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y waiting on him； and he slowed to a walk。 Daddy yelled over his shoulder； 'Eddie！ e here！ Watch me whip this nigger！〃
She began walking very slowly to the house； then stopped a few feet from the porch。 〃When Joe was right about here； he stopped and looked at Sam。 He said something like； ‘Quince says you hit him； Mr。 Sam。' To which my father replied something like； ‘Quince is a thieving little nigger； Joe。 You should teach your kids not to steal。' They began to argue； and it was obvious there was going to be a fight。 Sam suddenly jumped from the porch； and threw the first punch。 They fell to the ground； right about here； and fought like cats。 Joe was a few years younger and stronger； but Daddy was so mean and angry that the fight was pretty even。 They 。struck each other in the face and cursed and kicked like a couple of animals。〃 She stopped the narrative and looked around the yard； then she pointed to the back door。 〃At some point； Eddie stepped onto the porch to watch it。 Quince was standing a few feet away； yelling at his father。 Sam made a dash for the porch and grabbed the walking cane； and the matter got out of hand。 He beat Joe in the face and head until he fell to his knees； and he poked him in the stomach and groin until he could barely move。 Joe looked at Quince and yelled for him to run get the shotgun。 Quince took off。 Sam stopped the beating； and turned to Eddie。 ‘Go get my shotgun；' he said。 Eddie froze； and Daddy yelled at him again。 Joe was on the ground； on all fours； trying to collect himself； and just as he was about to stand； Sam beat him again and knocked him down。 Eddie went inside and Sam walked to the porch。 Eddie returned in a matter of seconds with a shotgun； and Daddy made him go inside。 The door closed。〃
Lee walked to the porch and sat on the edge of it。 She buried her face in her hands； and cried for a long time。 Adam stood a few feet away； staring at the ground； listening to the sobs。 When she finally looked at him； her eyes were glazed； her mascara was running； her nose dripped。 She wiped her face with her hands； then rubbed them on her jeans。 〃I'm sorry；〃 she whispered。
〃Finish it； please；〃 he said quickly。
She breathed deeply for a moment； then wiped her eyes some more。 〃Joe was just over there；〃 she said； pointing to a spot in the grass not far from Adam。 〃He'd made it to his feet； and he turned and saw Daddy with the gun。 He glanced around in the direction of his house； but there was no sign of Quince and his gun。 He turned back to Daddy； who was standing right here； on the edge of the porch。 Then my dear sweet father slowly raised the gun； hesitated for a second； looked around to see if anyone was watching； and pulled the trigger。 Just like that。 Joe fell hard and never moved。〃
〃You saw this happen； didn't you？〃
〃Yes； I did。〃
〃Where were you？〃
〃Over there；〃 she nodded； but didn't point。 〃In my pecan tree。 Hidden from the world。〃
〃Sam couldn't see you？〃
〃No one could see me。 I watched the whole thing。〃 She covered her eyes again and fought back tears。 Adam eased onto the porch and sat beside her。
She cleared her throat and looked away。 〃He watched Joe for a minute； ready to shoot again if necessary。 But Joe never moved。 He was quite dead。 There was some blood around his head on the grass； and I could see it from the tree。 I remember digging my fingernails into the bark to keep from falling； and I remember wanting to cry but being too scared。 I didn't want him to hear me。 Quince appeared after a few minutes。 He'd heard the shot； and he was crying by the time I saw him。 Just running like crazy and crying； and when he saw his father on the ground he started screaming like any child would've done。 My father raised the gun again； and for a second I knew he was about to shoot the boy。 But Quince threw Joe's shotgun to the ground and ran to his father。 He was bawling and wailing。 He wore a light…colored shirt； and soon it was covered with blood。 Sam eased to the side and picked up Joe's shotgun； then he went inside with both guns。〃
She stood slowly and took several measured steps。 〃Quince and Joe were right about here；〃 she said； marking the spot with her heel。 〃Quince held his father's head next to his stomach； blood was everywhere； and he made this strange moaning sound； like the whimper of a dying animal。〃 She turned and looked at her tree。 〃And there I was sitting up there like a little bird； crying too。 I hated my father so badly at that moment。〃
〃Where was Eddie？〃
〃Inside the house； in his room with the door locked。〃 She pointed to a window with broken panes and a shutter missing。 〃That was his room。 He told me later that he looked outside when he heard the shot； and he saw Quince clutching his father。 Within minutes； Ruby Lincoln came running up with a string of children behind her。 They all collapsed around Quince and Joe； and； God； it was horrible。 They were screaming and weeping and yelling at Joe to get up； to please not die on them。
〃Sam went inside and called an ambulance。 He also called one of his brothers； Albert； and a couple of neighbors。 Pretty soon there was a crowd in the backyard。 Sam and his gang stood on the porch with their guns and watched the mourners； who dragged the body under that tree over there。〃 。She pointed to a large oak。 〃The ambulance arrived after an eternity； and took the body away。 Ruby and her children walked back to their house； and my father and his buddies had a good laugh on the porch。〃
〃How long did you stay in the tree？〃
〃I don't know。 As soon as everybody was gone； I climbed down and ran into the woods。 Eddie and I had a favorite place down by a creek； and I knew he would e looking for me。 He did。 He was scared and out of breath； told me all about the shooting； and I told him that I'd seen it。 He didn't believe me at first； but I gave him the details。 We were both scared to death。 He reached in his pocket and pulled out something。 It was the little Confederate soldier he and Quince had fought over。 He'd found it under his bed； and so he decided on the spot that everything was his fault。 We swore each other to secrecy。 He promised he would never tell anyone that I had witnessed the killing； and I promised I would never tell anyone that he'd found the soldier。 He threw it in the creek。〃
〃Did either of you ever tell？〃
She shook her head for a long time。
〃Sam never knew you were in the tree？〃 Adam asked。
〃Nope。 I never told my mother。 Eddie and I talked about it occasionally over the years； and as time passed we just sort of buried it away。 When we returned to the house； our parents were in the middle of a huge fight。 She was hysterical and he was wild…eyed and crazy。 I think he'd hit her a few times。 She grabbed us and told us to get in the car。 As we were backing out of the driveway； the sheriff pulled up。 We drove around for a while； Mother in the front seat； and Eddie and I in the back； both of us too scared to talk。 She didn't know what to say。 We assumed he would be taken to jail；… but when we parked in the driveway he was sitting on the front porch as if nothing had happened。〃
〃What did the sheriff do？〃
〃Nothing； really。 He and Sam talked for a bit。
Sam showed