The clouds make the light get dark and then bright inside through the window. The door is open. The windows, too. It's warm outside. Not hot, yet. It will be soon. Hot for a long time. Then Christmas. Santy Claus. And cold weather.
"Momma smokes her cigarettes," I say.
Uncle Cloudy gets hold of my hands and puts them in my lap. "Quit waving your fingers in front of your face, son."
"Do you know a man name Julio?" the police lady says.
"He be a friend of Momma's," I says.
"He bring you or your Momma drugs?" the police lady says.
"I sit on the front porch when he comes," I say.
"What about Twan?"
"We play video games at Uncle Cloudy's."
"What's marijuana, Tank? Green, like tea in bags?" the police lady says.
"Uncle Cloudy gives me green Popsicles at the car wash," I say.
"What about Twan? He ever give you any marijuana?"
"He gets my Popsicles. I like green Popsicles. At Uncle Cloudy's car wash. Just like the color of money. I got green shoes I wear on Saturdays for money. Uncle Cloudy lets me vacuum his car on Saturdays and I play Twan's games."
"Your Momma let you smoke little marble rocks with a pipe? You ever seen them little rocks, Tank?"
"I had little rocks in my stomach when I was sick that one time. All that stuff came out of my stomach, but no rocks. Did you find my cruiser? Fawquita pushed me in the mud" I say. "You gone take me back to the hospital? Stick me in the arm again? Tie me up to the table?"
"It's all right, baby," Auntie Bunt says. "Stop cryin', precious boy."
The white police lady asks me some more questions. Then she and Miss Francis leave.
Uncle Cloudy sits on the front porch with me. I spoon my chocolate under my lip. Ain't too many cars on the road tonight. It's raining out there over on the Island. Out there over the ocean. I feel the wind. I see the lightning. Blink. Flash. Blink blink. Flash. Blink. Flash. Blink flash.
"You got enough chocolate, sonny boy?" Uncle Cloudy says.
I work the snuff against my gum and nod. "Tingly. Momma be home in a few days."
Lightning. Blink flash.
"It's too far to hear the thunder," Uncle Cloudy says.