Money Hungry

In the house in Pecan Landings, Momma wakes up Raspberry early, explaining that they need to get their car and get out of the house in Pecan Landings before anyone become suspicious. Momma drops off Raspberry at school early. Deciding that she needs to make money, Raspberry skips school and sets off to find Odd Job.

Odd Job initially doesn’t ask Raspberry any questions and instead sets her to work washing cars. When there’s a break in customers, Odd Job pulls Raspberry aside and asks her why she isn’t in school. He explains that he knows what happened at the apartment: Check and Shoe “hooked up with some baby thugs and they all went in our place and got busy” (144). Raspberry’s anger flares, and she asks where she can find Check and Shoe, but Odd Job tells her to exercise restraint. He says that natural consequences will take care of them and suggests that Momma and Raspberry stay in one of the apartments that he owns.

Despite Odd Job’s ragged appearance, Raspberry hears that he has a lot of money and property in the neighborhood. When Raspberry turns him down, Odd Job warns her that their apartment will continue to be ransacked by burglars now that they’re “on the list” (147).