He don’ know.”
“He says he won’t go.”
“I know,” she said. “An’ he’s stubborn.
I ast you to come to say a prayer.”
“I ain’t a preacher,” he said softly. “My prayers ain’t no good.”
She moistened her lips.
“I was there when the ol’ man died.
You said one then.”
“It wasn’t no prayer.”
“It was a prayer,” she said.
“It wasn’t no preacher’s prayer.”
“It was a good prayer.
I want you should say one for me.”
“I don’ know what to say.”
She closed her eyes for a minute and then opened them again.
“Then say one to yourself.
Don’t use no words to it.
That’d be awright.”
“I got no God,” he said.
“You got a God.
Don’t make no difference if you don’ know what he looks like.” The preacher bowed his head.
She watched him apprehensively.
And when he raised his head again she looked relieved. “That’s good,” she said. “That’s what I needed.
Somebody close enough—to pray.”
He shook his head as though to awaken himself.
“I don’ understan’ this here,” he said.
And she replied,
“Yes—you know, don’t you?”
“I know,” he said, “I know, but I don’t understan’.
Maybe you’ll res’ a few days an’ then come on.”
She shook her head slowly from side to side.
“I’m jus’ pain covered with skin.
I know what it is, but I won’t tell him.
He’d be too sad.
He wouldn’ know what to do anyways.
Maybe in the night, when he’s a-sleepin’—when he waked up, it won’t be so bad.”
“You want I should stay with you an’ not go on?”
“No,” she said. “No. When I was a little girl I use’ ta sing.
Folks roun’ about use’ ta say I sung as nice as Jenny Lind.
Folks use’ ta come an’ listen when I sung.
An’—when they stood—an’ me a-singin’, why, me an’ them was together more’n you could ever know.
I was thankful.
There ain’t so many folks can feel so full up, so close, an’ them folks standin’ there an’ me a-singin’.
Thought maybe I’d sing in theaters, but I never done it.
An’ I’m glad.
They wasn’t nothin’ got in between me an’ them.
An’—that’s why I wanted you to pray.
I wanted to feel that clostness, oncet more.
It’s the same thing, singin’ an’ prayin’, jus’ the same thing.
I wisht you could a-heerd me sing.”