Summary
Chapter 11
The car goes thirty feet before it comes to a stop. The man approaches and tells Bud to roll down his window, and Bud cannot help but obey. Bud exclaims that he knows the man is a vampire because he has human blood with him. The man sighs and asks what would the food be for, and that vampires do not know how to drive cars. Bud asks to see the man’s teeth and the man shows him. He then says he has to get the blood to the hospital in Flint as soon as possible, but smiles that he will never forget the sight of Bud trying to get away. Bud is reassured by all the evidence against the man's being a vampire.
The man and Bud drive back toward Flint, and Bud privately thinks he will never get away from this city. The man asks if his mother is worried about him and Bud says she is dead. When the man asks about his father, he tells him Herman Calloway is his father. The man shouts in recognition.
After a moment the man introduces himself as Lefty Lewis. He gives Bud back the pop and teases him about the car and the blood and having a little peanut head. He asks Bud if he is sleepy and Bud says yes, excited that he can have time to formulate responses to Lefty’s imminent questions about Herman.
The narrative breaks and we see Bud waking up, realizes he must have been very tired because he was out cold. He hears a woman calling his name but he pretends to still be asleep so he can figure out what is going on. The woman points to his stings and lumps and how skinny he is. She indignantly asks Lefty if he noticed this, and asks what parents would let their child be like this. Lefty tells her about Calloway and wonders that the man is very old, but admits there must be many Mrs. Calloways he didn’t know about.
The woman gently shakes Bud and tells him there is breakfast for him. Lefty smiles that the food isn’t half bad here and it’ll stick in his stomach for days. The woman laughs at Lefty, who is her father, and introduces herself as Mrs. Sleet. She says he can meet her children, Scott and Kim.
Bud puts on the new clothes she gives him and likes that he has a pair of trousers for the first time. He heads to the table and meets the children. Kim smiles at him and Scott looks at him hard, but not too hard. Lefty introduces them and then steps out.
Scott asks if he really ran away, and since Bud knows it is harder to lie to other children, he says nothing. Then Scott asks if he ran away because his father beat him. Bud quickly says no. The little girl tells him cheerfully that Momma said she had to be nice to him because he is their guest, and asks if she is being nice. He replies she is so far. She then says she is going to sing a song and when she is done she will ask him a question and he has to answer truthfully.
Kim sings her little song, which Bud is not impressed by, then asks how his Momma died. He truthfully says she died quickly and painlessly. The adults return with food.
Bud is enjoying the food but marvels at how much the family talks while eating, as well as how much they laugh. Mrs. Sleet is talking about redcaps and Kim tells her mother that Bud does not know what those are. Mrs. Sleet says they are men who work at the railroad station and load trains with bags; it is what Mr. Lewis does as well as her husband.
Chapter 12
Lefty Lewis and Bud get into the car. Lefty tells Bud that he sent a telegram to the Log Cabin club where Herman Calloway plays, and shows him what he said about Bud coming. Bud privately thinks that Herman must be very confused by this.
Lefty takes Bud on a bunch of errands around town and they finally are ready to go to Grand Rapids. Suddenly a siren sounds behind them and Bud is afraid that the police have found him at last. Lefty pulls over and tells Bud very seriously that he must do exactly what he says. Bud is frightened and wonders if Lefty is on the lam too. He tells Bud quickly to take a box next to him and slide it under the seat and then not to say anything. Bud is quiet.
Lefty gets out and walks to the police car. Bud does not know what to do, and wonders if he ought to escape. The cop approaches and asks to look in the trunk, and does. He asks about Bud’s suitcase and Lefty says it is Bud’s things, and he is only visiting in Flint. The policeman says they look alike. The policeman finally says he can go, but they've been having lots of labor trouble in the factories recently. He tips his hat and leaves.
Lefty looks at Bud and jokes that the policeman saved Bud from evil labor organizers. Bud does not know what that is, and doesn’t know what a union is either. Lefty tells him to look in the box. Bud is apprehensive and wonders if it is a pistol, or loot from a bank. He says he’d rather not, but Lefty tells him he should. He makes Bud swear not to say anything.
Bud looks inside and all he sees is paper. Lefty tells him to read it and he sees that it is about a meeting for a brotherhood of Pullman porters. Lefty was printing them out in Flint, and explains about sit-down strikes and how the factory owners seem afraid of people who simply want some dignity and pride.
Lefty turns the car down the main road and Bud has to pretend things look familiar. He does see Herman Calloway’s Log Cabin club, though, and becomes excited. Lefty agrees to give Bud five minutes alone with his father then he will come in and bring his bag.
Bud is very nervous but walks through the door. He waits five minutes, then returns. He pretends he talked to his father and thanks Lefty. Lefty tells him to be good and stay put. He waves goodbye and drives away.
Inside Bud steels himself. He sees six men, five of them black and one white. Bud sees the man who must be his father with his back to him, and hears him talking in the same way as Bud does. However, his voice sounds rougher and more gravelly. He and the others are talking about boxing, and Herman is bragging about a victory from back in the day. His comments on knowing when to give up resonate with Bud, who had the same thought when Todd was hitting him.
The horn guy, Jimmy, notices Bud and asks if Miss Thomas sent him. Herman Calloway turns to look and Bud is shocked to see how old the man looks. Herman asks Bud sternly who sent him, and Bud replies he is here to see his father. He points to Herman and says he is his father. Bud is very nervous but wills himself not to cry. He adds matter-of-factly that he knows it is him.
Chapter 13
Everyone sits stunned. Suddenly Jimmy asks if he is Bud, and mentions the telegram. Herman is annoyed and tells Bud he is disturbed and has to leave. Jimmy is kinder, but says Bud must have people waiting for him at home. Bud says there is no one, but he is wary of saying he was in an orphanage, because they might turn him in to the cops or send him back to the orphanage. He has to tell them a little bit, though, and waits anxiously to hear what they’ll say.
Bud waits while Jimmy talks to Herman and the others. Herman is grouchy but Jimmy tells Bud that they’ll give him some food after rehearsal and then he can tell them the truth. Bud thanks him and agrees. Herman scoffs that he won’t listen to that nonsense while he eats, and Bud is convinced that his father is a hard man to get along with.
The other men introduce themselves. There is Mr. Jimmy, the horn player; Steady Eddie the saxophone player; Doug “the Thug” Tennant, the drummer; Chug “Doo-Doo Bug” Cross, the trombonist; and Roy “Dirty Deed” Breed, the white pianist. Bud says hello to all of them, then helps them load the car.
The Thug teases Bud about going and giving Herman a big hug and kiss but Bud knows he should pay the man no mind. Steady Eddie laughs that they should not get Bud killed before food. Bud accidentally blurts out that Herman is a mean old coot, and then realizes he should not have said that. The Thug pretends to write that down. Bud isn’t sure if he is mean or a joker.
In the car, Bud decides that Steady Eddie is his favorite. The Thug asks how he knows Herman is his dad, and how it's possible for him to be Bud's father when he is so old. When Bud tells them his mother is dead, the Dusky Devastators all fall silent. The Thug comments that things seem hard all over and Steady Eddie compliments Bud on being a “tough little nut” (159). He admires that Bud didn’t even cry when he was teased, and Bud states flat-out that his eyes don’t cry anymore. Steady Eddie is impressed and asks if he can use the line. Bud shrugs and says of course.
Chapter 14
In the restaurant, Bud can see that it is someone’s living room with ten card tables and chairs set up. Bud cannot believe the amazing smells and thinks it is the best restaurant in the whole world. He sees Herman sitting with Mr. Jimmy and a woman at a table with the label that says “Nobody but Calloway” can sit there.
Mr. Jimmy waves him over, although Bud would rather sit with the band. He meets the kind and lovely Miss Thomas, the singer with fingers full of sparkly rings. She immediately notices his sting marks and his bruise from fighting with Todd. He hopes Herman hears when he talks about knowing when to give up, but the gruff old man does not care.
Miss Thomas asks about his mother and then his father, and when Bud points to Herman she gently chides him that he should not point. He knows she is right and apologizes to Herman. Herman indifferently gets up and moves over to the band. He tells them someone has to go sit with Miss Thomas and Bud, and the band members jostle each other to come over. Steady Eddie smiles that Bud has the look of a future sax-man.
Miss Thomas introduces him to Tyla, the restaurant lady, and orders him food. Bud is impressed that everyone orders different meals. After ordering, Miss Thomas asks him why he thinks Herman is his father, and perhaps if his mother just knew of him because he was famous. Bud starts to feel awkward when he tries to explain about the flyers and maple tree ideas and such, but thankfully Miss Thomas says they can talk tomorrow so he can eat.
Bud is relieved. It is an incredible meal and Bud cannot help but look around him in delight. Miss Thomas is beautiful and is always humming a deep, vibrating tune. Mr. Jimmy is extremely funny and Steady Eddie is very kind and congenial. He is thinking all of these things, and suddenly he realizes that this is best place he’s ever been, and these are the best people, and this is where he is supposed to be. All of a sudden, tears start leaking from his eyes and he fears he is making a bad impression. Miss Thomas begins to rub his head and starts telling him softly it is okay. She keeps up her humming and Bud hears a voice in his head telling him it is okay to cry because he is home.
Chapter 15
Miss Thomas tells Bud that the house they pull up to is called Grand Calloway Station because so many people come in and out. She shows him to a room that is neat but still full of someone else’s things. There is a picture of a brown horse. Bud is worried about a monster coming out of the closet and nervously asks about it, and Miss Thomas tells him there’s only little girl clothes and toys in there and that girl is gone and not coming back. Bud can tell she is dead by Miss Thomas’s tone, and wonders why adults use the word “gone” instead.
After Miss Thomas leaves Bud is still worried about the girl’s ghost. Later he hears Miss Thomas and Herman arguing loudly. Suddenly Herman bursts in and locks the closet. He sneers at Bud that he has not fooled him, and that he better not snoop around. Miss Thomas sighs to Herman that she does not know if she should laugh at him or feel sorry for him.
Bud thinks to himself that nothing makes kids want to do something more than when someone tells them not to. However, he is a liar, not a thief, so he won’t go into the closet. It makes him frustrated that Herman is so mean and he can’t imagine him being anyone’s father.
Before he falls asleep Bud admires the pictures of horses all over the room. He then decides to look in the drawers—after all, Herman only warned him about the closet. There are only thumbtacks and pencils in them.
He flops on the mattress and it surprises him with its softness. He is also surprised that he is no longer afraid, and has an excellent sleep.
Analysis
In these chapters, Bud experiences several encounters that are significant for him in his journey. First, there is Lefty Lewis. According to Curtis, the character of Lewis was based on Curtis' own grandfather, a kind and humorous man who taught Curtis all about gentle teasing. When readers first encounter Lefty, it is through Bud’s eyes as well as our own. Bud is skeptical of this “soldier” who has stopped along the road in the middle of the night; it makes sense why he is afraid of a stranger, who might apprehend him and send him back to the Home. We are perhaps somewhat comforted by the fact that the man is black, not white, but the entire situation has a tenseness that older readers can understand immediately. Curtis effectively depicts the silence and isolation of the road as well as Lewis’s very distinct discomfort with the situation. It is clear he knows it is dangerous for a black man and a black boy to be on the side of the road in this place at this hour but his innate compassion precludes him from simply shaking his head and driving on past Bud. Though Curtis refrains from being explicit when it comes to the inherent danger of the situation, it is nonetheless clear.
Bud’s time with Lefty is important for other reasons. Lefty is an adult who treats Bud with respect but also shows him it is okay to laugh with and rib on those you love. He is exceedingly patient with Bud, recognizing him as a scared child and indulging in the boy’s request to see his teeth and refraining from anger when Bud tries to drive away in his car. Lefty’s family is a model of good feeling and warmth, to the extent that Bud is actually puzzled at how much they talk and laugh while they eat. It models for him what a real family looks like as well as foreshadows his own future family with the band.
Finally, in the Lefty Lewis scenes Curtis also alludes to another social issue from the era: the intersection of labor and race. Lefty has a box of fliers in his car promoting a gathering of laborers, and when he is pulled over by the white cop his fear is palpable to Bud (who thinks Lefty might be a crook), and to readers. Even during the labor-friendly years of the Depression, laborers who “agitated” or organized were seen as threats and potentially lawless. People of color were especially at risk in this capacity, something that Lefty was very aware of.
Bud’s other significant encounter is, of course, with the entire band of the Dusky Devastators. With the exception of Herman, to whom we will return, the band members are funny, amiable, and generous. Miss Thomas almost immediately establishes herself as a mother figure, and Steady Eddie is a big brother figure. While the band is certainly interested in answers as to Bud’s belief that Herman is his father and to the particulars of his current situation, they give him the benefit of the doubt and are immensely generous to him with food and, eventually, a place to stay and a job. They are also, for lack of a more descriptive term, cool. They are extremely talented musicians with an easy rapport amongst themselves and a distinct sense of community. These are the sorts of people in whose company Bud will flourish.
But what about Herman? Bud is decidedly ambivalent about the man whom he believes to be his father. He notes first that “[Herman’s] voice was a lot rougher and more tired-sounding than I thought it would be” (144), then sees that “my dad’s face was real old” (146) and he had a “great big stomach” (147). Herman doesn't believe what Bud says, and finds him disrespectful. He can be forgiven for being skeptical of Bud’s claim of course, but his behavior definitely confirms what Angela Caldwell had a problem with. Later information regarding Herman and his runaway daughter humanize the man and provide a lesson to Bud that it is impossible to know what sorrows a person carries with them, and that compassion goes a long way. Until Bud learns these things, however, he sees Herman as a less-than-ideal vision of his long-lost father.
