The Realm and the Writer

I can see. Not like the others my mama would say. But I can still see. I was born blind on a hot august afternoon. My mama had me right here in my gram's house. Same house I live in. We live in Delta, Alabama, right south of Needmore and ways north of Barfield. I know this 'cause my papa told me. I'm 11 right now, won't be 12 for another month. Gram's says being 12 is an important age. I don't know nothin' about that, but it sure makes me feel good to hear her say it. Our whole family's lived in this here town forever. Gram's says the house has seen us through 5 generations. I believe her too. Even though the world looks clouded through my eyes I still 'see'. I know the smell of my Gram's makin' pies in the kitchen. I know the feel of the sagging worn wood porch and feel the peel of the paint. I know the sound of Gram's old rocker on the wood floors of the parlor. I know the smell of the moth-eaten attic where I discover our families past. I know the feel of Gran'pa's pistol, always sittin' on the buffet in the hall. I know the smell of the warm southern rains and the taste of the hot summer air. But I can still 'see' things, thing's others can't see. I don't tell no one. Someday I'll save the world, I tell my Gram's. She believes me, like I always believe her.

It's hot July right now. I can smell the mulberries behind the house gettin' ripe. I can hear the locusts hum, almost making the ground shiver under their weight. I can sense the tension too, like sumthin' big's gonna happen. I don't know what, and I don't know when, but it's commin'.

"Boy, ya'll get in here and quit yar larkin'," I can smell Gram's on the back porch. It's almost noon and I haven't practiced my readin' yet today. I forced myself to follow her in, something still seemed out of kilter. We was readin' from the book on the Constitution when a knock come on the door. I could hear Gram's talkin' to the Sheriff. Seems the boy down the road done come up missin' a few days ago. Ain't nobody heard from him since. Gram's told him that too before he left. That feelin' of sumthin' off hit me again. Knew it wasn't right. Never heard of no other kids commin' up miss in these parts.

Gram's let me go back outside after lecturing me about not wastin' my life. Ain't much for a blind boy to do in these parts. I passed the evenin' on the porch starin' into nothin'. To hot for much and Gram's kinda got particular 'bout me leavin' the yard. Sat up late listenin' to the dark too. I could feel the push of somethin' big on the horizon. Took far to long to get to sleep but I did. That's when I had the first 'sight'. It was a big dark thing. Kinda like a cloud of smoke, but it had eyes hotter than fire. Woke me scared to death. Knew it was still dark too 'cause of the cool in the air. A strange bellerin' sound came through the window and I shut it quick, afraid to let whatever it was in. Found out in the mornin' Mr. Tucks cows all died. They don't know why neither. Gram's let me go to town for some essentials, that's what she calls 'em. Sugar and bread, that was all for today. I passed the Tucks farm on the way, saw 'em draggin' a cow away with an ole truck. Kinda made me feel sick a little watchin'. That's the funny thing. I could 'see' the cows. Hadn't ever seen one before, but their big bloated bodies let me know. Somethin' else was funny too, the funny smoke commin' from their eyes and mouths. Scared me right so and I dreaded walkin' back by. Made it to the store and got the essentials Gram's wanted. Stopped to listen to all the talkin' too. Seems people 'round here was gettin' real scared. First the boy and then them cows. Somethin' in me thought of that dream I'd had. I remembered that smoke commin' from them cows and almost dropped the bread. I just knew the thing in my dream had been real, just knew it.

Gram's took me to church that sunday, sat in the front too. So close I could smell the preacher's breath. I blocked out the sermon till a certain passage caught my ears, "All the days of my hard service I will wait for my renewal to come." Knew it was from the book of Job, Gram's had taught me that. The sound of it shook my senses and gave me the feeling that the time of something great in my life was commin'.

I wandered off behind the church after service, left Gram's talkin' with some other ladies about jam makin' or somethin'. I followed the path behind the place, down through the woods to the pond they do the spring baptisms in. I was throwin' rocks in when I saw it.