Joe Turner's Come and Gone

While Bertha prepares breakfast, Seth tells her that he is telling Harold Loomis to leave his boarding house after his “carrying on” the night before, insisting that he knew all along that there was something wrong with him (55). Bertha argues that Seth has to think about the child, suggesting that Loomis may have just been a little drunk. Molly Cunningham and Mattie Campbell come down to breakfast. Jeremy has left early for work. Loomis arrives and Seth tells him he has to leave, but Loomis points out that he has paid through Saturday. Seth relents and allows him to remain until then. Loomis exits, and Bertha sends Seth out to make his pots and pans. Molly asks Bynum if he is “one of them voo-doo people” because of the way he talked to Loomis the previous night (58). Bynum tells her that he “binds people together” with song,in the manner his father taught him (58). Mattie is preparing to leave for her ironing job. Molly tells her that she doesn’t do other people’s work and asks Mattie why she’s working if she is with Jeremy. Mattie says she and Jeremy are just “keeping company until maybe Jack come back” (60).