Page 135

By Jack Joseph Smith

137 ; 1 Snakes with long red toungs hissing began crawling up my legs, I looked down and whispered, quiet, this is a silent places Ip a moment my father spokeg fron look boys, we can settle this, Just a bittle eommon sense3 The insuranegis paid up for us all, Everything is okey dokeys Martin Pi. still has his job and Michael is going to be Vice President in charge of washing the machiness We mustthave a clean machine, What about that Hammerigan old buddy? : Michael) say hello to your Uncle Jackies You think that will bring his buddy Hommerigan ot of the shadows, I was saying while Martin P,. was moving across the floors! And saying, ,I'11 bring both of the behind~the -baok motherfuckers oyt of the shadowss: The gamblers said, it's a cock fighta. The racketers said, bring them out in the open; It's been decideds Let me have-one too, I said; I killed the niggers and not one dime would they of paid if he were nots If he were not, the gamblers quedbioned? If he were not alive, I answered, Then he isn't dead; no aie needed, the racketas replied to it alle Of course-not, my father said, The boy makes things ups I dida't, I told the truth two timess I understand, Martin Ps saids Martin P, dragged two bodies to the middle and put them under the heads of Hamerigan and Uncle Jackies; I looked at him and then spoke to all sayings : Don't you see? The nigger is walking around with his brain hanging out of his right ears Now it's time to hs. of your brains boys, said Martin P, aes potas

Original Scan

Page 135

AI Interpretation

GPT

Snakes climb the narrator's legs as the dream becomes more grotesque, with the father trying to smooth everything over through insurance, machine jobs, and sentimental talk while Martin P. drags bodies into the open and the room slips toward a cockfight over brains, death, and payment.

The scene is fragmentary and feverish, but its logic is intact: business respectability collapses into murder talk, racial brutality, and stage-managed violence. The father's bland compromises look helpless beside Martin P.'s willingness to make the hidden thing visible.


Claude

The dream escalates: Martin P. drags two bodies under Hammerigan's and Uncle Jackie's heads; Michael insists the nigger man is walking around with his brain hanging out of his right ear; Martin P. says it is time to cave some brains.