Ruby

Ephram walks into the town square, where a crowd of men is gathered on the steps of P&K. It’s 4:40, and dark is coming on. He recalls the day Ruby arrived in Liberty, two days after the March on Washington. He’d only seen her twice before since the day at Ma Tante’s—once through the church window on Sunday at 13, and once at 18, standing on the main road with Maggie. The two girls had shared a tender moment before walking toward the Bell house. On the day of her return in 1963, Ruby had been immaculately dressed and haughty. Ephram had felt a strange despair as he listened to her address the townsfolk with disdain.

At P&K Ephram purchases iodine and thread. He’s forgotten his wallet, but Miss P says he can pay her back after tomorrow’s church service. The new Church Mother will be elected tomorrow, and everyone expects it to be Celia.

As Ephram leaves the store, the crowd asks where he’s going. He tries to lie but is called out by Chauncy. Chauncy says that he slept with Ruby the previous Thursday night. Ephram, shocked, leaves abruptly, while the men stay behind to whisper about the likelihood that he is courting Ruby.