Excerpt from CIRCLE OF GOLD
by Candy Dawson Boyd
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An hour later, Mattie ran into the apartment. Toni was at Stern's keeping an eye on the pin, and Mrs. Grover. Mattie ran toward her room and collided with Matt in the hallway.
"What did you buy?" Matt asked when he saw the shopping bag.
"Matt, I've got to hurry and get back to Stern's. I found this great pin for Mama. But don't tell her," Mattie said. "These are new clothes. Don't tell Mama I came back. I have to go right back to Stern's. Toni's waiting for me."
"Rausch gave Mama three weeks to shape up or lose her job," Matt said, following Mattie into her bedroom.
"But Mama's doing her job. That Rausch! Mama's doing too many jobs — that's the trouble."
"Rausch doesn't care about that or about us. Anyway, I tried to calm Mama down. I told her it was just one of Rausch's scare tactics. But you know how Mama is lately." He waved his arms in the air.
"Where's Mama now?" asked Mattie, counting out her money.
"She's sweeping the landings and steps in the back. She wouldn't let me. She said it helps work off her anger. I have to go collect on my route now. See you later. Good luck!" He gave her their thumbs-up sign and left.
All the way back downtown, Mattie kept her hand on the coin purse. "I sure hope Toni can protect Mama's pin." Mattie smiled. She knew Matt would never give her secret away.
When she got back to Stern's, Toni's wide grin told her that the pin was still there.
"Here it is. Twenty dollars," said Mattie, handing the bills to Mrs. Grover. "Now no one else can buy the pin, right?"
"That's right. For thirty days. I'll write out the sales slip and give you the pink copy. Don't lose it. You'll need it when you come back for the pin," explained Mrs. Grover.
Mattie searched the case. The pin wasn't there. "Where is it, Mrs. Grover?"
"Right back here." The saleswoman picked up a small blue box that had been hidden away and opened it. The pearl glowed.
"You mean you put it away for me?"
"I'm not supposed to, but my instincts told me that you'd be back with the deposit. And your friend was standing guard."
They all laughed, but Mattie's heart sank when she saw the balance due within one month. She hadn't realize the tax would be so much.
"Some way I'll get the money," she vowed as they left the store.
On the ride home, Mattie was absorbed with plans for earning the money, and Toni concentrated on the pattern instructions for the handbag. When they reached Toni's building, Mrs. Stamps called out to them from her third floor window.
"Come up and have a cup of tea. Both of you. I've been watching for you. No excuses now! Hannibal and I are waiting."
The girls waved at her and went up. Mrs. Elvira Stamps' apartment was as crowded as an antique shop. A small stone Buddha sat in one corner surrounded by potted plants. China cats, dogs, elephants, girls with parasols, and boys with pails crowded the shelves. Lace doilies covered the backs and arms of every piece of furniture.
"The tea is all ready, and I made lemon cakes this morning," said Mrs. Stamps, carrying a lacquer tray loaded with good smells.
"Now sit yourselves down and tell me what you've been up to. Hannibal, no tea for you. Down!" She gently pushed her German shepherd away from the table.
Mrs. Stamps was a wonderful listener, clapping and crowing at the right moments. The coloured stones in her rings flashed as she waved her hands and served the tea. There was nobody like Mrs. Stamps. She wore a long scarlet-and-orange caftan and several necklaces and long earrings that dangled and tinkled when she moved. Hannibal lay at her feet like a patient protector.
"But there's a money problem," Toni explained. "Mattie needs about forty dollars to get the pin."
"And I only have thirty days," said Mattie, biting into a lemon cake.
"That's a lot of money. What are your plans?"
"I don't know," Mattie confessed.
"Maybe Matt could help you out. Then the gift could come from both of you." Toni suggested. "You did that last year."
"No. It's got to be from me. Just me."
"Sounds like this is more than a Mother's Day gift," commented Mrs. Stamps.
"Well, things aren't so good at home. Maybe Mama would feel better if she got something special," said Mattie.
"This pin must be wonderful. You're expecting it to do quite a bit," said Mrs. Stamps.
"If I could get another job. Or borrow the money and pay it back later. Maybe I can win the money," yelled Mattie, jumping up and startling Hannibal.
"It's all right, Hannibal," crooned Mrs. Stamps. "Let's not get carried away, Mattie. I've been waiting for over forty years for the Million Dollar Man to knock on my door but so far only the bill collectors have come." Mrs. Stamps smiled as she rubbed her dog's back.
"The essay contest!" Toni exclaimed. "You could enter, Mattie!"
"What contest?" asked Mrs. Stamps.
"The one in the South Side Daily," Toni told her. "If you write the best essay about what your mother means to you, you can win fifty dollars."
"It's a long shot," said Mrs. Stamps, "but I don't see how you can earn forty dollars baby-sitting in one month, Mattie. The contest is at least a possibility."
"Not for me it isn't," said Mattie. "I can't write fifty-dollar essays. I can't write fifty-cent essays. Toni can, but not me. Why aren't they having a singing contest? I might win that."
"You could try," Toni insisted. "I've got the rules downstairs in my room. I'll go get them. You can do it Mattie, smart as you are," urged Toni as she ran out of the room.
"Mattie, how do you know what you can do until you try?" said Mrs. Stamps. "If you live your life based only on what you think you can do well, you won't achieve very much. Your mother means a lot to you, so you've got a headstart."
"I really want to give her the pin. But I'm no writer, Mrs. Stamps. I wish I was," sighed Mattie.
"At least try. Maybe Toni could help you. What other choices do you have?"
"Not any, unless I rob a bank," replied Mattie, "And that's not going to happen."
Toni entered the room like a fast-rolling ball. "Here it is. You can write a draft like Mr. Ashby taught us. Then I'll read it over and help you."
"And I'll supply the tea and cookies to fuel this adventure," said Mrs. Stamps, as the little clock on the side table chimed two o'clock.
"Oh, no, I told Mama I'd be home by one. She's going to be mad."
"Then hurry home," Mrs. Stamps said quickly, going to the door with Mattie.
From Circle of Gold. Copyright © by Candy Dawson Boyd.
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