“After all you went through to get it,” I said, “she is bound to like it. Certainly I am curious to know what you bought for her.”

“A purse,” said Simple, “an evening purse, just big enough to hold her lipstick and handkerchief.”

“Any purse is big enough to hold money also,” I said, “so that is what your gift will remind her of.”

“Doggone it!” said Simple. “You are right—money. I have made my first mistake for the coming year! But it is a beautifine purse, genuine imitation rhinestone studded with a silver lock. Do you reckon she will like it?”

“I am sure she will like it if you put a Ten Dollar bill inside.”

“Daddy-o!” yelled Simple. “Must I give her my life? Besides, I will never open that gift-package to put nothing inside. I couldn’t get it tied up again.”

“You could put the Ten Dollar bill on the outside,” I said.

“I could put the store bill on the outside,” said Simple, “then she could take it back and get Ten on a refund.”

“Joyce would not be so callous on Christmas,” I said.

“She’d wait until after Christmas,” said Simple.

Christmas Song

Christmas Song

“JUST like a Negro,” said Simple, “I have waited till Christmas Eve to finish my shopping.”

“You are walking rather fast,” I said. “Be careful, don’t slip on the ice. The way it’s snowing, you can’t always see it underneath the snow.”

“Why do you reckon they don’t clean off the sidewalks in Harlem nice like they do downtown?”

“Why do you reckon?” I asked. “But don’t tell me! I don’t wish to discuss race tonight, certainly not out here in the street, as cold as it is.”

“Paddy’s is right there in the next block,” said Simple, heading steadily that way. “I am going down to 125th Street to get two rattles, one for Carlyle’s baby, Third Floor Front, and one for that other cute little old baby downstairs in the Second Floor Rear. Also I aims to get a box of hard candy for my next-door neighbor that ain’t got no teeth, poor Miss Amy, so she can suck it. And a green rubber bone for Trixie. Also some kind of game for Joyce to take her godchild from me during the holidays.”

“It’s eight o’clock already, fellow. If you’ve got all that to do, you’d better hurry before the stores close.”

“I am hurrying. Joyce sent me out to get some sparklers for the tree. Her and her big old fat landlady and some of the other roomers in their house is putting up a Christmas tree down in the living room, and you are invited to come by and help trim it, else watch them trimming. Do you want to go?”

“When?”