Magnolia

The first time I met Big Momma was at her funeral. I was too young to talk but much too smart to listen to what anyone had to say. As I sat in my mother's lap on the first row I remember thinking that in all 18 months of my life, this is the first time I’ve been the only one silent in a room full of people weeping. I must admit their wet faces were god-ugly—the whole room smelt of sweat and desperation. And because of this, I began to cry as well.

As my mother rocked me back and forth I heard a voice say “You better hush fore’ yo face look as bad as these other folks.” Curious about where the voice came from I looked up at my mother to see her mouth unmoving. I reached up and tore off the Celine shades she had been wearing. To my surprise, other than too much makeup, her face was dry and rather smug. Before she could reach for her shades I let out a loud shriek, threw the shades on the floor and watched as they flew underneath the casket.

“Stop actin’ a fool and listen,” said the voice

“I will once I know who I’m talking to,” I said back

“It's me, your Big momma,” she said

“Oh well, why you ain't just say that? Where are you?”

“Laying in my casket. I need you to do a favor for me.” Amused by this faceless voice, I hopped out of my mother's lap and began to teeter-totter alongside the church pews. “What do you need my help with?” I asked

“When the service is done and all the adults begin lining up for their last look at me I want you to reach down and rip off my ruby necklace. It is the most valuable thing I own. And I have a hunch that someone is planning to steal it from me before I’m put in the ground.”

“You must be joking. My hands are much too small to carry such a large piece of jewelry. And even if I were to take your necklace It wouldn't be long before one of these good-for-nothing adults snatch it out of my hands”

“Don’t worry about all of that right now. I’ve already undone the clasp. All you have to do is pick it up. Funerals are the only place where the dead are more important than the youth. No one will be watching you. Once you have it slide it in your pamper but, be sure to take it out before your next change.”

Before I could respond, I had already been picked up on my mother’s hip and waiting in line to view my Big Momma. I knew I would do what she had asked the moment I knew it could get me in trouble. The funeral had been dreadfully boring up until this point and this was the type of drama that I lived for. As we inched closer and closer to her casket something horrible came over the people in front of us. As they got closer to the caskets each began screaming and crying louder than before. There were fat women fainting and grown men crying.

I was disgusted before but this scared me. “Don't pay them folks no mind,” she said. “They just actin’ for acting's sake. When your mother starts shouting, that is your sign to go for it.”

Once it was our turn, my mother’s once smug face contoured into nothing but sorrow. As she began to unravel I bent down to snatch my grandmother's ruby necklace to find my mother tugging on the other end.