driven. the Olinka, along with their mis- 'lbc.)r~! ,,,r, ago. S h e LVas now retired from missionary work and
;

sionarieq. were placed on a barren stretch of land that has no ""11: i,;~i.E, to [zngland to live. She was traveling \i,ith a little
Afl.l{. ' , : h o whom ~ she introduced a s her grandchild!
of ..1,!1, 4~ it u.;~simpossible t o ignore the prescnce of an aging
'$Ill'.' ::c~l-j1;111 :Iccompanied by a small black child. The ship was
In !:.hel., p;ach d:iy she and the child walkcd about the deck
which the builders bl-ought. . l:r,,,lp, of people falling into s ~ l e n c eas the? passed.
But the most horrible thing to happen had to do with the .\.
.., J , a u n t v . stringy, blue-eyed Mornan, with hair the cc'lor
202 20.3
 'I I ~ IC ' o [ O K I'L:K~'I I 1 1 1 1 ( ~ ' ( , ! I (11: I<I,I
i j ~ . 1

of \il\'ei- and dry gr;~ss.A \ h ~ r tchin. ~incfu h c n she speaks she , I , : !I c i 1 I I i i ; ~ l c ) i l ~ I! t

.;terns to bt. _e:rr.glirir;. \,,,,, c,i !iLCi>!i\\.

, 4 1 1\(,
~ >\,c c l ~ l ! i \ ; ~ t c ~ l III:L,I.I:\I in IIC:II!:CI~\. I'c~c~lc~l t1c1-
I ' m pi~shingon ti)r siutb-five. she told us. M hen found our- ;)

ie1ves sh;i~-iti&? ;I ti~hlefbr dinner onc: nigh[. Hccn in the tropics ,,;lr~vl[\. f.cjc~lccl 111c k l i \ ~ , ! o c ~ :S~ .
o r ~ ~
i ~ t\ .
\ l ~
i e ) , .
\ic,r(%\o t:~hen ~41th
nlilit of my lif'c. But. >he \;lid. ;I big \r;Lr ii coming. Bigger than i l l i l C ~ i:Olllll-lci:!dof I ; I ~ I ~ L I ; I ~ c \ I ~ C\en;
? !i~,r.10 .411-ic;1I \ ~ ' O I - ~ :
.the One the) were starting u.hcn 1 left. It'll gc) h;u-d on f;ngland. \ \ t,L.l.c she {~cg;,!\ i . ; : i : ~ g 1101 c l \ ; I ~ L > L~:\.cI'\
I++ ~I 1111!19L I I I ~ C ! .1 h C
i
~

h1111 cxpect we'll survive. I missed rhe othcr war. she ;aid.
mean to be present fk>r this one.
Samuel ;:nd I had ne\.cr really tho~ryhtabout war.
Why. she said. the signs arc: all over Africa. India too. 1 expect.
First thei-e's :I ~-o;idbllilt tc) where bou kccp your g o ~ t f s .Then
your trees urc hauled off to make ihips ; ~ n dcaptain'.; t'urniture.
Thcn > o u r land is planted with sorncthing ).clu can't eat. Then
you'l-e forced to work i t . That's hi~ppeningall over Africa, she
\aid. Burma too. 1 ~ x p c c t .
But Harold here and I decided to get ( w I . Ilidn't we Harry? she
said. giving thc little boy a h i x u i t . The child ?aid nothing. just
chebrcd his biscu~tthoughtfull!,. 'Adam and Oli~,iasoon rook him
off to ekplore the lifeboats.
Dorih' stol-!--the urornan'c nanw is Doris Baines-is an inter-
esting one. But I u o n ' t bore you with i t as we e ~ ~ e n t u : ~became
lly
bored.
She was born to great wealth in England. Hcr father- \\as Lord
Somebody or Othcr. They wcrc forevcr- giving or a!tending par-
lies that werc no fun. Heside5. she \%ranted to write hooks. Her
family \vas against it. Totally. They hoped she'd marry.
Me rrzrrt.~.~.!%hehooted. (Real!). she ha4 the oddcst ideas.)
'They did everything to cnnvincc me. she \aid. Yoh can-t imag-
ine. I never sau. so many milkfed young men in all my life as when
I \$,as nineteen and twenty. Each one more boring than the last.
Can anything I?e more boring than an irppe:--.class Englishman'?
she said. They remind onc of bloody mushrooms.
Well, .;he rattled on. through elldless dinners. because the cap-
tain assigned us permanently to the same table. I t seems the
notion o f becoming a missionary struck her- one evening she was
getting ready for yet another tedious date. and lay in the tub
thinking a cclnLrent would be better- than the castle In which she
lived. She could think. she could write. She could be her own
b0.s. But wait. A5 a nun she would not he her 0u.n boss. God
\\ol.!ld be boss. l h c virgin mothcr. The mother superior. E ~ c . E t c .
 .l.ti~..( ' 0 1o n f ~ t 8 ~ I{ ~ 1 ~ C O L O RPLRFIE
'l'tl~:

as ;t grandnianltr. I learned it from thc Akwcans. 'Fhcy never
spank their children. Never lock thcm a w a y in unothcr- part of the
hut. They do a bit of bloody cutting around pubertk. But
mother the doctor is going to change ;ill that. Isn't she klarold?
Anyway, she said. When 1 get to England 1'11 put a \top to their
bloody encroachments. I ' l l tell them whi.it to do with thc'ir bloody
road and their bloody rubber plantations and their bloody sun-
burned but still bloody boring English planters and engineers. I
am a very wealthy woman. and 1 obt.rr the village of i\ku.ee.
We listened to most of this in more or less respectful silence.
The children were very taken with young Harold, though he
never said a word in our presence. He ceemed fond of his grand-
mother and used to her, hut her verbosity produced i n him a kind
of soberly observant speechlessness.
He's quite different with us though, said c\dam, who is really a
great lover of children, and could get thr-uugh to any child given
half an hour. Adam makes jokes. he sings. he clowns ~ i n dknows
games. .And he has the sunniest smile. most of the time-and
great healthy African teeth.
A s 1 write about his sunny smile I realize he's been unusually
glum during this trip. Interested and excited, but not really sunny,
except when he's with young Harold.
I b i l l hace to ask Olivia what's wrong. She is thrilled at the
thought of going back to England. Her mother used to tell her
about the thatched cottages of the English and how they re-
minded her of the roofleaf huts of thc Olinka. Tticy ;ire square,
though, she'd say. More like our church and school than like our
homes, which Olivia thought very strange.
When we reached England. Samuel and I presented the Olin-
ka's grievances to the bishop of the English branch of our church,
a youngish man wearing spectacles who sat thumbing through a
stack of Samuel's yearly reports. ln\tead of evcn mentioning the
Olinka the bishop wanted to know how long it h~idbeen since
Corrine's death, and why. as w o n as %hedied, 1 hat1 not returned
to America.
I really did not understand what he was driving at.
Appearances. Miss ___. he said. Appe:irances. What must
the natives think?
l.hc i,i\h(>p smirked. Yes. he did.
I t;.lt Illy L;ice go hot.
~ ~ . ~~ \ lI i~ .Swas C mare of this. but why burden you with it'? You
k,,\, \\hat home people are. and the bishop was one of them.
Sa,l,l,cl ;ind I left w~thouteven a word about the Olinka's prob-
~cms
s;ll,lu,-l \Gas so angry, 1 was frightened. He said the only thing
u 5 t L , J ~ ),,f w e wanted t o remain in Africa, was join the rrrhc/es
,,d c'n~klur;~ge all the Olinka t o d o the same.
~~~1 , l l ~ , ) ~ lthey \ e d o not want to g o ? 1 asked. Many of them are
too 0 t h to move back into the forest. Many are sick. The women
hale s m i ~ l l babies. And then there al-e the youngsters who want
bicvcle.; anti British clothes. Mirrors and shiny cooking pots. I
~ h c \ \;r u n t to work for the white people in order to have these
thing.
'l'hing>!he said, in disgust. Bloody [kings!
'
WCII. wc have a month here anyway. I said. let's make the I
1:
most ot' it.
Bcc;:use we had spent so much of our money cln tin roofs and
the vohage over. it had to be a poor man's month in England. But
it Mas a \,cry good time for us. We began to feel ourselves a
' 1
;'
1
1;
1 I
t:!mily. u.ithout Corrinc. And people meeting us on the street
nevcr t'ailed tif they spoke to us at all) to express the sentiment I
that ~ h cctii1d1-en looked just like the two of us. The children
kjegan ro :tccept this as natural. and began going out to view the
sights t ti:ct lntcrested them, alone. Leaving their father and me to
our q u ~ ~ t c rmore .. sedate pleasures, one of which was simple
cc)nvcr\,ition.
S;l~r!!~ci,of course. was born in the North, in New York, and
!?l'cp\ I J I ' ;lnd was educated there. t I e met Corrine through his aunt
i l k ) . ! becn a missionary, along with Corrine's aunt, in the
Bclgl;:r: 1 ',:,go. Samuel frequently accompanied his aunt Althea
~411.1:-1!;1,here Corrine's a t ~ n Theodosia
t lived.
T~L..~'.: I:ro ladies had been through marvelous things together.
'>,~r!:~lc.l, laughing. They'd been attacked by lions. stampeded
h y " ~ l ' l ~ i ~ ! iflooded ~\. out by rains. made war on by "natives..'
fhc l c j l : . [hey told were simply incrcdiblc. There they sat on a
,hc"'J~! ~ n i i m a c a ~ s a r e horsehair
d sofa, Iwo prim and nr r o' ~ e r

1
About what'? I asked. '"Iic\ . - : !.~!S$les and lace. telling these stupendous stories over
Come. conic, he said. Ica,
We behave a s brother a n d sister to each other.. \aid S;~rnuel. C'c),-li ,$. :,rid I as teenagers used to attempt to stylize these tales

'Oh 207
 '1-H[. COIO K PURI'IL.
into con3ics We c;~lledthein soch things ;I\ I lial-1- r l ( , ~lls
H A s l h f O ( ' K . 01' SOKt. kill's O F - IFkiF O A R K C O X I IN\:> I . ( ) I . , ;\ h l ~ OF
AFRICA: A < ; l j I l > I - 10 N A I IVIi I N I ) I F 1 7 E ~ k . N ( . [ . 1 0 1 H I . t101 y w ~ , + ~ ,
We m;de fun of them. hut we were ri\,etcd on t l l ~ i ar t ~ \ ~ ~ ~ t ~ ~ ~ ~ ,
and on the ladies' telling of them. They \verc 50 sl;\id looking. so
Proper. y o u reall\. couldn't imagine thcm ;~cI~i;i!l\
their own hands-a school in the bush. 01.battling l.cpliles, 0,
unfriendly Africans who thought. yincc ttlcy u4el-C wearing
dresses with things that looked like wings hehiilc!.the) zhc,uld be
able to fly.
Bush'? Corrine would snicker to me or nic ro her. ,\nd just the
sound of the word would send us oft' into quiet h>,stcria. while we
caiml!' s l ~ p e dour tea. Because of course ;he) didn't l-eillizCthey
were being funny, and to us they were. verk. And (if course the
prevailing popular view of Africans at that time c.unlj.ibutcd to our
feeling of amusement. Not only were Africans savage\. they were
humbling. inept savages, rather like their burnilling, inept breth-
ren at home. But we carefully, not to say stucliously. :l\,oided this
very apparent connection.
C0rrine.s mother \%,asa dedicated h o u s e ~ i f:lnd
disliked her more adventurous sister. But she nevcl pre\,ented
Corrine from visiting. And when Corrine
sent her to Spelman Seminary where Aunt 7'hcoclosi;l had gone.
This was a very interesting place. 1t was .;[ar[cd b!. t w o white
missionaries tiom New England who ~ l s c jto wear identical
dresses. Started in a church basement, i t socln nlo\.eci to Army
h r a c k s . Eventually ~ h e s etwo ladies \Yere able to get ~ ; ~ rsums
of money from some of the richest men in .America. and so the
place grew. Buildings, trees. Girls were taught cver),thing: Read-
ing, Writing. Arithmetic. sewing. cleaning. cooking, ~~t more
than anything else. they were taught to ve God a n j thi. colored
community. Their official motto was O U R u r j o l . ~sc.llc,or FOR
''HRLST. But 1 always thought their unofficiitl motto \hould have
been O U R COMhlUN17-Y COVERS T H E WC)KI.I), t ) e ~ i \ l \ ~ e soonel
had a Young woman got through Spelmirn Seminal.y than she
began to Put her hand to whatever u o r k she could do fi,r her
~ e o ~ l anywhere
e, in the world. It was trul) a\tc,nl\hing. These
polite and proper young women. some of [hern f i ~ v e having
set foot outside their own sn~allcountry tc,wns. e \ i p p t t o come to
t h e Seminary, thought nothing of packing LIP t;,~.indliL,,.\t':-icil. the
Orient. (Ir for Philadelphia or New y01.k.
' l ~ COI.OK
r PURPLE
Ci,t) ,cal-h or s o before the founding of the school. the
p cI;cl.,,kcc ~ ~ d iwho ; ~ lived
~ ~ in
\ Georgia were forced to le;l\~etheir
r,lilic~ to leave Georgi;~.They hid out as colored people and
h~lil(ii!lp-with . , I blended with us. Many of these mixed-race people
.,,., ;,, ~ p ~ l m a Somen. remembered who they actually were. but
,,< did not, lf they thought about it at all (and it became harder
It,irlt, about Indians because there were none around) they
thoIlghtthey were ycllow o r reddish brown and wavy haired be-
C;lllSC C,t. white ancestors. not Indian.
k;\.cncorrine thought this. he said. And yet, 1 always felt her
, n ~ i ; l n n e h \ , s h e was so quiet. S o reflective. And she could erase
hcl.>t.lf. her spirit. with a swiftness that truly startled, when she
I \ , , ~the ~ around her could not respect it.
11 did not seem hard for Samuel to talk about Corrine while we
bere in England. It wasn't hard for me to listen.
[t yeems so improbable. he said. Here I a m , an aging
M.;104L' d r C L l m of ~ helping people ha\$e been just that, dreams.
~ nlother who ~ ~ Corl-ine \ v and 1 a s children tvould have laughed at oursel\'es.
T W E N I -,' ~ . E - Z R SA FOOL OF T H E WEST. OR MOUTH A N D ROOFLEAF
enuLl,ch, she D I S ~ . \ S I : :A ~ K ~ ; A T I SOEN F U T I L I T Y I N T H E TROPICS. E ~ c E
. ~ c We
.
failed utterly. he said. We became as comical a s Althea and
Thi'~)do4ia.1 think her awareness of this fueled Corrine's sick-
n i .j.She Mas far more intuitive than 1. Her gift for understanding
r ~ ; , ! 17luch : ! ~ greater. She used to say the Olinka resented us. but
-g~ I \ \ i , , l l i i n ' t see it. But they do. you know.
\.,. i \aid, it isn't resentment, exactly. It really is indifference.
I feel our position is like that of flies on an elephant's
h:lic.
i ~ c . ; n e n ~ bonce.er before Corrine and 1 were married, Samuel
' ~ ~ l t i n i l ~Aunt d . Theodosia had one of her at-homes. She had
t h ~ r r ic: cry Thursday. She'd invited a lot of "serious young pea-
PIC" ,, she called them. and one of them was a young ~ a r v a r d
Xhl,lar. named Edward. DuBoyce was his last name, I think.
All; i : , , ~ Aunt . Theodosia Lvas going on about her African adven-
! [ r e \ . \?;\ding up t o the time King Leopold of Belgium ~ r e s e n 1 . e ~
,. I)". \ \ rrh ;I [nedal. well Edward. o r perhaps his name was B11!,
.I \.cry impatient sort. You 'aw it in his eyes. y n ~ could l see It
111 li.:: I.?;," he moved his body. He was never still. As Aunt
!
a I:: "1. closer to the part about her surprise and lo^ oLier

2nX 309

L
 I I I I C'OI <)I< 1 ' ~K I ' I I [':{I ('01 OR I ' L ' R P ~ II
receiving this mccii~l-~.hicll \:~lidatecl her- scr-vice as an exem.
plary mi\sionar!, in the King'\ colony-l)uHo~ce's foot began to , \ \ l l c i ~ 1 tell yo11 a h ; ~ t o tot;il io! it I
I,!, cc<ti~s!,in S i i n ~ ~ ~ e:irnls.
I's
I Miis
pa1 rhe floor rapidly ar!d uncont~-ollahl!. C'orrinc and I looked at
each other in alarm. ('learl! [hi4 man had heard this ralc befor,
,-,,,,
1,,~1,1
t l I lobctl him all along; hut I did not
, l l , , \ l,;ive f ~ ~ e s s cthat
')I,, J loved him ;IS :I b~-olheiand r ~ s p c c ~ ehim d ;is ;I
:ind was not pr-eparcd to endure it u \econcl time. 11,1,"

Well, said Samuel. silence struck thc gather-irlg like I: blight, ,,,,,,J \Vc intend to marry.
Poor Aunt Theodosia! There's something in all of us rhar wants a ,jut !,c.ti,l.e u.e do. I s ~ l i d .1 must tell you something about my
l,t.c ;rl,,i,l! in^ and about sonleone else. And i t as then 1
medal for what u e have done. 'fh;it ants to be appl-eciated. Alid !tlelll , l b o ~ !~.t~ I ICclie. . And about their mother C o r r i n e ' ~
Africans cerrainly don't deal in medal\. ' f h q hardly seem to care
lo\c !hell;. And ahnut being their aunt.
whether mii;sion;~rirsexist.
Don't be bitter. 1 said.
.,
uilt llcr.t. i c (hi.; other bjoman. your sister? asked Olivia.
1i o r i gt I . a s best 1 ~ol1ld.
How can 1 not'! he said. illitantly alarmed. H e is a very sensitive \0111 who
The Africans never asked u.: to come. you know. There's no , ~ ~ l ~ ~ ~
use blaming them if bje feel unwelcome. hear\ \(!I::[ i.,n't said a s clearly as whar is.
N~ \,I;] 10 , 4 n l ~ r i ~SOOII.
;i %;lidSamuel lo reassure hinl,
It's h o r s e than unwelcome. said Samuel. The ,4fricans don't
and \ct. .\hoiit her.
even src u i . They don't even r e c o g n i ~ cus a s the brc>thers and .]-I,,; , . . ~ ! i ~ ~stood! l . e ~up
~ with 11s in a simple church ceremony it1
sisters they sold. Lon(!c ,: l r l d i t bJab th;~tnight. after the bedding dinner-. when we
Oh. Samuel, I said. Don't. \te:-'. , !i,:\?ing ,.eady for bed. that Oliiria told me what hiis been
But you k n o ~ ,he , had star-ted to cry. Oh Nettic. he said. That's [ ~ ~ o ,~, ., ~i .~,L.~,hl-other.. He is mis\ing Ta\hi.
u We love them. W e 11-yevery n,ay we
the hcart of it. don'r ~ , o see. 811;# ! < . '.. , ~ l s overy angry u.ith her-. \lie said. because when
can lo show rhat love. But they reject us. They never e\,en listen Icft. ,. ; , , I , pi;\nning lo seal- her fiice.
to h u h we've suffered. And if they listen they say stupid things. 1 ' I : , : \ n o \ \ this. of the things u e thollght we'd helped
Why don't you speak our language'.' they a \ k . Why can't you I ri-le jcal-rine or cl~ttingof rribal marks on the faces of
remember rhe old ways'.' Why aren't ycx; p,.:pp), in America, if \o::;. z.i!,c,,,
everyone there drives motol-cars? ii . the ()linl\a c;in \hob. rheq still have rhcir- o u n ways.
... <:!.
Celie. i t seemed as good a time :IS any to put my arms around I ! . t h ~ (he
~ ls.hirc
~ h man h : , ~taken everything else.
him. Which I did. And words long buried in my heal-[crept lo mY t i :;-; \,,;-,nr to do it. but to make her peoplc feel hcttcr.
lips. 1 stroked his dear- head and face illtd [ called him darling and
deal-. And I ' m afraid. deal-. dear Celic. th;lt co1lcern and
soon ran a\vay \i;ith us.
I hope w,hcn you receive this neuk of your s1strr.s fol-ward
behavior you ~ v i l lnor he stlocked or inclincci to,judge me harshIy
..,;\id ()JIvi;l,I her- nobud!. in ,4mer'ic:1 Or Europe

210 21 1
 T ~ r tC O I ~ O PKU R P rI
cuts off pieces of themselves. And anyway. she would have had it
when she was eleven. if she was going to have it. She's tc~oold for
it now.
Well, some men are circumcized, I said. but that's just the
removal of a bit of skin.
Tashi was happy that the initiation ceremony isn't done in
Europe o r America. said Olivia. That makes it even more Valu.
able t o her.
I see, I said.
She and Adam had an awful fight. Not like any they've had
before. H e wasn't teasing her or chasing her around the village or
trying to tie roofleaf twigs in her hair. He was mad enough to
strike her.
Well. it's a good thing he didn't. 1 said. Tashi would have
jammed his head through her rug loom.
1'11 be glad when we get back home, said Olivia. Adam isn't the
only one who misses Tashi.
She kissed me and her father good night. Adam soon came into
d o the same.
Mama Nettie, he said, sitting on the bed next to me, how do
you know when you really love someone?
Sometimes you don't know. I said.
He is a beautiful young man. Celie. Tall and broad-shouldered,
with a deep, thoughtful voice. Did I tell you he writes verses?
And loves to sing? H e ' s a son to make you proud.
Your loving sister.
Nettie
P.S. Your brother Sam~lelsends his love a s well.
Dearest C'elie.
when returned home everyone seemed happy to see us,
When b.c told them our appeal to the church and the Missionary
~ o c i e t l?ailed. they were disappointed. They literally wiped the
\milt..; off their faces along ~ v i t hthe sweat. and returned. de-
jected. to their barracks. We went on to our building. a combina-
tion chllrch. house and school, and began to unpack our things.
T i c children . . . 1 realize 1 shouldn't call them children. they're
grown. bent in search of Tashi: an hour later they returned dumb-
founded. They discovered no sign of her. Catherine, her mother.
is planring rubber trees some distance from the compound, they
bere told: But no one had seen Tashi all day.
Olivia Lvas very disappointed. Adam was trying to appear un-
concer.nzLl. but I noticed he was absentmindedly biting the skin 1I, 1
; ~ ~ O L Ihis
I I ~ nails. 1 1
Aftel two days it became clear that Tashi was deliberately 1
hiding. Her friends said we were away she'd ~ ~ n d e r g o n c
tht. I>tcial scarification ceremony and the rite of female initia-
['on. .4clam went quite gra" at this news. Olivia merely stricken
nlorc concerned than ever to find her.
It w;i\ not until Sunday that we saw Tashi. Shc'd lost a con-
5iderahlt. ;ir,,,u,t of weight. and seemed listless. dull-eyed and
tired klcl- hlce was still swollen from half a dozen small, neat
~c'I,;,.
!~lphon each cheek. When she put out her hand to Adam
2i3
 -1'1ii. ('o[ on P L ' ~ II > I

he refused to take it. He jusr looked at her seal-s. turned on h.

1s
heel and left.
Shc and Olivia hugged. Uut i t u . a h a quiet. heavy embrace.
Nothing like the boisterous. giggling behavior. I expect fro,.,,
them.
Tashi is. unfortunately, ashamed of these scar.; on her face, and
now hardly ever raises her head. They mu51 he painful too be-
cause they look irritateti and red.
But this is what the villagers are doing to the young c\.omen and
even the men. Carving their identification a s a people into their
children's faces. But the children think of scarification as back.
ward. something from their grandparents' generation. and often
resist. S o the carving is done by force, under the most appalling
conditions. We provide antiseptics and cotton and a place for the
children to cry and nurse their wounds.
Each day Adam presses us to leave for home. He can n o l o n g r
bear living as we do. There aren't even any trees near us, just
giant boulders and smaller rocks. And more and more of his
companions are running away. The rcal reason, of course, is he
can no longer bear his conflicting feelings about Tashi. who is
beginning. 1 think. to appreciate the magnitude of her mistake.
Samuel and 1 are truly happy. Celie. And so grateful to God
that we are! We still keep a school for the littlest children; those
eight and over are already workers in the fields. In order to pay
rent for the barracks. taxes on the land. and to buy water and
wood and food. everyone must work. So. we teach the young
ones. babysit the babies, look after the old and sick. and attend
birthing mothers. Our days are fuller than ever, our sojourn in
England already a dream. But all things look brighcr because 1
have a loving soul to share them with.
Your sister.
Nettie
Dearr\t Nettie.
The man us knowed a s Pa is dead.
come you still call him Pa'? Shug ast me the other day.
~ u ttoo , late to call him Alphonso. I never even remember Ma
calling him by his name. She always said, Your Pa. I reckon to
make LIS believe it better. Anyhow, his little wife, Daisy, call me
up on the telephone in the middle of the night.
Mi,\ Cclie. she say, I got bad news. Alphonso dead.
Who? 1 ast.
.4lpl1onso. she say. Your stepdaddy.
llo\\ he die? I as[. I think of killing. being hit by a truck, struck
by ligh~cning.lingering disease. But she say, Naw. he died in his
deep. \Vel], not quite in his sleep, she say. Us was spending a
little t ~ ~ in n ebed together, you know, before us drop off.
U-:l!. I say, you have my sympathy.
Ye\ ma'am, she say, and 1 thought I had this house too, but
look Ilhe it belong to your sister Nettie and you.
Sa! ~ l ~ a tI 'ast. ?
~ O L I\tepdaddy
~ . been dead over a week. she say. When us went
(":< i : to hear the will read yesterday. you could have knock me
i t i t h a feather. Your real daddy owned the land and the
and the store. H e left it to your mama. When your mama
died ; ( p:~ssedon to you and your sister Nettie. 1 don't know why
41ph(!ll,0 never told you that.
well. I s:~\i.anything coming from him. I don't want it.

i
215
 I hear Daisy suck in her breath. How about your sister Nettie,
she say. You think she feel the same way?
,.,,, a.8~).Look at this. 1 say tu S h u g Look at that! She l m k , she
crir,, ~ h hug
c me whenever she git the chance and 1 stand still.
I wake u p a little bit then. By the time Shug roll over and ast me - lr,udoin' all right. Miss Celie. she say. God know where you
who it is. I'm beginning to see the light. )i\,e.
Don't be a fool. Shug say. nudging me with her foot. You got Then she took some cedar sticks out of her bag and lit them and
your own house now. Your daddy and mama left it for you. That ,,,e one of them to me. Us started at the very top of the house in
dog of a stepdaddy just a bad odor passing through. ;he and US smoked it all the way down to the basement,
But I never had no house, I say. Just to think about having my out all the evil and making a place for good.
own house enough to scare me. Plus, this house I'm gitting is o h , Nettie. us have a house! A house big enough for us and our
bigger than Shug's, got more land around it. And, it come with a for your husband and Shug. Now you can come home
store. o l l \ e you have a home to come to!
My God, I say to Shug. Me and Nettie own a drygood store. Your loving sister,
What us gon sell? Celie
How bout pants? she say.
So us hung up the phone and rush down home again to look at
the property.
About a mile before us got to town us come up on the entrance
to the colored cemetery. Shug was sound asleep, but something
told me I ought to drive in. Pretty soon 1 see something look like a
short skyscraper and I stop the car and go up to it. Sure enough
it's got Alphonso's name on it. Got a lot of other stuff on it too.
Member of this and that. Leading businessman and farmer. Up-
right husband and father. Kind to the poor and helpleus. H e been
dead two weeks but fresh flowers still blooming on his grave.
Shug git out the car and come stand by me.
Finally she yawn loud and stretch herself. The son of a bitch
still dead, she say.
Daisy try to act like she glad to see us, but she not. She got two
children and look pregnant with one more. But she got nice
clothes, a car, and Alphonso left her all his money. Plus, I think
she manage to set her folks up while she livz with him.
She say, Celie. the old house you remember was torn down so
Alphonso could build this one. H e got an Atlanta architect to
design it. and these tiles come all the way from New York. We
was standing in the kitchen at the time. But he put tiles
everywhere. Kitchen. toilet. back porch. All around the
fireplaces in back and front parlour. But this the house go with the
place. right on. she say. Of course 1 did take the furniture, be-
cause Alphonso bought it special for me.
Fine with me. I say. I can't get over having a house. Soon as
Daisy leave me with the keys I run from one room to another like

Dear Nettie,
My heart broke.
Shug love somebody else.
Maybe if I had stayed in Memphis last summer it never would
have happen. But I spent the summer fixing up the house. I
thought if you come anytime soon, I want it to be ready. And it is
real pretty, now, and comfortable. And 1 found me a nice lady to
live in it and look after it. Then I come home t o Shug.
Miss Celie, she say, how would you like some Chinese food to
celebrate your coming home?
1 loves Chinese food. S o off us go to the restaurant. I'm so
excited about being home again 1 don't even notice how nervous
Shug is. She a big graceful woman most of the time, eben when
she mad. But I notice she can't git her chopsticks to work right.
She knock over her glass of water. Somehol:: or nother her egg-
roll come unravel.
But I think she just so glad to see me. S o 1 preen and pose for
her and stuff myself with wonton soup and fried rice.
Finally the fortune cookies come. I love fortline cookies. They
s o cute. And I read my fortune right away. It say, because you
are who you are. the future look happy and bright.
I laugh. Pass it on to Shug. She look at it and smile. I feel at
peace with the world.
Shug pull her slip of paper out real slow. like che scared of what
might be on it.
;,bo! ,\l nineteen.
I
I
I , C ~ me see. I say. laughing. And I read it out loud. A burnt I I
n E ~ l .~-crnc,rnberthe tirc. i t say.
h,.-
I ' ~ tr\ing
, to tell you. Shug say.
.l'l.!ing to tell me what'? I'm so dense it still don't penetrate. For
thin9. i t heen a long time since I thought about boys and I
;,io't nctt'r thought about men.
I,<,,I !,c;ir. say Shug. I hired a new man to work in the band. I
:,lmt\\t tlidn't because he can't play nothing but flute. And who
~ V t . l - hc:\r.d of blues flute? I hadn't. The very notion sound crazy.
~ u i t h a \ Just my luck that blues flute is the one thing blues
mu.;ic. been lacking and the minute I heard Germaine play I knew
{his for- n fact.
Gcl-rllaine'l I ast.
Yeah. she say, Germaine. I don't know who gave him that
flittish name, but it suit him.
'Then 4he start right in to rave about this boy. Like all his good
points h;i\e to be stuff I'm dying to hear.
O h . \he say. He little. He cute. Got nice buns. You know, real
b a n t ~ She ~ . so used to telling me everything she rattle on and on.
gitting more excited and in-love looking by the minute. By the
time she tinish talking about his neat little dancing feet and git
back I:!) to his honey brown curly hair, I feel like shit.
f l ~ l l ~i ti . I say. Shug. you killing me.
She 'r:tlt in rnid-praise. Hcr eyes fill with tears and her face
crurnt~le.O h God, Celie, she say. I'm sorry. I just been dying to
tell \c\::;chody. and you the somebody I usually tell.
M',-i:. 1 say. if words could kill, I'd be in the ambulance.
S ' i L rvlr her face in her hands and start to cry. Celie, she say,
rh":ri!fi her fingers. I still love you.
1 3 . i ' i lust sit there and watch her. Seem like all my wonton
' O u r ',!rn to ice,
M i!! )'ou so upset? she ast. when us got back home. You never
''cl" it upset bout Grady. And he was my husband.
( l ' ~ . \ ! \ .never bring no sparkle to your eye. I think. But 1 don't
'"I. 1 .!hing. I'm t o o f a r a w a y .
( " , ! - c . she say. Grady s o dull, Jesus. And when you finish
'"lh!!\> -;i>ut women and reefer you finish Grad?. But still. she
\:I\,
 1 don't say nothing. ~ ~l \he
l ~ say.
. 110 you love me'? She d o ~ v non her knees by
She try to laugh. 1 was so glad he l i t out ;liter Mary Agnes 1 tc;~~.sii~llirlgall over the place. My heart hurt s o much I can't
didn't know what to do. shc saq. 1 don't knob who tried to teach ht'lil'ic it. How! can it keep beating. feeling like this? But I'm a
him what to d o in the bedroom. but i t must have bcen a furniture ,om.ln. 1 love you. 1 say. Whatever happen. whatever you do. 1
salesman. Ic,\,C L)Ll
1 don't say nothing. Stillness. coolness. Nothingness. Coming S ~ L\.\' himper a little. lean her head against my chair. Thank
fast. ,,u, iht. say.
You notice when they left here together going to Panama 1 ~ u I tcan't stay here, I say.
didn't shed a tear? But now really, she say, what they gon look ~ u C'elie.
t she say. how can you leave me'? You're my friend. 1
like in Panama'? love thi5 child and I'm scared to death. He's a third of my age. A
Poor Mary Agncs. I think. Howl could anybody guess old dull [bird of nly size. Even a third of my color. She try to laugh again.
Grady would end up running a reefer plantation in I'anama? you know he gon hurt me worse than I'm hurting you. Don't
Course they making bvocoos of money, say Shug. And Mary leave me. please.
Agnes outdress everybody down there, the way she tell it in her Ju4t then the door bell ring. Sh11g wiped her face and went to
lettel-s. And at least Grad!! let her sing. What little snatches of her .~ns\i,e!- it. saw who it was and kept on out the door. Soon I heard
songs she can still remember. But really. she say. Papama? ;I c a r ~ l r i ~oft'.
t ' I went o n up to bed. But sleep remain a stranger to
Where is it at. anyhow'? Is it down there round Cuba? U s ought to \hi> night.
go to Cuba. Miss Celie. you know'? Lots of gambling there and Pray for me,
good times. A lots of colored folks look like Mary Agnes. Some Your sister. Celie
real black, like us. ,411 in the same family though. Try t o pass for
white. somebody mention your grandma.
1 don't say nothing. 1 pray to die. just so I don't never have to
speak.
All right, say Shug. It started when you was down home. 1
missed you, Celie. And you know I'm a high natured woman.
1 went and got a piece of paper that 1 was using for cutting
patterns. I wrote her a note. It said. Shut up.
Hut Celie. she say. I have to make you understand. Look, she
say. I'm gitting old. I'm fat. Nobody think I'm good looking no
more, but you. Or so I thought. IIc's nineteen. A baby. How 10%
can it last?
He's a man. I \?rite on the paper.
Yeah. she sav. He is. ,4nd I know how you feel about men. But
I don't feel that way. I would never hc fool enough to take any of
them seriously, she say, but some mens can be a lots of fun.
Spare me, I write.
Celie, she say. All I ast is six months. Just six months to have
my last fling. 1 got to have it Celie. I'm too weak a woman not to.
But if you just give me six months, Celie. 1 will try to make 0"'
life together like it was.
Not hardly. I write.
 I hc c o i l t ~ ~ . iust
I
~
.
C ; I I I \ C hc likc thcm'! t i c collcc~shclls. All kind4 of
I ~11.r;lpin. 4n;ril and all kinds ofsticlls from tlic sea.

a . . ' -
I .,,,,11,!
.<,. .. \\hen vou
. put it 10 !otll- c;lr.
~
\tent up to see it. 11 Mils big
,l,,il /IL.<I;! and speckled like a chicken and sure enough. seem like
, , ) , I i o ~ ~ hear
l d the waves or sornerh~ngcrashing against your ear.
N o l l i ' ( ~ u4
i ever seen the ocean. but Mr. -__ learn bout i t
fl.~,,l?l ~ ~ o kHe i . order shells from hook.; too. and the! all over the
plnic'
c \ ~ ) n yay
' t that much itbout thcm Lvhilc you looking. hut he
holcl L,;tt;h one like it Juxt a l - r i ~ c .
S i i ; , one
~ time had ;I se;~shell.he ,a!. l.ong time itgo. %,henus
fir,sl 1 ; 1 ; ~ 1 , Hig white thing look likc :I fan. She \ t i l l I o \ c shells'! he
,\st
Dear Nettie NL1??.I bay. She lake elephants now.
~ I L \\, ; I I I ;I little while, put all the shells back in place. Then he
'I'hc only thing keep Ine a l i ~ ci\ \vatchin€ Hcnrictt;~fight for her as1 nic. Yo11 likc any special thing''
life. And tloy can she fight. Every tlnie she have ;in attack she I lt)\.c !lirds. I s i y .
scream enough to wake the dead. U4 clo what you say the peoples Y L I L I!-.no\\,. he say. you use to remind me of a bird. Way back
d o in Afrrca. Us tked her yams every srngle day. Ju\t our luck she hcn !ou lirst come to live with mc. You u.a\ i o skinny. Lord. he
hate yams and she not too polite to let us knov,. Everybody for ca). ..\rid the least little thing happen, you looked about to fly
miles around try to come up ~ i t yani h dishes that don't taste like it\v;i..
yam>. U s git plate> 01' yam eggs. yam chitlinj. \ a m goat. And Y O I ; \ ; I \ + . that. I s a ) .
soup. My God. t'~,lkshe making soup out of everything but shoe 1 1 : t i . he said. just too big a fool to let rnysclf care.
leather trying to kill offt!~t.yarn tastc. Hut t-lenrietta claim she M'cl' I <i1yr, us libcd through it.
\ t i l l tastc i t , and is likely to thl-ow ivhatever i t is out the window. 'A'L. , i : l l man and wife. you know. he ha!,.
Lls tcl! her in a little while she'll have three months not to eat NA:.. i \;ay%we never was.
yams. hut she say that day don't seem likc it ever want to come. l'l'il ~.IIOU. hc you look real good since you been LIPin
hlesnwhile, her joints all swolc. >he hoi enough to burn. she saY ~ I C I I' ; !,,~
he]- hcird feel likc its full of little whitc nlcn ~.'ithhammers. 1 , I sav. Shug take good c i ~ r cof me.
Sometime I rnect up with Mr. -___ ~ , ~ S r t i nHenrietta.
g He . .. O L I make your. living up there'! he cir! .
dream up his o\trn little sneaky rccipcs. Fol- instance, one time he 51 :. i i . pants. I say.
hid the yam, in pcanut butter. IJs sit by the fire with Harp0 and 11,. ,. I notice cver!body in the fiimily just about wearing
Sofia and pl;r\- :I hand or two of bid whist. while S u ~ i e a" d p:,,; I!! made. But you mcitn you turlled ir into a business'?
Hem-ietta listen 10 the radio. Sometime hc dl-ive me home inhls 1:
? ~ g h tI . %:I!.. But I really \ta~-tcclit right here in your
car. He still live i n the same little house. I i c been there so long, it holl'. A::cp from killing you.
, i
look just like him. T w o stra~gl.~t chair-\ alwayb vn the porch, I I. :, , : k down at the floor-.
turned against the w;~lI.I'clreh r:tilings with flo\\cr- cans on them' ;: iiclp me niahe thc. fir\t p;tir I cvcl- did. I \ay. ,And then.
S i i l
He keep i t painted now though. Fresh and \+hitc. ,And gl.less what 'lit $ i , 1 st;\rt (0 i r > ' ,
 I-Ie say. Celie. tell me the ti-11th.YOUdon't like me cause a
man'?
I blow my nose. Take off they pants. I say. and inen look like
frogs to me. No matter how you kiss 'ern, as far as I'm concern,
frogs is what they stay.
I see, hc say.
By the time I got back home I was feeling so bad I couldn't do
nothing but sleep. I tried to work on some new pants I'm trying to
make for pregnant womcn, but just the thought of anybody gitting
pregnant make me want to cry.
Your sister,
Celie

Ttlc ~)nIkpiece of mail Mr. - e v e r - put directiy in my hand

ic I: rl:lcgr;i~n that come from the United States Department of
Dekri.\c. r r say the ship you and the children and your husband
left :\fi-ica in was sunk by German mines off the coast of somc-
placc i:ill Gibralta. They think you all drowned. Plus, the sarne
dab.. :il; the letters I wrote to you over the years come back
unopc!l
I \,t hc1-e in this big house by myself trying to sew, but what
gooti I,. \c\i ing gon do? What good is anything'? Being alive begin
10 wc:tr like a a ~ f 1 1strain.
1
Your sister,
Celie
 1 ' 1 1 1 ( ' 0 1O K f'c kl>l I

;licl Ilow ;rr-e ) , O L I . deare\t S I ~ ~ C I - ' Ne;rrIy

! thirty ~ c ' L Ih;lvc
.~
,,;,.,,~,l \ ~ i t h o u ta \r.clrd hct\\een us. I:or all 1 k n o ~ r you . mu!' he
1 ,Is the time nears f.or 11s to comc hcjnic. Adam and Oliviir
,,,k, .::~tllc.\sq ~ ~ e \ t i o n; I\~ C ) L I ~Y O U . k u of ~4 h i i h 1 can unsu.cr.
~ , , ~ ~ ~ : l i :I ~telli e s them 'T:\ih~I-eniinrls nic 01' ~ O L I And, . because
i, no one finer to them than Tashi, they glow with delight.
~ ~ i \ 1l I l , ),011 still have 'fashi's honest and open spirit, 1 wondcr,
, \ l l ; i ~ \$.c' \ee kc~u;\gain'! Or will ]r.e;\rs ~ f ~ h r l d h e ; i ~ -and
i n g abuse
fr,,lll Llr. have dejtroyed i t ' ? l'hcse 31-e thoughts 1 don't !
~ L ~ ~ , I I c : %.%.'ith
the children, only with lny beloved cclmpanion.
~;,lliiicl.\\ hu advises me not to wor1.1. to trust in God. and to 1
h ; ~ \ i ' !;till1 in the sturdine\\ of'm! sister's soul.
,
(.,<\I; I,; Jifferent to us no\%., . :~ftcr;ill these years in Africa. More
spill, th:m ever hefore. and Innre internal. Most people think
htt !I.!. to look like iomt,thing 01-\omeonc--:I rclofleaf o r Christ-
Dearest ( ~ e l i c , bur ;..I.: don't. And not heing tied to what God looks like. frees
U\
Ta5h1 and her mother h,i\ e run ; r u d ) . l'hc) h'lvc gone to join
\;'IIL.II we i-eturn to Amel-ica u c rnust have long talks 2tbnut this,
~ ~ . :\nd the children and 1 b e r e dlscu4s1ng rt just
the t 7 1 h ~ iSamuel
('cil. -\nd perhaps S:~mui.land I will found a new church in our
yesterday. and \ve realized we d o not even know fos sure the
i ~ ~ ~ ; ; i i l i that
~ r ~ i has
t ~ no idol4 in i t whatsoever, in which each
nlheles exist. All \re know is that they are said to live deep in the
pci.,!:i's spirit is enCclu~.:igcdto seek God directly. his belief
forest. that they welcome runaway5. and that they hal-ass the
t h ; ~ ; :his I S possible strengthened by us a s people who also
w h ~ t cman'4 ~ l a n t a t l o n s, ~ n d~ l a nh13 destruction-or at least for
hc1;i.i C .
his removal from their- contincnt.
I :,.:reis little to do here for entel-t;~innic.nt.a s \ , o i ~
can imagine.
.4dam and Olivia arc heartbroken hec~iusethey love Tashi and \i'c the papers and ~n:rp:i~in<:s
iL.;i(l from home, play any numhcr
miss her. and because no onc who has gnnc 10 ,join the mheles : ! ';'! rc;in games with the children. Rehearse thc African children
ever- retut.ned. We try to keep them busy arc)unti the compound in , , : I !, ol'Sh;tkespc:~rc"r plays-.4dani \\.as al\ra),4 verlr good us
and because ther-c is so much sicknes> from malari;~this season
11; . : ! k t giving his 'To Be o r Not to Be soliloquy. Corrine had firm
there ii plenty for them tcl do. In plowing untlel. th: Olinka's yam n!~', of \~h:tt the children should be taught and sau. to i t that
)I,-.
crop and sullstituting canned and powder-etl goods, the planters c \ . , qood work ad\.crtised in the papery became part of their
destroyed \\hat makes thern resistant to malaria. Of course they 11: I ;. They k n o u many things. and I think will not find Ameri-
did no1 knob, this. they only \vanted [ o (::he the !and for rubber, ' :.)ciety such a shock, except for the hatred of black people.
but the Olinka have hcen ~Liting4:1rn\ to prevent nialnr-ia and to ..,.
.
I \ also ircr) clear in all the ne\s\. But 1 u o r r y ahont their
,
!
control chronic hloorl diseasc f n ~thr,u:;antl\ and thousands of :* . l f ' ~ - ~ i independence
an of opinion and outspokenness. also
years. L.e!t ~vithou; a sufficient supply nf ams. the people-
;I<- \c,If-center~ednc~s~ And we will he poor. C'clie. and i t will
u.hut's left c~f them--ar-e sickening and dying at an alarming
.!I., no doubt before \be even own a homc. lie\\ will they
rate. 8-,
, ( ' .
;.c: the hoitility to\s,ards them, having grown u p her-e'.' Whcn
To tell you the 11-11th.I fciil- f i ) ~0111. o\\!I health. and especially
' ; ~ , f t h e n lin .4me1-ica1 jee them as much younger than they
for the children. But San:~~elt'eels vic \ \ i l l probably he all right,
, 8

h..ivlng
.' had bouts \ t i t 1) rnalari:t cturing the first !,ciu-s \ve were here. h2ui.h rnore ri;\i\.c. 'The \\olst we have had to endure
'
, inrlifferencc and ;I cer-t;~in~ ~ n d e r s t ~ ~ n d nshallowness
blc. in
here. I -:I i o n a l rel:ttionship\-exiludi~lg o u ~ rclaticlnship with
Cnthel.ine anil I'a\hi !Zfle~-all. the Olinha know \ \ c can leave,
they muxl st;t5 . A n d . of \:c:!!rsc. none ot'this has 1 0 do \vilh color.
:Z nil-

Dearest C'elie.
L X ~night
I I 4toppe~I\\,i-iting bec:~t14ch)l~\iitckirne in to tell me
I
Ad:in~ is missirrg. t-Ic can ~ ) n l yh:t\c gone al'ter Tashi.
Pr.iiy for his saicty .
)'our \i\trr. Nettie

Dearest Nettie.
Sometimes I think Shug never love me. 1 stand looking at my
nahed self in the looking glass. What bould she love'? I ast my-
self. My hair is short and kinky because I don't straighten it
anymol-e. Once Shug say she love it no need to. M), skin dark. My
nose just a nose. My lips just lips. M y body just any woman's
body going through the changes of age. Nothing special here for
nobody to love. No hone), colored curly hair, no cuteness. Noth-
:ng ~ o u and n fresh. My heart must be young and fresh though. it
feel iike i t blooming blood.
1 talk to myself a lot. standing in front the mirror. Celic. I say.
happiness was just a trick in your ca\c. Just cause you never had
beti~reShug, you thought it was time to havc sonic. and thal
i t it\ gon last. Even thought you had the trees ncith you. r h c
"hoic cltrth. The stars. But look at you. When Shl.tg I e f , hap-
~ i n c . \ , \desert.
1.:\erS' once in a \vhile 1 git a postcard from Shug. Her and
(;cl-rri,ilnc i n New \iork, in California. Gone to >ec M L I ~Agnch )'
;'n(j ((;ady in Panama.
311._ been1 to be the only one understancl mq fieling.
1 hnuu you hate me for keeping you from Nettie. he say. And
\.he de;icl.
1:l.r: I don't hate him, Nettie. And 1 don't bclie\.e ) O U dead.
'{(I,.! <;in you be 'lead if 1 >till fcel you'? Maybe. like ( j o d . you
,,l.
'i.i:cci into diffel.cn; that I'll havc to sp~iIAto in a
r-
o n Pl K P I I
f t l ~(~'01
different way. hut ~ O L not I dead to n ~ eNettie. .And ne\,cr will be,
Sometime when I git tired oftalking lo rnysclf I talk to you. I eve.,
try to 1.eiict3our childl-cn.
Mr. still can't bclie\,e 1 have children. Where you git
children from? he ast.
My stepdaddy. I sag..
You mean he knowcd he Lvas thc one damage y o u all along? he
ast.
I say. Yeah.
Mr. __- shake his head.
After all the evil he done I know you wonder why I don't hate
him. 1 don't hate him for twc3 reasons. One. he love Shug. And
two, Shug use to love him. Plus, look like he trying to make
something out of himself. I don't mean just that he worh and he
clean u p after himself and he appreciate some of the things God
was playful enough to make. I mean when you talk to him now he
really listen. and one time. out of nowhere in the cutlversation us
was having, he said Celic. I'm satisfied this the first time I ever
lived on Earth as a natural man. It feel like a new experience.
Sofia and Harpo always try to set me LIPwith some man. They
know I love Shug but they think womens love just by accident,
anybody handy likely to do. Everytime 1 go to Harpo's some little
policy salesman git all up in m). fr~ce.Mr. - -have to come to
the rescue. He tell the man, This lady my w,ife. The man vanish
out thc cioor.
Us sit. have a cold drink. Talk ahout c u r days together with
Shug. Talk about the time she come home sick. The little crooked
song she use to sing. All our fine evenings clown at l-iarpo's.
You was even sewing good way hack then, he say. I [emember
the nicc little ciresses Shug always wear.
Yeah. I say. Shug could wear a dress.
Remember the night Sofia knock Mary .Agitcs' toofs out'? he
ast.
Who could forgit it'? I say.
Us don't nothing bout Sofia's troubles. Us ,till can't laugh
:it that. Plus. Sofia still h;ivc trouble uith that frimily. Well,
trouble with Miss Eleanor Jane.
You just don't know, s t y Sofia. what that girl done put me
through. You kno~i..how shc use to bother mc ;ill the time when
she had problclns >it home'! Well finally ,hc start bothering me
u h c n iin)thing good h:ippcn. Soon 2,s \he snag that 1Tl;lil she mar-
230
THECOLORPURPLF.
\ h come
~ running to me. Oh. Sofia. she say. you just have to
,,,,.,Stanley Earl. And before I can say anything. Stanley Earl is
in t h middle ~ of my front room.
F ~ ( , L \ you. Sofia. he say, grinning and sticking out his hand.
hi,,, [.:leanor Jane done told me so much about you.
1 \\onder if she told him they made me sleep up under their
~oL]'.;c. S : L ~Sofia. Hut I don't ask. I try to be polite. act pleasant.
~ ~ ~ l - i eturn t t a the radio up loud in the back room. I have to
almcj\t holler to make niyself understood. They stand round look-
ing ; ~ tthe children's pictures on the wall and saying how good my
bo!> look in they army uniforms.
\t;her-e they fighting? Stanley Earl want to know.
l ' h ~ , yin the service right here in Georgia. I say. Rut pretty soon
[he) he bound for overseas.
k-ic ~1stme d o I know which part they he station in? France.
Gerrn;iny or the Pacific.
I don't know where none of that is so I say. Naw. He say he
u;inl to fight but got to stay home and run his daddy's cotton gin.
.-?l-mvgot to wear clothes, he say, if they fighting in Europe.
Tno had they not fighting in Africa. He laugh. Miss Eleanor Jane
smile. Henrietta turn the dial a s high as i t can go. Got on some
real jor.ry whitefolks music sound like 1 don't know what. Stanley
Eari ,nap his fingers and try to tap one of his good size foots. H e
got ;i long head go straight up and hair cut s o short it look fuzry.
Hi> eyes real bright blue and ne\.er hardly hlink. Good God. I
think.
1 5011;t raise m e , practically. say Miss Eleanor Jane. Don't know
\ v h ; ~ l u e would have done without her.
W t ~ l i salr. Stanley Earl, everybody round here raise by colored.
Th'ir'b !low come we turn out so well. H e wink at me. say, Well
Suplr. Pic. to Miss Eleanor Janc, time for us to mosey along.
leap up like somebody stuck her with a pin. How Henrietta
d()lll<'.' she ast. Then she whisper. I brought her something with
!';llil. s o well hid she won't never suspect. She run out to the car
i i l l c i iolne back with a tuna casserole.
'\i:,11. say Sofia, one thing you have to say for Miss Eleanor
J ~ ~ : lher l , dishes almost always fool Hcnrictta. ,4nd that mean a
:O me. Of course 1 never tell Henrietta m here they come
If I did, out the window they would go. Else she'd vomit.
likv made her sick.
I
9:
1: : !!";dly. the end come to So65 and Mihs Eleanor J e w . I
 1 ' ~ tCOIO K PLKI'I
t-
think. And it wasn't nothing to do with Henrietta. b h o hate Miss
Eleanor June's guts. It h,as Miss I3leanar Jane herself and that
baby she went and 1i:itl. 1:vcry time Sofia turncd r.ound Miss
Elcanor Jane was shoving Reynolds St~inleyEarl in her face. He a
little fat white so~nething\vithout much hair. look like he headed
for thc Navy.
Ain't little Reynolds su.eet'?say Miss Eleanor Jane. to Sofia,
Daddy just love him, she say. Love having a grandchild name for
him and Ivok so much like him. too.
Sofia don't say nothing. stand there ironing some of Susie Q
and Henrietta's clothes.
And so smart. say Eleanor Yane. Daddy say he never saw a
smarter baby. Stanley Eard'c mama say he smarter than Stanley
Earl b a s when he was this age.
Sofia still don't say nothing.
Finally Eleanor Jane notice. .And you know how some
whitefc)lks is. won't let well enough alone. If they want to bad
enough, they gon harass a blessing from you if it kill.
Sofia mightv quiet this morning. Miss Eleanur June say. like
she just talking to Reynolds Stanle!.. H e stare back at her out of
his big stuck open eyes.
Don't you think he sweet? she ast again.
He sure fat. say Sofia, turning over the dress she ironing.
And he sweet. too, say Miss Elcanor Jane.
Just as plump as he can he. say Sofia. And tall.
But he sweet. too. say Eleanor Jane. And he smart. She haul
off and kiss him up side thc head. He rub his head. say Yee.
Ain't he the smartest baby you ever saw? she ast Sofia.
He got a nice size head on hjm. say Sofia. You know some
peoples place a lot of weight on head size. Not a whole lot of hair
on it either. He gon be cool this summer. for sllre. She fold the
piece she iron and put i t on a chair.
Just a siveet, smart, cute. i t z t ~ o c , ( ' t i tlittle baby bo). say Miss
Eleanor Jane. Don't you just love him? she ast Sofia point blank.
Sofia sigh. Put down her iron. Stare at Miss Eleanor Jane and
Reynolds Stanley. All the time me and Henrietta over in the
col-ner playing pitty pat. Henrietta act like Miss Eleanor Jane
ain't alive. but both ol'us hear the way the iron sound when Sofia
put it down. The sound have a lot of old and new stuffin i r .
No ma'am, say Sofia. I do not love Reynolds Stanley ~ a r l .
73'-
T t r ~Cor OK PURPLE
]'hat's what you been trying to tind out cvel- since he \vas
t,(,I.I1.And now, \,ou know.
1\1c iind Henrietta look up. Miss Eleanor- Jane just that quick
, I (put~ Reynolds
~ ~ Stanley on the floor where he crawling round
~,~,~,cl.ing stuff over. Hcud straight fol- Sofia's stack of ironed
Clothesand p~lllit down on his head. Sofia take up the clothes.
,,I-aighten them out, stand hy thc irc~ningboard with her hand on
,hc iSc>n.Sofia the kind of woman no matter what she have in her
hand it look like a weapon.
k<le;inor Jane start to cry. She always have felt something for
S(,fia. If riot for her. Sofia never would have survive living in her
j;\~id!'s house. But so what'? Sofia never wanted to be there in the
hr3t place. Never wanted to leave her own children.
-roo late to cry. Miss Eleanor Jane, say Sofia. ,411 us can do
no\+ is laugh. Look at him, she say. And she do laugh. He can't
even \balk and already he in my house messing it up. Did 1 ast him
to comc? Do I care ~ , h e t h e her sweet or not? Will it make any
diff'crencein the way he grow up to treat me what I think?
1'011 just don't like him cause he look like daddy. say hliss
Elranor Jane.
don't like him cause he look like daddy. say Sofia. I don't
feel nothing about him at all. I don't love him. I don't hate him. I
.iu\t L\ ish he couldn't run loose all the time messing up folks stuff.
2411[he time! ,411 the time! say Miss Eleanor Jane. Sofia, hejust
;; bat)!,. Not even a year old. He only been here five or six times.
I I c l like he been here forever. say Sofia.
1 ~ a \ don't
t understand. say Miss Eleanor Jane. All the other-
co!orcd women I know love children. The \vay you feel is sorne-
I h c love yours is lying. Thcy don't love Reynolds Stanley any
- ~ ~ I do. But if you so badly raise as to ast 'ern. what you
r l l ~ t than
c\pcct them to say'? Some colored people so scared of whitefolks
1hc.i claim to love the cotton gin.
hc just a little baby! say Miss Eleanor Jane, like saying this
'rose to clear up everything.
U l ~ i tyou want from me? say Sofia. 1 feel something for you
h c ~ , , ,I ~L ~I of
~e all the people in your daddy's house you showed
mc , o ~ i ~human
e kindness. But on the other hand. out of all the
Pc,.r?lcin !,our daddy's house, I showed jou some. Kind feeling is
 l'tll c.01OR 1 ' ~Rlj1.k
needed love plus under\tanding. l'hc!. I-un a little short of that.
'[.hey hocJu dead no\\,. hc \a!. Nine or- ten year,. Sent us all to
school as far as the). could.
You know 1 nevcr think bout rn~lrnuand daddy. You know how
to~lghI think I is. Hut n u u that they dead and I see my children
doing hrcll. 1 likc to think about them. M;~vbewhen I come back-- I
can put some fowcrh on t h e ~g t - ~ ~ v e s .
Oh. she write me now near bout every week. Long newsy
letters full of stuff she thought she had forgot. Plus stuff bout the
desert and the Indians and the rocky mountains. 1 wish I could be
tl-avelinp with her. but thank God she able to d o it. Sometinles I
feel mad at her. Feel like I could scratch her hair right off her
head. But then I t h ~ n k Shug
, got a right to live too. She got a right
to look over the world in whatever company she choose. Just
cause I love her don't take away none of her rights.
The only thing bother me is she don't never say nothing bout
coming back. And I miss her. I miss her friendship so much that if
\he k a n t to come back here dragging Gerniaine I'd make them
both welcome. o r die trying. Who am I to tell her who t o love?
h l d o b just to lovc her good and 11-liemyself.
Mr. ast me the other day what it is I love so much bout
Shug. H e say he love her style. He say to tell the truth, Shug act
niore manly than most men. 1 mean she upright, honest. Speak
her mind and the dei,il take the hindmoht. he sa! . 170uknow Shug
will fight, he say. Just like Sofia. She bound to live her life and be
herself no matter what.
Mr. --- think all this is stuff men do. But Harpo not like
this. I tell him. You not like this. What Shug got is womanly it
seem like to me. Specially since she and Sofia the ones got it.
Sofia and Shug not like men. he say. but they not like women
cither.
You mean they not like you o r me.
They hold they ou,n. he say. And it's different.
What I love best bout Shug is what she been through, I say.
When ).ou look in Shup's eyes you k n o ~ she , been where she
been, seen what she seen. did what she did. And now she know.
That's the truth. say Mr.
.And if you don't git out the way. she'll tell you about i t .
.4men. he say. Then he say something that really surprise me
Lause i t so thoughtful and common sense. When i t come to what
folks (lo together with the) bodie;. he \;I),. any hod?,'^ guess is as
'I 1 4 1 ( ' 0 1< ) K l<l'l I
-,,oc,J a s mine. I 3 ~ when
t \.ou 1;1Ik hour lovc 1 d ~ r l ' i~ I : I L , ~i c ) gllCs4.
i hilvc.love and I have bccn I C ~ L C . , Z I I 1~thank Gi.icl hc Ict nli' ~ a i n
LlnJcr4tandinge n o ~ ~ gtoh know Iovc can't he li:rltc~l J ~ s C;IL!\C t
,(,,ne people\ moan and groan. It don'! sur.prisc mcs !,OLI love S h ~ l g
,.I\cr-!;. he say. 1 have love Stlug Avcry all nib life.
\Vhnt load of l?rick.; fell on ).ou'? 1 ~ 1 4 1 .
N o bricks. he say. Just cxpericncc. YOLIk n o u . cvc:l.yb~d!.
17(,(1ndto git some of that w o n c r or later. All they have to d o is
st;i), ;dive. And I start to yit mine real hea\.y long ahour tht. time 1
[<,IdShug i t was true that 1 b e i ~ t) o u callsc you was \ o u and not
her.
1 told her, 1 say,.
i know it. he say, and 1 don't blame ~ O I I I. t a I I I L I I ~ cc>uld tell
bilks how it'.; treated, it would. Hut ~ ' o uIinn\s8 \omc wolnens
I ~ O L I I ~have J c ~ \ t love to hear- they man \all he hcat his wife cause
\hi. wasn't thcni. Shug one time was like that bout Annie Julia.
Both of 11s messed over my first wifc ;I scanless. And she never
told nobody. I'lus. hhe didn't havc nobody lo tell. After they
rn,t;-ried her oft' to me her folks bchave like they'd throwed her
d o u n a well. O r off the face nf the c:rrth. I didn't m n t hcr. 1
~v;~nted S l i ~ ~Hut
g . my daddy u a > the hoss. He give me the wifc he
wanted me t o have.
But Shug spoke right u p for you. C'clie. he \a!. She say Albert.
\ o u been mistreating s o n ~ e b o d y1 love. So a s t'ar as you concern.
I ' r r i gone. I couldn't believe it. hc say. All along in there we was
; I S hot for each other as two pistolh. Excuse nle. he say. But we
&;is.I tried to laugh i t off. But she mcant what she haid.
1 tried t o tease her. You don't lovc old dumb Celie. I said. She
[IS!! iind skinny and can't hold ; i candle to you. She c.;~n'teven
SL~I.t\\'.
Mihat I want to sa), that for, From what .;he tell me. Shug said.
hl:t: don't have no r e a w n to screw. YOLIon and off likc a ,jack-
1:1!>!1it.[']us, she say. CeIie you not a l \ ~ n y sclean. And she
! her nose.
I ~ ~ F I LIP
1 \\anted to kill you. said Mr. anti 1 did slap you around
;I c.ci~~ple of times. I never ~~nclerstoc,di:o\: you and Shug got along
\() \\.ell together and it bothel-ed the hell out of me. When she was
']leiin and nasty to )it)!l. I under\tood. Rtrt when I looked around
<1!1dthe two of you alwa)..; doing each other'\ hair. I start to
hot-ry.
\hc still fccl for you. 1 \ a \ .
 I III or O K 1 ' ~ l<rll I
I'eirh. he .;a\'. She feel like I ' l n h c ~h~.orhc~..
. \;~u..he sag.. like this interesting hut hi\ niinci reall\. on the
What so had ithout that. I ;~.;t. Ilon't her- hr-othel-sIo\.c her?
Them clou,n.;, he sag.. l'heq .;!ili act !hc>fool I 11se to IJC.
Well. I say. all h ~ v cto st;~rt some^ herc ii' 114 want to do
better-. and our olvn self is \vh;it 11s 11;1\c to I-ii~~lll.
1.m r.e;~l sorr), .;he left g.o~r.Celie. 1 rcmemhcr hou I t'elt when
she left me.
Then the old dcvil put his x r n s ; ~ r o ~ ~me n dant1 l ~ r s stood
t there
on the porch Lvith me real quie!. W;I) iiftcr while I hcnt my stiff
neck onto his shoulder. tIcrc us 15. I tlho~rght.t h o old fc)als left
over- I'rom love. keeping each other campan) under the stars.
o t h c r limes he want l o know hijlrt rny chilclrcn.
1 told him you say thcq hoth \sear long r-ohe.;. .;or[ of like
dresses. That wa.; the day he conlc to visit me while 1 was sewing
and ast me w,hut w:is so special h c ~ my t p;ints.
t\nybody can we~il.thcm. I said.
Men and women not suppose to NC~II. thc same th~ng.he said.
M e n spose to u.cal-ths pants.
So 1 said. You ought to tell that 10 the nicns in Africa.
Say what'.' he ast. First time he e\cr thought hour what Afri-
cans do.
People i n Africa trh, to \ ~ e i i \+hat
r feel cotnt,rtab!c in the heat. 1
hay. O f course. niission;iries ha1.e they o u i i idea> bout dress. But
left to themself, Africans \vear :I lit11e sc)metinics, or- a lot, accord-
ing to Nettie. But men and women both pr-e.;hate a nice dress.
Robe yo11 said before, he sa).
Kobe. dress. N o t pants, anyhow.
Well. he say. I'll be dog.
And men sew in Africa. too. I say.
'I hey do'? he ast.
Yeah, 1 say. They not so hiickw.urd a, niens hcl-e.
When I was grouing up, he said. 1 use to ir:. [o sew along with
mania ci~usethal's what she wa.; always d o ~ n g .Hut everytlody
laughcd at me. BII~you know., I liked it.
Well. nobody gon laugh at )ou now. 1 said. l~lcre,help me
stitch i n these pockets.
But 1 don't know hob\,. he \a!.
1'11 show you. 1 said. ,4nd Idid.
N o u us sit sewing and talking and smokillg our pipes.
Guess \Vhat. 1 say to him. folk5 i n Africa u.hc.r.e I\l'ettie and the
children i.; helieve ~i hite pcoplc i.; hl:~cl\ peopleh children.
3 8
.1'11t ( ~ 0o1n r ' ~ nrlr r
ill o f his next stitch.
I hey named Aclam some other name soon a* hc arrive. They
,;,! the white missionaries hefnr.e Nettie ancl them come told
!~,clll;ill ;I~OIII ,4d;1m from the u.hitc ti)lks point o f view and \\h:it
llle \\bite folks know. But they know. who Adam i s from they 0w.n
l J ~ ' ~o ~ fl tview. .4nd for a u.holc lot longer time ago.
,.\nd who that'.' M r . ast.
I lie first man that ~vaswhite. Not the tirst man. They say
nc,boJy .;o crazy they rhink they can say u,ho u,as the first miin.
~ i r l !everybody notice the tirst u,hitc man cause he was white.
1 , frown. look :it the different color thread us €01.
.f\~l-ead his needle, lick his finger. tie a knot.
'Ihey say e v e r y b u d before Adam was hlack. Then one day
, ~ ~ nwoman c they just right uw;iy kill. come out with this col-
~ ~ l c baby. ss They thought at first i t \\,as something she ate. But
1 h ~ 1 . 1another one had one and also the women start to h i i ~ ttwin.;.
:
SO the people start to put the u-hite babies and the twins to death.
Sc, I-cully Ad;ini wasn't even the first ivhitc man. H e was just the
6 1.;I one the people didn't kill.
111.. look at me real thoughtfill. H e not such a bad look-
in;! man. you know. when l8oucome right down to i t . And now it
d o hegin to look like he got a lot o f feeling hind his face.
\\ c.11. Isay. you know hluck folks have u hiit you call alhinos to
[i~i.clay. But you never hear o f u.hite folks having nothing black
ir!!ic\s sonle black man been messing with 'em. .4nd no white
I'c:lh\ been i n Africa back )-under when all this happen.
1 bt.) these Olinka people heard about Adam ant1 Eve from the
i \ \ l i i i c niissionarics and they heard about how the serpent 11-icked
I:\: ;inc\ how GocI chased them out of the garden of Eden. And
rli,:: w:~.; real c u r i o ~ ~ tos heal- this, cause after they had chased the
;\i:lrc Olinka children out o f the village they hadn't hardly
i' ,~:lghtnc, more about i t . Nettie say one thing ahout Africans.
! J ' ; of sight, out o f mind. And another thing. they don't like
'
-.i c t
F-

THEC O L ~PI,KPI~E
R THECOLORPURPLE

C:an't be rule. Every nigger you see got a kingtlorn in h i \ head.
But guess what else. 1 say to Mr. -. When the mis-
sionaries got to the part bout Adam and Eve being naked. the
Olinka peoples nearly bust out laughing. Especially when the
n~issionariestried to make them put on clothes because of this.
They tried to explain to the missionaries that it was 111(~?. who put
Adam and Eve out of the village because they ,c,rr.s naked. 'Their
word for naked is white. But since they are cubered bl- color they
are not naked. They said anybody looking at a \+hite person can
tell they naked, but black people can not be naked because they
can not be white.
Yeah, say M r . . But they was wrong.
Right, I said. Adam and Eve prove it. What they did. these
Olinka peoples, was throw out they own children. just cause they
was a little different.
1 bet they do that same kind of stuff today, Mr. say.
longer on the earth, the only way to stop making somebody the
serpent is for everybody to accept everybody else as a child of
~ ~or one d ,mother's children, no matter what they look like or
how they act. And guess what else about the snake'?
What? he ast.
These Olinka people \+orshipit. They say who knows, maybe it
is kinfolks, but for sure it's the smartest, cleanest, slickest thing
they ever seen.
These folks sure must have a heap of time just to sit and think,
say Mr. -.
Nettie say they real good at thinking, I say. But they think so
much in terms of thousands of years they have a hard time gitting
themself through one.
So what they name Adam?

And something else, I say. Guess who they say the snake is?
Us, no doubt, say Mr. -.
Right. 1 say. Whitefolks sign for they parents. They ivas so mad
to git throwed out and told they was naked they made up they
minds to crush us wherever they find us, same as they would a
snake.
You reckon'? Mr. ___ ast.
, some mens to notice anything, I say.
Took me long enough to notice you such good company, he
ray. And he laugh.
He ain't Shug. but he begin to be somebody I can talk to.
And no matter how much the telegram said you must be drown,
I still git letters from you.

the future after the biggest of 'em leave. They say thz\ know
these particular children and they gon kill each other off. they ?till
so mad bout being unwanted. Gon kill off a lot of other folk too
who got some color. In tact. they gon kill off so 1n~i.hof the earth
and the colored that everybody gon hate them just like they hate
us today. Then they will become the new serpent. Atid wherever
a white person is found he'll be crush by somebody not white,
just like they do us today. And some of the Olinka peoples believe
life will just go on and on like this forever. And every million
!
~
years or so something will happen to the earth and folks will
change the way they look. Folks might start growing two heads
one of these days. for all we know, and then the folk\ with one 1
I
head will send 'em all someplace else. But some of 'cm don't
think like this. They think. after the biggest of the white folks no '
i

210

Dear Celie,
After two and a half months Adam and Tashi returned! Adam
overtook Tashi and her mother- and some other members of our
compound a s they were nearing the village where the white
woman missionary had lived, but Tashi would not hear of turning
back, nor would Catherine, and so Adam accompanied them to
the mheles encampment.
O h , he says. it is the most extraordinar-y place!
You know, Celie. in Africa there is a huge depr-ession in the
earth called the great rift valley, but it is on the other side of the
continent from where we are. However-. according to Adam,
there is a "small" rift o n our side, several thousand acres large
and even deeper than the great rift. which covers millions of
acres. It is a place set s o deep into thc earth that i t can only really
be seen. Adam thinks. from the air. and then it would seem just
an overgrown canyon. Well, in this overgro*n canyon are a
thousand people from dozens of African tribes, and even one
colored man-Adam swears-from Alabama! There are farms.
There is a school. An infirmary. A temple. And there are male
and female warriors who d o indeed go on missions of sabotage
against the white plantations.
But all this seemed more a marvel in the recounting than in the
actual experiencing of it. if 1 a m any judge of Adam and Tashi.
Their minds seem l o have been completely riveted on each other.
I wish you could have seen them as they staggered into the
I~rstbecause 1 came back uith you, don't think I am saying qcs
I,., ,i~;!rriage.says Tashi.
( ) I ! vcs you i1r.e. says Adam. heatedly. but through a !.ilwn. I.ou
[71rrii~i\cd your mother.. I promised y'our- mother.
\ o l ~ o d y in America will like me. say\ 'fashi.
i \ \ i l l like you, says Adam.
ijlivia ran and enfolded Tahhi in her arms. Ran about prepi~ring
I'~.O(.I and a bath.
i .,!st night. after Tashi and Adam had slept most of the day, we
1:. , I a family conference. We informed them that because so many
01 our people had gone to join the tnho/c.\. and the planters were
t.!.:,:irining to bring in Moslem wor.kers from the North. and be-
~ , : i , ~i tl u ~ a s time for LIS to do so, we would bc leaving for home in
;
;I ;:~,:tterof weeks.
, i d i ~ nannounced
i his desire to marry Tashi.
1 , ~ j hannounced
i her refu.\iil to bc married.
i,icl then. in that honest. forthright u a y of hers. she gave her
11 ~ - c , i ~ , nParamount
s. among them that. because of the scarification
111:ivh\ on her cheeks Americans would look down on her as a
I
I
,:l\;igi. iind shun her. and wh;ttever child,-cn she i ~ n dAdam niight
11;t: c.. I hat she had seen the magazines we receive from home and
7 .
l h , i l i t u a s very clear- to her. that black people did not truly atfmil-e
hl.~.hskinned black people like herself. and especially did not
a,l~il,l.cblackskinnetj black women. They bleach their Faces. she
, ,,:it! They fry their hair. They try to look nakcd.
\iw, she continued. I fear Adam ~ v i l lbe distracted by one of
I
[ill.\c: naked looking women and desert mc. Then 1 uould have no
5 1 1 1 1 I-y,no people. no mother- and no husband and brother.
t ~)u'd havc a sister. said Olivia.
I iicn Adam spoke. He asked Tashi to forgive his initial stupid
I ;, ,.i.on\c to (he scal-ification. And to forgive the repugnallcc he'd
' t : :;l~outthe female initiation ceremony. He assured Ta\hi that i t
., \he he loved and that in Amel-ica she would havc country,
1 ';llc. parenth. sister. husband, brother and lover, and th;11
:;cvcr befell her in America would also he hi\ v u n choice and
!I I ' .\iI1 lot.
I "1. [.elie.
 So, the next day. our boy came to us with scars identical to
Tashi's on his cheeks.
And they are s o happy. S o happy. Celie. Tashi and Adam
Omatangu.
Samuel married them, of course, and all the people left in the
compound came to wish them happiness and an abundance of
roofleaf forever. Olivia stood up with the bride and a friend of
Adam's-a man too old to have joined the tnhc1c.s-stood up with
him. Immediately after the wedding we left the compound, riding
in a lorry that took us to a boat at the coast inlet that flows out to
sea.
In a few weeks, we will all be home.
Your loving sister,
Nettie

Dear Nettie.
Mr. _ _ _ talk to Shug a lot lately by telephone. He say as
soon a s he told her my sister and her family was missing, she and
(icrmaine made a beeline for the State department trying t o find
out what happen. H e say Shug say it just kill her to think I'm
down here suffering from not knowing. But nothing happen at the
State department. Nothing at the department of defense. It's a big
war. So much going on. One ship lost feel like nothing, 1 guess.
l'lu.;. colored don't count to those people.
Well, they just don't know, and never did. Never will. And so
what? I know you o n your way home and you may not git here till
I'rn ninety. but one of these days I d o expect to see your face.
Meanwhile. I hired Sofia to clerk in our store. Kept the white
man Alphonso got to run it, but put Sofia in there to wait on
cl.jlc)red cause they never had nobody in a store t o wait on 'em
1,t.fore and nobody in a store to treat 'em nice. Sofia real good at
wiling stuff too cause she act like she don't care if you buy or not.
'io skin off her nose. And then if you decide to buy anyhow. well,
\he might exchange a few pleasant words with you. Plus, she
?care that white man. Anybody else colored he try to call 'em
~illntieor comething. Fit-st time he try that with Sofia she ast him
lihich colored man his mama sister marry.
I ast Harpo d o he mind if Sofia work.
What I'm gon mind for? he say. It seem to make her happy.
,\nd I can take care of anything come up at home. Anyhow, he
say. Sofia got me a little help for w hen Henrietta need anything
special to eat o r git sick.
Yeah, say Sofia. bliss Eleanor Jane gon look in on Henrietta
and every other day promise to cook her something \he'll eat.
You know white people have a look of machinel-y in they kitchen.
She whip up stuff with yams you'd never believe. 1,ast week she
went and made yam ice cream.
How this happen'? 1 ast. 1 thought the two of you was through.
O h , say Sofia. I t finally dawn on her to asl her mama why I
come to work for them.
I don't expect it to last. though. say Harpo. You know how
they is.
Do her peoples know'? I ast.
They know, say Sofia. They carrying on just like you know
they would. Whoever heard of a white woman wrorkinp for nig-
gers. they rave. She tell them, Whoever heard of somebody like
Sofia working for trash.
She bring Reynolds Stanley w.ith her'? 1 ast.
Henrietta say she don't mind him.
Well, say Harpo, I'm satisfied if her menfolks against her help-
ing you. she gon quit.
Let her quit, say Sofia. It not my salvation she working for.
And if she don't learn she gut to face judgment for herself, she
won't even have live.
Well. you got me behind you. anyway, sav Harpo. And 1 loves
every judgment you ever made. He move up and kiss her where
her nose was stitch.
Sofia toss her head. Everybody learn something in life. she say.
And they laugh.
Speaking of learning. Mr. ____ say one dzv us was sewing
out on the porch, I first start to learn all them J a y s ago 1 use to sit
up there on my porch, staring out cross the railing.
Just miserable. That's what I was. And I couldn't understand
why us have life at all if :ill i t can do most times is makc us feel
bad. All I ever wanted in life was Shug Avery, he say. And one
while, all she wanted in life was me. Well. us couldn't have each
other, he say. I got Annie Julia. Then you. All them rotten chil-
dren. She got Grady and who know who all. But still. look like
she come out better than me. A lot of people love Shug. but
nobody but Shug love me.
Hard not to love Shug, I m y . She know how to love somebody
I ~ ; I C k.
I tried to d o something bout my children after you left me. But
h ) that time it was ton late. Bub come with me for two weeks,
,tole all my money. laid up on the porch drunk. My girls so far off
i r l t ~mcns and religion they can't hardly talk. Everytime they
open they mouth some kind of plea comc out. Near bout to broke
tny sorry heart.
If you know your heart sorry. I say. that mean it not quite as
\poilt as you think.
Anyhow, he say, you know how i t is. You ast yourself one
qricstion, i t lead to fifteen. I start to wonder w-hy us need love.
Why us suffer. Why us black. Why us men and women. Where d o
children really come from. It didn't take long to realize I didn't
hardly know nothing. And that if you ast yourself why you black
or a man or a woman o r a bush it don't mean nothing if you don't
a\t why you here. period.
So what you think? I ast.
I think us here to wonder. myself. To wonder. T o a s t . And that
in Lvondering bout the big things and asting bout the big things,
you learn about the little ones, almost by accident. But you never
know nothing more about the big things than you start out with.
' l h e more I wonder, he say, the more I love.
.4nd people start to love you back. I bet, I say.
'They do. he say, surprise. Harpo seem to love me. Sofia and
!hc children. I think even ole evil Henrietta love me a little bit,
hut that's cause she know she just as big a mystery to me a s the
inan in the moon.
Mr. -is busy. patterning . a shirt for folks to wear with my
pants.
Got to have pockets, he say. Got to have loose sleeves. And
-lefinitely you not spose to wear it with no tie. Folks wearing ties
'!!ok like they being lynch.
.And !hen, just when I know I can live content without Shug.
:,r\t when Mr. ___done ast me to marry him again. this time in
:i:c spirit as well as in the flesh, and jusl after I say Naw. I still
ictn't like frogs, but let's us be friends. Shug write me she coming
"i'nle.
Now. Is this life or not?
' h c .so ( . ( l l t ? l .
if she come. 1 be happy. If she don't. I be contcnt.
 . r ~ COLOR
t P U R PE~

And then I figure this the lesson I was suppose to learn.

Oh Celie. she say. stepping out of thc car. dress like a moving
star. I missed you more than I missed my own mama.
Us hug.
Come on in, I say.
Oh, the house look so nice. she cay. when us git to her- room.
You know I love pink.
Got you some elephants and turtles coming. too, 1 say.
Where your room? she ast.
Down the hall. 1 say. I

Let's go see i t , she say. I

Well, here it is. 1 say. standing in the door. Everything in my
room purple and red cept the floor. that painted bright yellow.
She go right to the little purple frog perch on my mantlepiece.
What this? she ast.
Oh, I say, a little something Albert carve for me.
She look at me funny for a minute. I look at her. Then us laugh.
Where Germaine at? I ast.
In college, she say. Wilberforce. Can't let all that talent go to
waste. Us through. though. she say. He feel just like family now.
Like a son. Maybe a grandson. What you and Albert been up to?
she ast.
Nothing much, 1 say.
She say. I know Albert and I bet he been up to sotnething, with
you looking as fine as you look.
Us sew, I say. Make idle conversation.
How idle? she ast.
What do you know, I think. Shug jealous. I have a good mind
to make up a story just to make hzr feel bad. But I don't.
Us talk bout you. I say. HOWmuch 11s !c)\.c. you.
j
I
I
[)ear God. Dear stars, dear trees. dear sky. dear peoples. Dear
E\.erything. Dear God.
Thank you for bringing my sister Nettie and our children home.
Wonder who that coming yonder? ast Albert, looking up the
i
I-oad. Us can see the dust just aflying.
Me and him and Shug sitting out on the porch after dinner.
!
i
T~tlking.Not talking. Rocking and fanning flies. Shug mention she
I
don't want to sing in public no more-well. maybe a night or two
<it Harpo's. Think maybe she retire. Albert say he want her to try
on his new shirt. I talk bout Henrietta. Sofia. My garden and the
,tore. How things doing generally. So much in the habit of sewing
I
\(,mething 1 stitch up a bunch of scraps, try to see what 1 can
make. The weather cool for the last of June, and sitting on the
porch with Albert and Shug feel real pleasant. Next week be the
i'ourth of July and us plan a big family reunion outdoors here at
m y house. Just hope the cool weather hold.
1
1~ K.
, : .
, ,,

C
She smile, come put her head on my breast. Let out a long
breath. Could be the mailman, I say. Cept he driving a little fast. )I .;
.: - '

1,
'

Could be Sofia, say Shug. You know she drive like a maniac. .5<.. . ..,,
Your sister.
\I :
I

Celie Could be Harpo, say Albert. But it not. -:

By now the car stop under the trees in the yard and all these
peoples dress like old folks git out.
.4 big tall whitehaired man with a backward turn white collar, a
little dumpty woman with her gray hair in plaits cross on top her
hcad. A tall youngish man and two robust looking youngish
..omen. ''The whitehaired man say something to the driver of the

249
 I r H t COl O K 1'1 H f J I t

car and the car leave. They all stand down there at the edge of the
drive surrounded by boxes and bag4 and :ill kinds of stuff.
Ry now my heart is in my mouth and I can't move.
It's Nettie. Albert say. gitting up.
All the people down by the drive look up at us. They look at the
house. The yard. Shug and Albert's cars. They look round at the
fields. Then they commence to walk real slow up the walk to the
house.
I'm s o scared I don't know what to do. Feel like my mind
stuck. 1 try to speak, nothing come. Try to git up, almost fall.
Shug reach down and give me a helping hand. Albert press me on
the arm.
When N e ~ t i e ' sfoot come down on the porch I almost die. I
stand swaying. tween Albert and Shug. Nettie stand swaying
tween Samuel and 1 reckon it must be Adam. Then us both start
to moan and cry. Us totter toward one nother like us use to do
when us was babies. Then us feel s o weak when us touch. us
knock each other down. But what us c a r e ? Us sit and lay there on
the porch inside each other's arms.
After while. she say C ~ l i r . .
1 say Nettie.
Little bit more time pass. Us look round at a lot of peoples
knees. Nettie never let go my waist. This my husband Samuel,
she say, pointing up. These our children Olivia and Adam and this
Adam's wife Tashi, she say.
I point u p at my peoples. This Shug and Albert. I say.
Everybody say Pleased to Meetcha. Then Shug and Albert
btart to hcg everybody one after the other.
Me and Nettie finally git up offthe porch and I hug m!, children.
And I hug Tashi. Then I hug Samuel.
h c got a lot 01. new song.;, \he say. and not too knocked out to
\lilg 'em.
After while. being with Grad!,, 1 couldn't think, she say. Plus.
I I C tiot a good influence for no child. Course. I wasn't either, she
..;~y. Smoking so much reefer.
livet-ybody make a lot of miration over T'ashi. People look at
1:c.t- xnd .Adam's scars like that's they business. Say they never
-uspect African ladies could look so good. They make a fine
couple. Speak a little funny. but us gitting use to it.
What your people love best to eat over there in i2frica'? us ast.
She sort of blush and say hrrrhcc,rro.
Everybody laugh and stuff her with one more piece.
I feel a little peculiar round the children. For one thing. they
<l-own. And I see they think me and Nettie and Shug and Albert
id Samuel and Ilarpo and Sofia and Jack and Odessa real old
;\lid don't know much what going on. Rut 1 don't think us fee1 old
.;t all. And us s o happy. Matter of fact, 1 think this the youngest
ever felt.
Amen

Why us always have family reunion on Jul) 4th. say Henrietta,

mouth poke out, full of complaint. I t s o hot.
White people busy cclehrating they independence from En-
gland July 4th, say Harpo. so most black folks don't have to
work. Us can spend the day celebrating each other.
Ah. Harpo. say hlury Agnes, sipping some lemonade. I didn't
know you knowed history. She and Sofia working together on the
potato salad. Mary Agnes come back home to pick up Surie Q.
She done left Grady, move back to Memphis and live with her
sister and her ma. The). gon look after Suzie Q while she work.