We told Calpurnia that we wanted to go home that we weren’t welcome here. When I looked up Calpurnia had amusement in her eyes and others were coming toward us. Lula was gone and we were surrounded by others. One of them, Zeebo, said to not pay attention to Lula and that they were glad to have us there.
Inside church service was beginning. Reverend Sykes started by making some announcements. I noticed that there were no hymnals and when I went to ask Calpurnia about it, she told me to be quiet. Reverend Sykes said that they would be taking up a collection today and for the next three Sundays for Tom Robinson to help out his wife, Helen, and family.
Reverend Sykes said that we would begin services by singing hymn number two seventy-three. This was too much for me.. “How’re we gonna sing it if there ain’t no hymn books?”
Calpurnia smiled. “Hush baby,” she whispered, “you’ll see in a minute.”
Zeebo cleared this throat and read in a voice like the rumble of distant artillery ,
“There’s a land beyond the river.”
Amazingly on pitch , a hundred voices sang out Zeebo’s words. The last syllable, held to a hum, was followed by Zeebo saying, “That we call the sweet forever.”
Music again swelled around us: the last note lingered and Zeebo met it with the next line.
