Page:The Blacker the Berry - Thurman - 1929.djvu/96

 elevator men and wondered if she was right. Again the brown aristocrat with the tired voice spoke up:

“Day workers come back at one-thirty. Won’t be nothing doin’ ’til then.”

Four women, all carrying newspaper packages, got out of their chairs, and edged their way toward the door, murmuring to one another as they went, “I ain’t fixin’ to come back.”

“Ah, she keeps you hyar.”

They were gone.

Two of the people standing in line sat down, the third approached the desk, Emma Lou close behind.

“I wantsa—”

“What kind of job do you want?”

Couldn’t people ever finish what they had to say?

“Porter or dishwashing, lady.”

“Are you registered with us?”

“No’m.”

“Have a seat. I'll call you in a moment.”

The boy looked frightened, but he found a seat and slid into it gratefully. Emma Lou approached the desk. The woman’s cold eyes appraised her. She must have been pleased with what she saw for her eyes softened and her smile reappeared. Emma Lou smiled, too. Maybe she was “pert” after all. The tailored blue suit

“What can I do for you?”