The Envious Moon

Shilo Greene and Atticus Bloom were the only two people in Freeport. Missouri, who didn't think their friendship an odd one. She was a ten year old white girl who could name all fifty states alphabetically. He was a sixty year old colored man who'd never made it past the seventh grade. Shilo loved everything to do with horses. Atticus had been kicked in the head by one.

'Didn't ever trust one since'.

'Maybe you just didn't treat it right.'

'Maybe.'

'If I had a horse, I'd feed it carrots every day, and an apple on Sundays.'

'I expected you might.'

'Going fishing tomorrow?'

'Always do.'

'Can I come?'

'Ain't never told you no before.'

'It's pretty here.'

'Lord surely knew what he was doing.'

'Daddy says there's nothing lazier than a river in high summer.'

'I expect it's so.'

'Why aren't you married?'

'Had me a wife once. She died.'

'You could always find another.'

'Ain't a woman fool enough to have me.'

'There's nothing foolish about love, Atticus.'

'I expect you'd know.'

“If love be rough with you, be rough with love.”

'Where'd you come by that?'

'William Shakespeare.'

'Can't say I ever met him.'

'I'd be fool enough, Atticus. To marry you.'

'Now don't you go giving me none of your lip, Miss Shilo.'

'What if I do?'

'Never could stand a lippy child.'

'You and Mama both.'

'Getting to be too big for your britches.'

'I surely do hope so.'

'Did you hear about Old Miss Cobb?'

'Spinster Cobb?'

'Fell off the back porch and broke her hip.'

'Lord have mercy!'

'Mama says she'll never recover.'

'Where's she at now?'

'Mulder's Infirmary.'

'Doc Mulder is a good man.'

'Miss Cobb doesn't like him.'

'Can't think of many folks she does like.'

'There's this play. Romeo and Juliet. His family doesn't like hers, and her family doesn't like his. So they marry in secret. But it all goes wrong. Romeo drinks poison, and Juliet stabs herself with his dagger.'

'Why would they go and do a fool thing like that?'

'For love. Don't you see? It's so beautiful. And sad.'

'Sounds plain crazy to me.'

'It's getting late. I should go.'

'Ain't right for a young lady to be out after dark.'

'Will you walk me home?'

'Always do.'

'Going fishing tomorrow?'

'Tomorrow is the Lord's day.'

'I'll bring you an apple.'

'There you go with your lip again.'

'Do you think the moon cares if we live or die?'

'Don't see why it would. It's a long ways away.'

'Say it's only a paper moon, Atticus.'

'I expect you're right.'

'Shakespeare writes about an envious moon.'

'Can't say I ever read it.'

'There's Mama. Thank you, Atticus.'

'Goodnight, Miss Shilo. And don't you fret none. The moon has no business with us.'