Rewriting Reality: Unpacking Identity and Time

Book: Long Divison by Kiese Laymon, Chapter: Considered Things... (BOOK TWO, pages 113 – 127), Copyright Date: 2013

Quotes:

I didn’t know where to throw my eyes, so I threw them at the tied hands of the Klansman. And you know how grown white men have a lot of hair on the outside of their hands? This Klansman’s hands were bare as mine. “Should we take his sheet off, too?” she asked me. “Nah. It’ll be harder to hurt him if we take it off. He looks like a monster now, right?” “City, I ain’t mean no harm with all this,” he said. “You think you can save someone’s life, you do it.You know what I’m trying to say? “Naw” city said. “That’s my brother,” he said and pointed to the Klansman. “Never thought in a million years I’d have to let loose on my own brother with a rifle.” “I never thought in million years I’d follow a white boy” city “You shot my granddaddy,” I told him “We was just trying to save our family,” his brother said“We been trying to hide long as I remember,” Evan told us. Say what you want,” his brother broke in. “They was coming for us just like they came for y’all and we was just trying to survive. What would you do if y’all were in our position?” But that’s the point, dummy,” Baize said. “We can’t be in your position. They came to you to get us. Would they ever come to us to get y’all? Ever?” “Umm”he paused. I gott an idea, lets put him in the hole and send him to anoyther time”. (city “ How do we know kit will work” We dont know if its us thats special or the time hole” Biaze said. Well you are special” (city). “ “Jus because we’re related donst mean you have to be mushy and compliment me.” (Biaze) “Theres a fifty fifty change let just try”(city)

Shalaya Crump saw me watching her,so she pulled her hand away from Evan’s. I didn’t know where to throw my eyes, so I threw them at the tied hands of the Klansman. And you know how grown white men have a lot of hair on the outside of their hands? This Klansman’s hands were bare as mine. Baize pulled out her phone and started taking pictures of the man. “Should we take his sheet off, too?” she asked me. “Nah. It’ll be harder to hurt him if we take it off. He looks like a monster now, right?”

“City, I ain’t mean no harm with all this,” he said. “You think you can save someone’s life, you do it. You know what I’m trying to say? “Naw” city said.

“That’s my brother,” he said and pointed to the Klansman. “Never thought in a million years vears I’d have to let loose on my own brother with a rifle.” “I never thought in million years I’d follow a white boy” city “You shot my granddaddy,” I told him “City, you know he didn’t shoot no one,” Shalaya Crump said.

“Mr. Gaddis probably did it,” Evan said.

“We was just trying to save our family,” his brother said“We been trying to hide long as I remember,” Evan told us.

Say what you want,” his brother broke in. “They was coming for us just like they came for y’all and we was just trying to survive. What would you do if y’all were in our position?” But that’s the point, dummy,” Baize said. “We can’t be in your position. They came to you to get us. Would they ever come to us to get y’all? Ever?”

“Exactly” evan said “What should we do now. Can we just let him go?” Shaylasai Everyone looked at city for the answer. City looks around at everyone for a few minutes looking distracted with something else “Umm”he paused. I gott an idea, lets put him in the hole and send him to anoyther time”. (city “ How do we know kit will work” We dont know if its us thats special or the time hole” Biaze said. Well you are special” (city). “ “Jus because we’re related donst mean you have to be mushy and compliment me.” (Biaze) “Theres a fifty fifty change let just try”(city)