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marriage, the boys have dental and optical problems. The boys also have serious school problems. Mrs. Hendrix is a fine-looking woman who lives in a well-kept, adequate home.

     
    Although divorced from her husband, this woman seemed to be on good terms with him right up until last week. This was evidenced by the fact that he lived at the home and cared for his children up until the day she returned from Reno with the divorce decree.
     
    I have to interrupt V. White before she goes on, and she does go on, to list Rights and Responsibilities, Eligibilities, Assets, and Recommendations. I have to interrupt her to say that not everything’s as black and white and crisp and certain as it reads on her carboned copy. Two people can have kind words without sharing other kindnesses, a man can want to care for his children, can want to be a father and not want to be a husband, a woman can love her children but recognize that not all the choices she made at fifteen are the ones she should have to live by. I have to interrupt V. White to say that “Mrs. Hendrix is a fine-looking woman” would seem like a compliment coming from anyone else, but coming from her it is a statement chock-full of suspicion, almost an accusation.
    The Worker was so blinded by Mama’s good looks and Bobby’s “good health and spirits” that she couldn’t see the truth in Mama’s words. If being fine-looking was all it took, we Hendrixes would’ve been the ones to start the Calle and the first to abandon it. Like the rich folks who first owned this place, we’d take our money and run. But good looks only get you so far and I’m guessing V. White wasn’t good-looking enough to have to learn this lesson herself. Instead, V. White’s compliment shows what her real questions look like, the ones they don’t print on the forms down at the County offices but whisper instead in hallways and after meetings:

    Q. If Mrs. Hendrix is so hard up, how can she look so good?

    Q. Is Mrs. Hendrix really out of love with the delinquent fisherman, or is she just another lazy piece of trash living on the County?
    Q. And is this Mr. Gene Hendrix fine-looking as well?
    Q. And since they appear to be on “good terms,” what exactly does being on good terms encompass?
    Q. Can fine-looking people really succeed in keeping their hands off of each other? And if they can’t, should we have to pay for it?

    All I know so far is that being fine-looking usually leads to trouble.

troop
    I start my walk to school and Viv is waiting for me at the edge of the driveway. She salutes and says, “Are you ready for the spelling test today?”
    I almost drop my books saluting back to her, I’m so excited that we’re walking to school together, but I don’t remember about a test or even about making a plan to walk to school. Yesterday feels like it happened in pieces, it flashes between recess bells.
    “Did Ms. Hyatt say we were having a test?”
    “Well, Mrs. Tucker did, so I figure y’all are too.” Mrs. Tucker is Viv’s teacher. We’re in the same grade, but not the same class, and I’ve never even seen Viv yet at school because our recesses aren’t at the same time. By the time my class is coming out to the playground, Viv’s is already lined up to come in, so I haven’t been able to catch her yet and salute hello.
    Tired of waiting for my answer, like always, she goes ahead, “That’s okay, R.D., I know them by heart!”
    Viv recites our spelling words in a chant as we walk. She chants rules too, “ i before e except after c ,” and doesn’t get tired of going over and over them. Her books are all tied together with a belt and she swings them forward with each word, “ i —before— e —except—after— c ,” and “the—principal—is—your—pal.”
    At the entrance to the school, she says, “Do your best, Rory,” and salutes even though we’re only feet apart. Then she runs off to the far gate, her books swinging beside her.

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