"Come here nigga and let me teach you're crazy, animal ass about the Lord. The first thing you got to learn is to Love thy Neighbor--especially me." "Yes sir, Master. Why would anybody not love you, Sir? You so good to me, Master. Anybody don't love you needs to have they ass beat real good, Master." "Shut up nigga. I’m talkin’.” "Listen, you been blessed already, and you don’t even know the Lord. The Lord made it where you don’t have to worry ‘bout a thing. I feed you, I put clothes on yo nasty ass, and I give you A shed to sleep in, and all you have to do is what your told. Do you know how blessed you are?” “Oh yes in deed, Master. You take good care of me. I’s so happy.” “Now, listen real good ‘cause dis impotant. God said, thou shalt not steal from me, thou shalt not kill, unless I tell you to, thou shalt not stick yo neighbor’s wife, unless we tryin’ to make some mo niggas,and nigga, whatever you do, Thou shalt not look like you want to stick a white woman, or we gon lynch you black ass. You here me, nigga?” “Oh yes, Master. We know dat! But, Master. I thought you said thou shalt not kill?” “Dat means people, fool! Real people--dat don’t go for niggas. God wants us to keep you in yo place.” “Dat’s right, Master. We sho gotta keep niggas in dey place. No tellin’ what a happen if we let these niggas git loose. God so smart.” “I said shut up, nigga, and listen to the word.” "The next thing you got to learn is, whatever happens on this plantation is God's will bein' done. But if you listen to me, you'll get to live like I do, when you die and go to heaven." "Live like you, master? A nigga ain't got no business livin' that good. What a po nigga like me gon do with all this? You know I ain't got sense enough to run nothin like this." "Just shut up, nigga!” When you dead you gon get some sense, the lord gon give it to you. The Lord can do anythingBeven give sense to a nigga. And he gon give you all the other niggas you gon need to help you in the fields, too." "Oh Master, you so good to me! Thank you for tellin' me all dis. I'm gon be a good nigga--the best nigga you ever seen. Look, I'm gon pray for you right now." "Shut up and git off your knees, ya dumb nigga! The fields need tendin'! Pray on your own time. God don’t won’t you talkin’ to him when you s’pose to be workin’. "A couse, Master. What I been thinkin'? I's so dumb. I don't know why you put up with me, Sir." "I said shut up, nigga!" "Yes Sir, I's a shuttin', Master. I’m a shuttin’, right now.” “Now git yo ass out there in that field and let’s git some work done around here . . . Oh, and Toby, have yo woman meet me in the barn. I need to tell her ‘bout the Lord too.” “Yes sir, Master.” “And another thing, if my mama come a lookin’, tell her I’m playin’ in my tree house.” “Why you gon go fibbin’ to yo mama, Mr. Tommy? She knows you like to sit wit Lou Ann." “Just shut up, nigga, and do what I said!” “Yes Sir, Mr. Tommy . . .” “Whaaaaaaat a friend we have in Jeeeeesus . . .” "ONE NATION, UNDER GOD, WITH LIBERTY, AND JUSTICE, FOR ALL." Hmmmmm . . . no shit. Toby's dead, homeboy. Eric Wattree, Sr. |
| THE CONVERSION |
 |
 |
 |