Old Josh: Episodes: 9 thru 15
Episodes: 9 thru 15
Old Josh: and the Yellow Negro, 1856
(New Orleans/ Episode #9 ((1-31-06))
Josh had gone to New Orleans in the summer of 1856, with Mr. Hightower. He spent most of his time on the Warf or pier area, it brought back old memories of his childhood. His face darkly carved like a bulldog, big feet, large hands, beady eyes, and wide forehead. He walked about like an ape, hands swinging every which way, looking but not looking. Perhaps looking for something he might recognize from his childhood, when he and his mother walked the dock area.
He had been widowed for a while (widowed in the sense he did not know where his wife was, perhaps dead, she ran off with someone) and saw many women walk by, even thought to himself: ‘…what would I say to her?’
“Ha honey,” one Negress said to him, “follow me, I’ll warm you bones for you…give you some whisky!” He did a double take on that word…whiskey.
“Damn squirrel, come ov’er her…”
“…wht yu call me hony?” said the young Negress in revolt.
“Yous not white yous kno’ so wtch-yor tonge.”
Her dress was pinkly, and she had a seductive smile and laugh; Josh had Hightower’s money to buy some hoes, shovels, axes, and a plow for the plantation. His voice-hung back with a laugh—
“Dies slow…is wat to dislow,” and he followed her,
“Mocks-me big nigger, i…s show you…!” she said as they sat down on a cot in a shack she had led him to, there Josh took several shots of whisky, and she slipped him a mickie.
Fretfully, when Old Josh woke up she was gone and was sick; that evening Hightower found him staggering in Jackson Square, asked Old Josh for his money, the money he had leant him to purchase the merchandise, not seeing his hardware anyplace, looking around him some, not even a hoe, he knew something had happened. Old Josh was pale as a ghost, his head looking down, sitting on a bench like a droopy jellyfish, with no light in his eyes.
“Pardon me, Josh,” said Mr. Hightower again, touching him on the shoulder, towering down on Josh’s head, “I don’t mind you getting drunk on your own time, but mine I do, especially when you are carrying my money”; he said, as Josh tired to look up at Hightower, straining to do so.
“I’s be better on, when I gets some food, dats der alligator meat gits to me.” Hightower looked surprised that Old Josh took off the shoes he barrowed him.
“it’s better yous keep it sir.”
“Stand up, up!” commanded Hightower, now pulling him by the arm, Josh confused, wired, his brow full of sweat, “Damn if the dog don’t bite the hand that holds the bread,” said Hightower, as they both walked in the French quarter.
Old Josh From Alabama
Ain’t no Nigger [1849]
Part I, 1849 [Episode #10]
[Josh and his son just arrived back from a picnic down along the River, he lives on the Hightower plantation, outside Ozark, Alabama; this sketch is Josh at his youngest of all the author’s previous episodes on Josh, several of them; he was picked up by the Hightower family in New Orleans, many years ago. This is when Josh was not as bullheaded as he came to be, when his son was around ten years old; as when you read the other several episodes the author has written on him. Now he is back on the plantation, and talking to his friend Bessie, he calls her Aunt Bessie because she helps Josh with many of his need for his two children, Silas is Josh’s oldest boy. They are now in the back area by his little shanty, his hut, by the fenced-in carrel talking and Bessie, asking questions. Joe is walking over to see Josh, he works in the plantation alongside the Hightower plantation, he’s Bessie’s brother.]
Back from the Picnic
Josh: We been down de river fishin’,
Aunt Bessie: Who?
Josh: Me an’ Silas an’ de boss Hightower annudder white folks, an’ we sho’ had a big time ketchin’ fish and’ turkle; an’ I had more liquor dan we could drink.
Aunt Bessie: Is dey gee you anything?
Josh: Dey mighty good to we. De white folks gee me one dollar.
Aunt Bessie: Why kind er people de white folks?
Josh: Wuh kind er answer yous wants?
Aunt: You ain’ gee me straight answer Josh!
Joe: Gee that nigger Josh a question, and he so ‘ceitful he likes dat white folks ‘cus he can go fishin’ and gee da dollar.
Allen joins the group [Hightower’s Butler]
Allen: Wuh is all dis I hear ‘about Josh an’ dey white foks
Joe: It must er been a white man gives him a dollar, he’ no more nigger
Allen: Dat ain’ oughter make no diff’erence. Nothin’ done wid ‘em kill niggers, but dey oughter try ‘em.
Joe: Who de judge?
Allen: No nigger killed toda’, I reckon godam white folks a-while back
Bessie: De name er de Lord n vain, yous tak’ dhe name er de Lord n vain!
Joe: ‘about dat judge, wuh judge?
Josh: Wuh you reckon Hightower in de mind Hightower a bad man when he ack dat er way?
Bessie: I hears a judge talkin’ ‘bout dem niggers escape.
Allen: Dat why Hightower giv’ Josh a dollar, sos he don’ escape.
Bessie: Several on ‘em.
Joe: I know dat, kaze me an’ de boss man talk’ right dere in de back room and’ drinks dey liquor, and he tells me.
Bessie: Silas hears all des, I done, boy let’ go, we leaves da niggers here, cus we ain’t no niggers.
Note: Written in Lima, Peru, 5/19/2006 1849 # Part One [Eposode#11]
Old Josh’s Song to Bessie
Part II, 1849 [Episode #12]
[Josh has taken a liking to Bessie, she works with her brother on the neighboring plantation; helps Josh with his two boys, and now Josh has created a song for her, he is wooing her, it would seem. She has come over to his shanty in the back of the Hightower house, by the carrel. They are now sitting on the little porch, in two rockers, and he is singing this song to her; Josh is not know to have ever been too romantic, in the past, or future, nor in the present, but he is here a little more balanced than in most previous episodes.]
To night she comes to de arms of dhe lover
Tak dey’ time I can hear de cooing of de bird’
Dont you hears what de birds say?
Tak dey time I can hear de cooing of de bird’
Miles an’ miles away.
Oh stay, stay! De Josh he say,
Ain’t you hear what de birds say?
Oh, stay, stay de birds say,
Hush de mout’, de birds say,
Listen de birds say,
I can hear de soundin’ of he singin’
De lover he say
De windin’ of he song.
Take you’ time de bird say
Old Josh is on he way
Oh, listen to what de bird say
Bessie, Bessie ain’t you her
De soundin’ of he bird;
Have no fear, de bird say
He ain’t but a mile away
Take you’ time, oh yes de bird say
Not too late for Bessie an’ me
I hear de bird sing.
Written 5/19/06, Lima, Peru
Old Josh: Sweet Bessie
Part III, 1849 [Episode #13]
Josh [Josh to Silas}: Bessie in a bad fix.
Silas (Josh’s boy): Is? Wha ‘ ail she?
Josh: She an’ she ex husband, Sweet Bessie, be back in de woods fishin’ an’ dey was comin’ out through dem ole road in de night. I see wha me own eyes, Sweet Bessie layin’ cross de grass an’ say:
“Look er dere, Hank. Wha’ is dat?” —an’ Hank is dis kind er niger: he just want er show off he can have Bessie, he own wife. He say:
“Yous ain’ nothin’!” An’ he haul off an’ hit her. He dthink it was rotten fer her to be with me. I see an’ den de fun start. Hank have sense ‘nough to run when he sees me an’ had de knife in me hand; an’ she callin’ to de Lord to save her and he. She tell de Lord bite Josh, no wey. She say ef he ain’t loss his mind.
Silas: Sho’ is lucky dey have fast legs like dat.
Josh: She is save him, but he kow I kind er ooman to he now.
Silas: Wuh mke you say dat?
Josh: I thought I knows so much ‘bout womens I find out I anin’t know nothin’, but I larn dis: watch you’ step and den keep you’ eye on you’ own step, too.
Note: 5/26/06
Old Josh: and Lula the Cook
Part IV, 1849 [Episode #14]
Advance: Old Josh and Lula the Cook, on the Hightower Plantation, in Ozark, Alabama, are talking about the relation ship between Bessie and Josh that didn’t seem to work out. Josh is getting older but not that old he is around 40. [Written 5/27/06; in Lima, Peru]
Lula [talking to Josh]: I hears de argiment ‘twix’ Ms Bessie an’ you ole man Josh!
Josh: I’s no ole man yet. Wuh it is?
Lula: Yous git in an argiment ‘bout how yous think you own Bessie an’ her fam’ly comes to take her home. Ole man likes you claim Bessie an’ you kep’s it up all day git me hot.
Josh: I do look like ole man? Bessie have de agvantage. It’s hard to keep a good reputation in dis fam’ly ef you talks like dat.
Lula: Well, old man Josh yous got advantage in tongue. Atter ole man Bessies husband, he ain’ blame he chillun for wha’ is he, an’ Bessie fam’ly, but she say: “Josh, you talk about de way he ain’t wroth er consideration, like you is. You was drug up, not brung up, in your ways. I reckon dat was wey some folks is, you put your foots to de fie, and git burnt.
Josh: Lula, I tells you Bessie’s husband makin’ personally remarks ’bout me being ole man likes you. He lives in Orleans, gots lots of gals, comes to Ozark and wans blame me for Bessie and me lov’s each other.
Lula: Yous foolish ole man, she loves fire in you and fire in Sam; ole man, she likes you not de way yous like her. She likes you like she likes dhe ole horse in de barn.
Josh: How come?
Lula: I ain’t see why yous fret ‘about dat. I reckon God Almighty already got her and him headed for hell, an’ ef’s you keeps it up, you too.
Josh: I reckon dat de main reason dey do so much frettin’.
Lula: Dat nigger say annudder dhink to you, rember he got de constitution er de Nunited States, you gots nothin’.
Old Josh’s Ghost
[Episode #15] 1859
[Old Josh, is standing on the porch talking to Mr. Hightower, the owner of the Plantation where Josh lives, it is 1859; in Ozark, Alabama]
Josh: Ole Ghost ‘peared to me de other day, Mr. Hightowers.
Mr. Hightower [ready to go into town, his buggy outside of his house]: Did you talk with him?
Josh: Is I talk wid him? He do nothin’ but talk, an’ he tell me a heap er things ‘bout hell an’ de devil. He say he got diff’ent kind er people in de hell. He say he got dis and dat pasture for dhe people he like and don’t like.
Silas [Josh’s oldest boy just came up to the porch was looking for his father]: Mr. Hightower, me dad sees old Henry, he dhe ghost, been dead a good while.
Josh: I know whos he is, an’ he say dere many folks ‘round ere in hell. When he come, I was layin’ down by the brook fishin an’ de sun was shinin’ and’ I say:
“Who you?”
An’d I hear him say: “I is Henry.” He was a heap gladder dan I to see him. I knows him cause he work over yonder for dhe Claytons. A friend he been to me, long time, dead now a fe years, and I wants him to stay dead, I ain’ want no sperrit come hangin’ ‘round my fishin hole, broke me thinking.
Mr. Hightower [not sure what to say, wanting to go]: I’m not sure, but I think Henry borrowed you ten dollars, and he come to collect, I remember that, because before he died, he asked me if I’d pay your bill, and I said no, perhaps that is now bothering you?
Josh: An’ when he left, he make me feel like dat dere ain’t no good in me cause I tells him I pay him back in three years, he lefff me wid de wrong impression now he hav nothin’ to do but bother me.
Old Josh: and the Yellow Negro, 1856
(New Orleans/ Episode #9 ((1-31-06))
Josh had gone to New Orleans in the summer of 1856, with Mr. Hightower. He spent most of his time on the Warf or pier area, it brought back old memories of his childhood. His face darkly carved like a bulldog, big feet, large hands, beady eyes, and wide forehead. He walked about like an ape, hands swinging every which way, looking but not looking. Perhaps looking for something he might recognize from his childhood, when he and his mother walked the dock area.
He had been widowed for a while (widowed in the sense he did not know where his wife was, perhaps dead, she ran off with someone) and saw many women walk by, even thought to himself: ‘…what would I say to her?’
“Ha honey,” one Negress said to him, “follow me, I’ll warm you bones for you…give you some whisky!” He did a double take on that word…whiskey.
“Damn squirrel, come ov’er her…”
“…wht yu call me hony?” said the young Negress in revolt.
“Yous not white yous kno’ so wtch-yor tonge.”
Her dress was pinkly, and she had a seductive smile and laugh; Josh had Hightower’s money to buy some hoes, shovels, axes, and a plow for the plantation. His voice-hung back with a laugh—
“Dies slow…is wat to dislow,” and he followed her,
“Mocks-me big nigger, i…s show you…!” she said as they sat down on a cot in a shack she had led him to, there Josh took several shots of whisky, and she slipped him a mickie.
Fretfully, when Old Josh woke up she was gone and was sick; that evening Hightower found him staggering in Jackson Square, asked Old Josh for his money, the money he had leant him to purchase the merchandise, not seeing his hardware anyplace, looking around him some, not even a hoe, he knew something had happened. Old Josh was pale as a ghost, his head looking down, sitting on a bench like a droopy jellyfish, with no light in his eyes.
“Pardon me, Josh,” said Mr. Hightower again, touching him on the shoulder, towering down on Josh’s head, “I don’t mind you getting drunk on your own time, but mine I do, especially when you are carrying my money”; he said, as Josh tired to look up at Hightower, straining to do so.
“I’s be better on, when I gets some food, dats der alligator meat gits to me.” Hightower looked surprised that Old Josh took off the shoes he barrowed him.
“it’s better yous keep it sir.”
“Stand up, up!” commanded Hightower, now pulling him by the arm, Josh confused, wired, his brow full of sweat, “Damn if the dog don’t bite the hand that holds the bread,” said Hightower, as they both walked in the French quarter.
Old Josh From Alabama
Ain’t no Nigger [1849]
Part I, 1849 [Episode #10]
[Josh and his son just arrived back from a picnic down along the River, he lives on the Hightower plantation, outside Ozark, Alabama; this sketch is Josh at his youngest of all the author’s previous episodes on Josh, several of them; he was picked up by the Hightower family in New Orleans, many years ago. This is when Josh was not as bullheaded as he came to be, when his son was around ten years old; as when you read the other several episodes the author has written on him. Now he is back on the plantation, and talking to his friend Bessie, he calls her Aunt Bessie because she helps Josh with many of his need for his two children, Silas is Josh’s oldest boy. They are now in the back area by his little shanty, his hut, by the fenced-in carrel talking and Bessie, asking questions. Joe is walking over to see Josh, he works in the plantation alongside the Hightower plantation, he’s Bessie’s brother.]
Back from the Picnic
Josh: We been down de river fishin’,
Aunt Bessie: Who?
Josh: Me an’ Silas an’ de boss Hightower annudder white folks, an’ we sho’ had a big time ketchin’ fish and’ turkle; an’ I had more liquor dan we could drink.
Aunt Bessie: Is dey gee you anything?
Josh: Dey mighty good to we. De white folks gee me one dollar.
Aunt Bessie: Why kind er people de white folks?
Josh: Wuh kind er answer yous wants?
Aunt: You ain’ gee me straight answer Josh!
Joe: Gee that nigger Josh a question, and he so ‘ceitful he likes dat white folks ‘cus he can go fishin’ and gee da dollar.
Allen joins the group [Hightower’s Butler]
Allen: Wuh is all dis I hear ‘about Josh an’ dey white foks
Joe: It must er been a white man gives him a dollar, he’ no more nigger
Allen: Dat ain’ oughter make no diff’erence. Nothin’ done wid ‘em kill niggers, but dey oughter try ‘em.
Joe: Who de judge?
Allen: No nigger killed toda’, I reckon godam white folks a-while back
Bessie: De name er de Lord n vain, yous tak’ dhe name er de Lord n vain!
Joe: ‘about dat judge, wuh judge?
Josh: Wuh you reckon Hightower in de mind Hightower a bad man when he ack dat er way?
Bessie: I hears a judge talkin’ ‘bout dem niggers escape.
Allen: Dat why Hightower giv’ Josh a dollar, sos he don’ escape.
Bessie: Several on ‘em.
Joe: I know dat, kaze me an’ de boss man talk’ right dere in de back room and’ drinks dey liquor, and he tells me.
Bessie: Silas hears all des, I done, boy let’ go, we leaves da niggers here, cus we ain’t no niggers.
Note: Written in Lima, Peru, 5/19/2006 1849 # Part One [Eposode#11]
Old Josh’s Song to Bessie
Part II, 1849 [Episode #12]
[Josh has taken a liking to Bessie, she works with her brother on the neighboring plantation; helps Josh with his two boys, and now Josh has created a song for her, he is wooing her, it would seem. She has come over to his shanty in the back of the Hightower house, by the carrel. They are now sitting on the little porch, in two rockers, and he is singing this song to her; Josh is not know to have ever been too romantic, in the past, or future, nor in the present, but he is here a little more balanced than in most previous episodes.]
To night she comes to de arms of dhe lover
Tak dey’ time I can hear de cooing of de bird’
Dont you hears what de birds say?
Tak dey time I can hear de cooing of de bird’
Miles an’ miles away.
Oh stay, stay! De Josh he say,
Ain’t you hear what de birds say?
Oh, stay, stay de birds say,
Hush de mout’, de birds say,
Listen de birds say,
I can hear de soundin’ of he singin’
De lover he say
De windin’ of he song.
Take you’ time de bird say
Old Josh is on he way
Oh, listen to what de bird say
Bessie, Bessie ain’t you her
De soundin’ of he bird;
Have no fear, de bird say
He ain’t but a mile away
Take you’ time, oh yes de bird say
Not too late for Bessie an’ me
I hear de bird sing.
Written 5/19/06, Lima, Peru
Old Josh: Sweet Bessie
Part III, 1849 [Episode #13]
Josh [Josh to Silas}: Bessie in a bad fix.
Silas (Josh’s boy): Is? Wha ‘ ail she?
Josh: She an’ she ex husband, Sweet Bessie, be back in de woods fishin’ an’ dey was comin’ out through dem ole road in de night. I see wha me own eyes, Sweet Bessie layin’ cross de grass an’ say:
“Look er dere, Hank. Wha’ is dat?” —an’ Hank is dis kind er niger: he just want er show off he can have Bessie, he own wife. He say:
“Yous ain’ nothin’!” An’ he haul off an’ hit her. He dthink it was rotten fer her to be with me. I see an’ den de fun start. Hank have sense ‘nough to run when he sees me an’ had de knife in me hand; an’ she callin’ to de Lord to save her and he. She tell de Lord bite Josh, no wey. She say ef he ain’t loss his mind.
Silas: Sho’ is lucky dey have fast legs like dat.
Josh: She is save him, but he kow I kind er ooman to he now.
Silas: Wuh mke you say dat?
Josh: I thought I knows so much ‘bout womens I find out I anin’t know nothin’, but I larn dis: watch you’ step and den keep you’ eye on you’ own step, too.
Note: 5/26/06
Old Josh: and Lula the Cook
Part IV, 1849 [Episode #14]
Advance: Old Josh and Lula the Cook, on the Hightower Plantation, in Ozark, Alabama, are talking about the relation ship between Bessie and Josh that didn’t seem to work out. Josh is getting older but not that old he is around 40. [Written 5/27/06; in Lima, Peru]
Lula [talking to Josh]: I hears de argiment ‘twix’ Ms Bessie an’ you ole man Josh!
Josh: I’s no ole man yet. Wuh it is?
Lula: Yous git in an argiment ‘bout how yous think you own Bessie an’ her fam’ly comes to take her home. Ole man likes you claim Bessie an’ you kep’s it up all day git me hot.
Josh: I do look like ole man? Bessie have de agvantage. It’s hard to keep a good reputation in dis fam’ly ef you talks like dat.
Lula: Well, old man Josh yous got advantage in tongue. Atter ole man Bessies husband, he ain’ blame he chillun for wha’ is he, an’ Bessie fam’ly, but she say: “Josh, you talk about de way he ain’t wroth er consideration, like you is. You was drug up, not brung up, in your ways. I reckon dat was wey some folks is, you put your foots to de fie, and git burnt.
Josh: Lula, I tells you Bessie’s husband makin’ personally remarks ’bout me being ole man likes you. He lives in Orleans, gots lots of gals, comes to Ozark and wans blame me for Bessie and me lov’s each other.
Lula: Yous foolish ole man, she loves fire in you and fire in Sam; ole man, she likes you not de way yous like her. She likes you like she likes dhe ole horse in de barn.
Josh: How come?
Lula: I ain’t see why yous fret ‘about dat. I reckon God Almighty already got her and him headed for hell, an’ ef’s you keeps it up, you too.
Josh: I reckon dat de main reason dey do so much frettin’.
Lula: Dat nigger say annudder dhink to you, rember he got de constitution er de Nunited States, you gots nothin’.
Old Josh’s Ghost
[Episode #15] 1859
[Old Josh, is standing on the porch talking to Mr. Hightower, the owner of the Plantation where Josh lives, it is 1859; in Ozark, Alabama]
Josh: Ole Ghost ‘peared to me de other day, Mr. Hightowers.
Mr. Hightower [ready to go into town, his buggy outside of his house]: Did you talk with him?
Josh: Is I talk wid him? He do nothin’ but talk, an’ he tell me a heap er things ‘bout hell an’ de devil. He say he got diff’ent kind er people in de hell. He say he got dis and dat pasture for dhe people he like and don’t like.
Silas [Josh’s oldest boy just came up to the porch was looking for his father]: Mr. Hightower, me dad sees old Henry, he dhe ghost, been dead a good while.
Josh: I know whos he is, an’ he say dere many folks ‘round ere in hell. When he come, I was layin’ down by the brook fishin an’ de sun was shinin’ and’ I say:
“Who you?”
An’d I hear him say: “I is Henry.” He was a heap gladder dan I to see him. I knows him cause he work over yonder for dhe Claytons. A friend he been to me, long time, dead now a fe years, and I wants him to stay dead, I ain’ want no sperrit come hangin’ ‘round my fishin hole, broke me thinking.
Mr. Hightower [not sure what to say, wanting to go]: I’m not sure, but I think Henry borrowed you ten dollars, and he come to collect, I remember that, because before he died, he asked me if I’d pay your bill, and I said no, perhaps that is now bothering you?
Josh: An’ when he left, he make me feel like dat dere ain’t no good in me cause I tells him I pay him back in three years, he lefff me wid de wrong impression now he hav nothin’ to do but bother me.
posted by Dennis and Rosa Siluk at 10:00 PM
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