“Have you ever seen a man as dark as me turn red? I turned red, daddy-o! I opened my mouth to say ‘Howdy-do?’ but not a sound come out. Joyce had on her gold earrings and I could see they were shaking. But she did not raise her voice. She were too hurt.

“Zarita said, ‘Why, Joyce, tip on in and enjoin my birthday. We don’t mind. Just excuse my stuff flying all over the room. Me and Mr. Semple is having a ball.’

“Joyce looked at the black lace gloves, playing cards strewed all over the place, cigarette case, compact, poker chips, address book, powder, Bow-Dollar, and nail file on the floor with all them strange Negroes setting on the bed, in the window sill, on the dresser, everywhere but on the ceiling, and lipstick on my cheek. She did not say a word. She just turned her head away and looked like tears was aching to come to her eyes.

“I says, ‘Joyce, baby, listen,’ I says, ‘I want a word with you.’

“She said, ‘I come around here to bring you your yellow rayon-silk shirt I ironed special for you for Sunday. Since your landlady said you was at home, she told me to bring it on upstairs myself. Here it is. I did not know you had company.’

“Just then that old down-home Negro come up with the beer yelling, ‘Gangway! The stuff is here. Make room!’ and he almost run over Joyce.

“Joyce says, ‘Excuse me for being in your guests’ way.’

“She turned to go. In facts, she went. I followed her down the steps but she did not turn her head. That loud-mouthed Zarita put the needle on Louis Jordan’s bodacious ‘Let the Good Times Roll,’ and the ball were on again. When I got to the bottom of the steps, my landlady was standing like a marble statue.

“Landlady says, ‘No decent woman approves of this.’ Which is when Joyce started crying.

“Boy! My heart was broke because I hates to be misunderstood. I said, ‘Joyce, I did not invite them parties here.’

“Joyce says, ‘You don’t need to explain to me, Jess Semple, getting all formal and everything. She says, ‘Now I have seen that woman with my own eyes in your bedroom with her stuff spread out every which-a-where just like she was home. And people I know from their looks could not be your friends because I never met any of them before—so they must be hers. Maybe Zarita lives with you. No wonder you giving a birthday party to which I am not invited. Good night, I am gone out of your life from now on. Enjoy yourself. Good night!’