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I Didn't Touch Him

BOB KRUHM

"'D AMN THEM niggers! Johnny go out and chase them off our

property."
"Sure, Cramps."
"Sit down, Johnny. Finish your soup first."
"Ah, Mom, I'll be right back."
"No, sit down and finish your lunch. What are they doing,

Cramps?"
"They're looking at our chestnut out front. Looks like they're

gonna climb it. Polly, you can't just let them do anything they please.
They know they ain't supposed to be there and Johnny can tell them

so."
"They'll go away shortly. Please, sit down and try some of this

soup. Where are you going?"
"To my room if you'll allow that. For God's sake Polly, those

niggers will walk right over us if we don't keep them in their place.
You remember the night one of them staggered on the front porch
and started beating on the door. Lucky thing for you that 'my son
was here to beat him sober. Those young-uns out there will come
right on the porch if we don't make things clear to them. Listen to

me! Oh, you nigger-lover!"
Johnny ate hurriedly, so he wouldn't miss his chance to run them

out of the yard. "Cramps made the job seem pretty important," he
,thought, "and it is important. I've seen them drunk on the road many
times, heard their kind of funny talk, and know I don't like that
smell they have. Can't understand why Mom never gets mad with
them. She just says to leave them alone. Gramps is right though. We

can't let them go too far."
Johnny finished his soup and milk and put some cookies in his

pocket.
"Can I go now?" he asked his mother.
"Yes, but don't bother them. They'll leave."
"But Mom, they'll start playing there all the time if I don't tell

them they can't. You heard what Gramps said and you know Dad

would agree."
"Okay, just tell them to leave but don't be mean about it."
Johnny jumped down the rotted wooden steps in back of his

unpainted two-story home. An unused frame and wire chicken house

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