Letha’s Log Cabin

Letha’s Log Cabin was a beer joint. It was situated about half way between Sidney Freewill Baptist Church and the dirt road that led down to our house. Sometimes Mama would leave Laika with Aunt Sarah and take Ivy and me along when she went there with Madeline. Ivy and I sat with them at the bar while they drank their whiskey. Letha was a big colored woman with a huge bosom and red hair. When Madeline walked into Letha’s she would waggle her arms in the air and cry “Lord God, take me now. I done seen a red headed nigger.” Then Madeline would laugh and Letha would laugh and beckon us over to the bar. “Come over here, Crackers, and let me pour you a drink. What will you have, sugar and spice?” she would say as she helped us up onto a barstool.

“Dr. Pepper in a bottle, please.” Mama had warned us never to drink out of one of Letha’s glasses.

Letha’s Log Cabin was one of my favorite places. It was the only place where Mama ever laughed. I think she loved the music and the laughter. Letha was always real sweet to Mama and she must have been hungry for kindness.

One day I was sitting in church, fidgeting through preaching, when I had an idea. I decided I would walk home. It was hotter than Hades in the church and I could see that Reverend Linton was just getting warmed up. I thought I would just go crazy if I had to wait until after preaching to get a ride home on the church bus. I snuck out of Sidney Church and started walking toward home. When I got to Letha’s, it seemed the most natural thing in the world to stop in for something cool to drink. I went inside, walked straight to the bar, climbed up on the stool and asked Letha for a Dr. Pepper in a bottle.

“Where’s your Mammy, honey?”

“She’s home. I’m just on my way home from Church.”

“You by yourself, Child? You shouldn’t be in here without your Mammy!”

When I told Mama I’d stopped at Letha’s all hell broke loose.

“Are you out of your cotton picking mind? Do you know what could have happened to you in there?”

I shook my head.

“Them colored are animals. No telling what they might do. I’ve seen them doing it on the hoods of their cars in front of Letha’s.”

“Doing what, Mama?”

Aunt Sarah put her hand on Mama’s arm. “Never mind, Rose. She’s too young. You’re scaring her.”

I had no idea why Mama was so mad at me for going into Letha’s but I was getting used to her being mad at me. It seemed like she was mad all the time.