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By Root 14121 0

—half-sensual, half-thoughtful. He was divided and pulled against himself. He had handled things just right so far; all but Gus had consented. The way things stood now there were three against Gus, and that was just as he had wanted it to be. Bigger was afraid of robbing a white man and he knew that Gus was afraid, too. Blum’s store was small and Blum was alone, but Bigger could not think of robbing him without being flanked by his three pals. But even with his pals he was afraid. He had argued all of his pals but one into consenting to the robbery, and toward the lone man who held out he felt a hot hate and fear; he had transferred his fear of the whites to Gus. He hated Gus because he knew that Gus was afraid, as even he was; and he feared Gus because he felt that Gus would consent and then he would be compelled to go through with the robbery. Like a man about to shoot himself and dreading to shoot and yet knowing that he has to shoot and feeling it all at once and powerfully, he watched Gus and waited for him to say yes. But Gus did not speak. Bigger’s teeth clamped so tight that his jaws ached. He edged toward Gus, not looking at Gus, but feeling the presence of Gus over all his body, through him, in and out of him, and hating himself and Gus because he felt it. Then he could not stand it any longer. The hysterical tensity of his nerves urged him to speak, to free himself. He faced Gus, his eyes red with anger and fear, his fists clenched and held stiffly to his sides.

“You black sonofabitch,” he said in a voice that did not vary in tone. “You scared ’cause he’s a white man.”

“Don’t cuss me, Bigger,” Gus said quietly.

“I am cussing you!”

“You don’t have to cuss me,” Gus said.

“Then why don’t you use that black tongue of yours?” Bigger asked. “Why don’t you say what you going to do?”

“I don’t have to use my tongue unless I want to!”

“You bastard! You scared bastard!”

“You ain’t my boss,” Gus said.

“You yellow!” Bigger said. “You scared to rob a white man.”

“Aw, Bigger. Don’t say that,” G.H. said. “Leave ’im alone.”

“He’s yellow,” Bigger said. “He won’t go with us.”

“I didn’t say I wouldn’t go,” Gus said.

“Then, for Chrissakes, say what you going to do,” Bigger said.

Gus leaned on his cue stick and gazed at Bigger and Bigger’s stomach tightened as though he were expecting a blow and were getting ready for it. His fists clenched harder. In a split second he felt how his fist and arm and body would feel if he hit Gus squarely in the mouth, drawing blood; Gus would fall and he would walk out and the whole thing would be over and the robbery would not take place. And his thinking and feeling in this way made the choking tightness rising from the pit of his stomach to his throat slacken a little.

“You see, Bigger,” began Gus in a tone that was a compromise between kindness and pride. “You see, Bigger, you the cause of all the trouble we ever have. It’s your hot temper. Now, how come you want to cuss me? Ain’t I got a right to make up my mind? Naw: that ain’t your way. You start cussing. You say I’m scared. It’s you who’s scared. You scared I’m going to say yes and you’ll have to go through with the job….”

“Say that again! Say that again and I’ll take one of these balls and sink it in your Goddamn mouth,” Bigger said, his pride wounded to the quick.

“Aw, for Chrissakes,” Jack said.

“You see how he is,” Gus said.

“Why don’t you say what you going to do?” Bigger demanded.

“Aw, I’m going with you-all,” Gus said in a nervous tone that sought to hide itself; a tone that hurried on to other things. “I’m going, but Bigger don’t have to act like that. He don’t have to cuss me.”

“Why didn’t you say that at first?” Bigger asked; his anger amounted almost to frenzy. “You make a man want to sock you!”

“…I’ll help on the haul,” Gus continued, as though Bigger had not spoken. “I’ll help just like I always help. But I’ll be Goddamn if I’m taking orders from you, Bigger! You just a scared coward! You calling me scared so nobody’ll see how scared you is!”

Bigger leaped at him, but Jack ran between them. G.H. caught Gus