Ruby

by Cynthia Bond

She did it absently, with calm disinterest.

Nasty ring its bell and they come running like it’s suppertime in hell.

God love simple, but so do the Devil.

That fish know what he gettin’ into, swimmin’ in that lake. He ain’t the first fish been caught and fried, and won’t be the last. That’s how he live. That be his life. Swimming and knowin’ that any day, whoosh, he gone be on somebody plate.”

“You more girl than I’ll ever be and I’m more man than you ever gone grow into.”

At that the Pastor patted Ephram’s back, chalk dust billowing about and sticking to his warm neck.

His church faith clings to him despite the hidden Voodoo dolls

“Lord, ain’t seen that many rolls since the Michelin tire man won a pie eatin’ contest.”

“All of us knew who done it. Ain’t no secrets in Liberty.

Sin can't hide; people know the wrong you do at some point or another.

Impervious to her monthly blood as it dried in fresh smears down her legs, until the loss of weight caused her womb to stop its monthly orbit.

Gorgeous way to word losing a menstrual cycle.

Ruby ventured, “You know, you’ve got to stop letting yourself be beat on by women.”

But looking at Ephram’s face, the only answers she could think of were not hers. They were found in God’s house, kneeling at His throne. She took Ephram by the hand, walked back into the church doors and began her new life in Christ. Where she stayed for the next thirty-two years.

Liberty Township, where Black folks waved the heat away with Jesus fans.

So Ruby prayed. She prayed for the illusion of sameness.

"the illusion of stillness" is what we all try to have—to blind in, to not stand out as the different person.

Hope was a dangerous thing, something best squashed before it became contagious.

So, so true! Hope is a dangerous but essential element.

Ruby had not truly seen the house, but now, through Ephram’s eyes the filth and waste echoed.

“To keep out shaky, crooked folks,” he used to say. “Straight-minded folk can walk up any kind of stairs.”

It’s what Jesus say to the Pharisee when they give him a hard time ’bout healing a man on the Sabbath. Jesus say, if your ox fall down in a pit, whatever the day, you’d fetch him out. If it’s important enough you got to do it.”

Every Person has value

I’m most interested in the woman you have yet to be.”

He sees the good and hope in her

He worked steadily, courteously. He worked in love.

They decided that Gubber’s dancing free eye was a good thing. It meant that he could see not only what was right in front of him, but the whole of the sky and stars at a glance.

It was fine to pray and mission folks in times of weak trouble, but when a wave was about to crash down on a person’s head, that person would be a fool to hold out a flimsy umbrella. Serious action was needed, of that Righteous was sure.

“Aw he ain’t no different from us; we all looking for a woman just like our mama.”

His friend betrayex him

And without Ephram ever knowing it was there, the last of the red powder washed clean.

A new power and strength shot through Ephram, as if from the soil itself.

Ephram stood his ground, getting soaked through to the bone, heaving and strong, all tingling washed away, a steady calm surging through his body.

She could see the loosely plastered desperation that hung over the frame of the man, the manners tacked on like pictures to hide the cracks.

a mother can tell when a male caller has ill inventions. well writte description .

She whispered into her mother’s ear that he gave her a reason to breathe in and out and that she would follow him and love him for all of her days.

He used to say there were rubies buried deep inside of you. Remember, baby, don’t never let a man mine you for your riches. Don’t let him take a pickax to that treasure in your soul. Remember, they can’t get it until you give it to them.

YES! Love this description of how to hold yourself carefully in a relationship, not giving over too much too early. Both sexually and of one's heart and soul.

Shine brighter when you let love touch you. Shine brighter when you love yourself. Shine on into heaven when you leave this old world.

Celia was not a particularly inspired cook but she had an iron-hard will and determination to learn.

He was her stock, had her daddy’s brow and her mother’s grace.

God ain’t nothing but a butt boy for rich White men.

Otha watched her husband’s eyes go black as he talked about Eve.

Hate and malicious intentioms toward women .