Misfortunate Molly: Would Heartbreak, Break You?

Chapter 21 Momma

The woman is yelling something but I cannot understand her through her accent. She has Dobby(?) by the collar of his jacket. I look to Tibby and she is more than amused. She is actually trying not to laugh while she eats. Are they heartless? I am horrified. Why is she treating him this way? And why does Tibby find it so funny?

"Sey it!" she proclaims.

"I ... am ... sorry." Dobby says. I go to say something but she holds her hand up to me and I close my mouth faster than I opened it. I do not want to be on this lady's bad side.

"Now guh finish wah yuh tasked." She releases him and he hurries out of the door. She walks back behind the food counter, takes off her gloves and washes her hands. The look on my face has got to be priceless.

"Dobby is her kin. He works here doing random shit for free food. He lives above the restaurant in an apartment. For free." Tibby explains. "As long as his 'chores' are done." She does air quotes when she says chores. "Their family owns the building." Owns?

"But I thought..." I say embarrassed and caught off guard.

"I know what you thought and under most circumstances I would agree with you and give someone in need food. Dobby just likes the attention." Tibby continues through her chewing. "Everybody around here knows him. That's why he approached you... It was nice to see you try to help instead of dismissing him like most people from around your way would do." She eyes me for a reaction to what she has just said to me. I do not feel like she was being malicious.

I feel like I am about to get very defensive about her 'from around your way' comment but then I think about what she has just said and there is much truth to her words. I do not believe I have ever seen a homeless person in my area, or much of what I have seen when we were driving through this area. Now I am feeling bothered by the idea and by all of the people I grew up around with their rich, snobby parents. Makes me dislike them more than I already do. I take a moment to process. I let go of the defensive part of me. And then it hits me...

"I got got." I say then start to laugh. Tibby joins in. "I guess I have a lot to learn... And you are right about the snobs I grew up around." I think this takes her by surprise by the way she stops chewing and the look I am receiving. Then I remember something, I lean over and whisper to Tibby, "Don't we need to pay for this?"

"Yeah. I'll give Momma a $50 when we leave. I always do. If you're thirsty, grab something to drink." Momma? There is no way that is her mom. "Everybody calls her Momma." She answers my mental question. I nod and continue to eat. "Be careful for little bones and the pimentos. You could crack a tooth if you bite it." Tibby warns me.

The chicken is very soft and full of flavor. There are peppers and onions with the chicken, but they are not minced like I am used to when adding them to meals. They are sliced instead. The rice is cooked to perfection. There are these little things I thought were some type of pea that are really hard when you bite down on them. I pull pieces of bone out of mouth and place them on a napkin. I only do this because that is how I see Tibby discarding her bones after sucking the meat off of them.

The plantains are sweet but do not taste anything like bananas. I eat one of the Johnny cakes. It is a different type of bread. The dough is a little crispy on the outside but soft on the inside. It is hard to explain but they are really good. I do not think I have used my hands this much while eating before. I am grateful for Tibby handing me a wet wipe first.

"Yuh like?" The woman joined us at the table without me even noticing. I am too focused on my meal.

Through a mouth full of food, I manage to say, "Yes. It is very good."

She looks to Tibby, "Ow yuh two end up togetha tonight?" almost knowing that I am not Tibby's usual company. I am doing my best to decipher her dialect. I have always struggled to follow along in foreign language classes. I know she is technically speaking English but her accent is so thick; I have to concentrate to understand her. I do not want her to feel disrespected.