headin cross?
anybody know you coming?
take off that coat?
you heard me?
you want it back.
then you go head and take it off this baby. and if you can do that, then go 'way somewhere and don't come back.
wait here. somebody be here directly. don't move. they'll find you.
name's stamp. stamp paid. watch out for that baby, you hear?
now, now. it's all a state a mind, right paul d. if you can think it, it can happen.
may i?
i like the way you think, boy. good. good to think that way. friend of mine, baby suggs was her name. sort of became a preacher in these parts. that was her way of thinking too. when she was at her best, that is.
oh yes. you're not one of her sweet home men, now are you?
oh, i see now.
well. maybe on the outside.
you don't know, son, do you? see i had to figure that out first.
that there's a picture of sethe.
you don't read son, do you? you want me to read to you?
worth it though. just one bite of these berries and you feel down right anointed.
sethe. you take my arm and gimme yours.
you missed the clearing meeting three saturdays running.
folks came.
here, let me carry that.
yonder. twin chestnuts in the yard.
well?
this saturday - you coming to call or what?
say the word!
the word. what you was put here to speak.
but you got to do it. you got to. can't nobody call like you. you have to be there.
what world are you talking about? ain't nothing harmless down here.
you getting into bed to think about yellow?
then what? when you get through with blue and yellow, then what?
you blaming god. that what you're doing?
you saying whitefolks won. that what you saying?
you saying nothing counts?
you saying god give up? nothing left for us but pour out our own blood?
you punishing him, ain't you?
you can't do that, baby. it ain't right.
you still know.
aw, baby.
we have to be steady. "these things too will pass". what you looking for? a miracle?
oh i been out.
was over to baby suggs.
that's baby's kin. i don't need no invite to look after her people.
somebody new there. a woman. thought you might know who she is.
i know denver.
i know what i see.
true.
can't locate him.
the church!
it's cold as charity in there! what he do that for? any number'll take him in.
why? why he have to ask? can't nobody offer? what's going on? since when a black man come to town have to sleep in the cellar like a dog?!
no! shouldn't be no days! you know all about it and don't give him a hand? that don't sound like you, ella. me and you been pulling colored folk out the water more'n twenty years! now you tell me you can't offer a man a bed?! a working man who can pay his own way?
why's that necessary all of a sudden?
you know he's colored? what else there to know?
it's her, ain't it?
sethe. he took up with her and stayed in there and you don't want nothing to-
girl, give it up! we been friends too long to act like this.
you know she married baby suggs' boy.
aw, no, ella.
you was friends.
ella.
what's any of that got to do with paul d.?
i run him off.
i told him. showed him the newspaper. about sethe. read it to him. he left that very day.
he didn't know nothing. and nobody. except her, from when they was at that place baby suggs was at.
sure he knew her. her boy halle, too.
that's so.
you mind loaded with spirits. everywhere you look you see one.
howdy.
this is hard for me. but i got to do it. two things i got to say to you. i'm a take the easy one first.
i come looking for you to ask your pardon. apologize.
you pick any house, any house where colored live. pick any one and you welcome to stay there. i'm apologizing 'cause they didn't offer to tell you. but you welcome anywhere you want to be. my house. john and ella. miss lady jones. anybody. you choose. you ain't got to sleep in no cellar and i apologize for each and every night.
oh yeah. oh that's load off. i thought everybody gone crazy.
you planning to do anything about it?
yes sir.
plank road. yes sir. that's up a ways. mile, maybe.
no sir, i don't, but i know plank road. 'bout a mile up thataway.
yes sir. you right about that. that's just what i come over to talk to him about. just that.
never found out.
no use thinking these things now.
children ain't gonna need to know that kind of thing.
i don't believe that. i won't.
i said i had two things to say to you. i only told you one. i have to tell you the other.
i was there paul d. there in the yard. when she did it.
it ain't what you think.
she ain't crazy. she love those children. she was trying to outhurt the hurter's all.
she was only-
you ain't scared of sethe. i don't believe you.
who is she? where she come from?
she what run you off? not what i told you 'bout sethe?
all he can. all he can.