Bud, Not Buddy

Inside the Sweet Pea restaurant, Bud sees Mr. Jimmy and Mr. Calloway at a table with a woman. Mr. Jimmy calls Bud over to sit with them. The woman is Miss Thomas, the band’s singer. She is sweet to Bud, ordering him meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and okra and noticing his stings and cuts. She demonstrates immediate concern for him and disregard for the orphanage setting and system. Mr. Calloway shows no sympathy for Bud’s revelations about fighting Todd Amos and being locked in a shed, saying “Sounds like a case of diarrhea of the mouth and constipation of the brain” (165). Mr. Calloway leaves the table and Steady Eddie comes to sit in his place. Bud begins to take notice as he eats the wonderful food how beautiful and sweet Miss Thomas is, how funny Mr. Jimmy is, and how nice Steady Eddie is. They laugh and talk and make Bud feel so welcome in their group that he begins to cry and cannot stop. Miss Thomas pulls Bud into her lap and soothes him; he understands that is okay to cry.

Miss Thomas drives Bud to “Grand Calloway Station,” a nickname for Mr. Calloway’s house. Miss Thomas explains that so many musicians come and go from the house that Mr. Calloway once compared it to Grand Central Station in New York City. Miss Thomas shows Bud to a bedroom. He sees a small dressing table and two small closet doors along with the bed, night table, and lamp. Bud worries that monsters like a wolfman might come out of the closets, and he asks if the doors are locked. Miss Thomas tells Bud that they are filled with a girl’s possessions, but she is gone. Bud knows this means the girl is dead. Miss Thomas tells Bud to get some sleep. Soon after she leaves, Bud hears Mr. Calloway and Miss Thomas arguing. Mr. Calloway comes into the room and locks the closet doors angrily. He tells Bud, “You’ve got the rest of them fooled but not me. […] I’m going to find out what your game is and believe you me, scamp, you’re going back where you belong” (180). Mr. Calloway threatens that he has “secret bell” all over the house to alert him if Bud touches or tries to take anything. Bud knows he is lying, like the public swimming lifeguards who claim a chemical water will turn red and burn anyone who urinates in the pool. Bud lies do

Bud wakes to discover his clothing folded next to the bed. It reminds him of how his momma used to do the same for him. Downstairs, he overhears Miss Thomas telling Mr. Calloway how orphanages are badly run. Mr. Calloway insists that he will find out the truth about Bud in Flint. Miss Thomas tells him she and the other bandmates all agreed to allow Bud to stay: “Until we’ve heard otherwise from Flint, he’s staying right here” (186). Steady Eddie speaks up and says he found a gift for Bud in the basement.

Bud runs upstairs to make noise as if he is just waking up so that they do not know he eavesdropped. Miss Thomas teases Bud for sleeping till noon. She also tells Bud that she and the band members would like for him to stay with them for a while, as long as “some people in Flint” (189) agree. Miss Thomas explains Bud will do chores and help out; part of his helping will involve assisting Mr. Calloway with his heavy bass fiddle when the group travels. Steady Eddie gives Bud an old, empty instrument case lined in soft black material. It is Eddie’s old instrument case, intended to replace Bud’s tattered suitcase. The band members arrive and greet Bud. Steady Eddie says Bud should learn the rules Mr. Calloway requires of his band members and explains they must practice two hours a day. Then he gives Bud a recorder. Bud is excited to learn to play music. Miss Thomas leaves when the band members give Bud his musician name. After several suggestions, they decide Bud’s band name is Sleepy LaBone. Bud loves it and looks forward to practicing double hours every day.