Cooperman, Robert

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SWOSU Digital Commons (Southwestern Oklahoma State University)

Volume 25Issue 2 Fall/Winter Article 2711-15-2006Sylvia Williams, Boarding House OwnerRobert CoopermanFollow this and additional works at: https://dc.swosu.edu/westviewPart of the Fiction Commons, Nonfiction Commons, Photography Commons, and the PoetryCommonsThis Poetry is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals atSWOSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Westviewby an authorized administrator of SWOSU Digital Commons. For moreinformation, please contact phillip.fitzsimmons@swosu.edu.Recommended CitationCooperman, Robert (2006) "Sylvia Williams, Boarding House Owner," Westview: Vol. 25 : Iss. 2 , Article 27.Available at: https://dc.swosu.edu/westview/vol25/iss2/27Sylvia Williams, Boarding House Ownerby Robert CoopermanEver since I first run intothat crazy white man, John Sprockett,he cou ldn’t keep a thing from melike I was the confiding sister he never had.He started me in the boarding house trade after sampling my biscuits and gravy when he found me wandering like Israelites after I run off from M aster and Missus and h e 'd  given up killing Kansas folks that believed in freeing us slaves.John said he was ashamed o f that episode, but he c an ’t keep him self from killing.This time, it’s Reverend Burden, who, I admit, used to quote Jesus at me:“ Slaves, obey your masters.”I pointed out to that toad-spitthere w asn’t no slaves no more,and my shotgun —propped under his nose —could outargue Jesus if He demandedroom and board, but no coins to pay.John insisted Burden was biding his time for a midnight exaltation.“ Let me see to him ,” John spat;I said no, not wanting that sorry ghost interfering with my sleep.Still, John did kill him,as a kindness to the Preacher’s widow.Should’ve been Eagle Feather’s job: a blind man can see h e ’d laugh at Apache torture if her fingers were to scissor his black hair off his face.Gambler Longstreet’s taking bets on how it happened. I put a dollar on “Accident.” Longstreet chuckled,“As innocent as God made you black.”I smiled and said, “You may be right.”W E S T V I E W  i 5 J | |  67

Sylvia Williams, Boarding House Owner

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Sylvia Williams, Boarding House Owner

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