Lonely Crusade by Chester B Himes

Author:Chester B Himes
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Thunder's Mouth Press
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

LEE GORDON dreaded reporting for work and dreaded facing Joe Ptak, having to feign and lie because he could not reveal that Lester McKinley, a black man, was a traitor. For the first time he felt dishonorable—as if he had the power to halt the onrushing chaos, knowing he would not use it and could not use it, because it would kill a race.

But Joe Ptak greeted him with a plan. “I’m going down to the gates with a sound truck and talk to these ignorant bastards,” he announced. “Since your boy has a car he could drive you out to San Pedro to pick up the truck.” To disclaim official recognition of Luther’s assistance, Joe Ptak only referred to him when it was unavoidable, and never by name. “The longshoremen are lending us theirs.”

“Fine!” Lee said, relieved to get away.

Luther did not mention the conference at Jackie’s the night before, for which Lee was profoundly thankful. After a cautious greeting on the part of both, they drove out of the city in silence.

And then Luther grinned. “The boys wanna race,” he said and stepped on the gas.

Lee looked up startled and Luther thumbed to the rear. Looking back, Lee saw the car. “It’s not the law?” he asked.

“Naw, I know their cars.”

“Whoever it is, they’re really highballing.”

“Yeah, but they ain’t gonna catch this baby ‘less they got wings. I got a supercharger in this baby.”

But the car hung on, and when they came into a lonesome stretch flanked by fields of new-grown corn, it closed up and the siren sounded.

“Not the law, eh?”

“Ain’t the state patrol,” Luther still contended, pulling to a stop just ahead of a culvert over a deep, twisting ravine. “Least ain’t the cars they been using.”

A long, black county car drew up ahead and four deputy sheriffs walked back.

“Speeding, eh?” a hard cracker voice raked Lee with antagonism.

“Hey, Luther,” the second one took it up. “You know this boy, Ed?”

“Sure, I know that boy. He’s a chauffeur out in Hollywood. One of your boys, ain’t he, Paul?” He winked at the second speaker.

“He’s a good boy most of the time. Got his lady’s car out though. She know you drive her car around like this?”

“Why not?” Luther said.

“Did you hear that?” Ed ejaculated. “He said why not!”

“Okay, step out,” Paul ordered. Now his voice was harsh.

Two of the deputies had approached on Lee’s side along the edge of the gully, and one commanded: “This way, boys.”

Ed stood on the road, motioning the cars of the curious on ahead. Paul came around the car to aid in the frisking of Luther and Lee.

“Ray, can you tell these boys are Reds?” it began.

“One is black and the other is off-black.” Paul offered with a laugh. “The reddest thing about them is their eyes.”

“Walter knows. Ask Walter. How do you tell a Red, Walter?”

“I can usually smell ‘em,” Walter declared. “A Red and a Jew smell just alike. But there’s so much nigger smell here I can’t smell nothing else.

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