Mrs. Turpin and Claud go to the waiting room of the doctor's office. Mrs. Turpin observes the other people in the waiting room, and reflects on if she had a choice by good between being white trash or Black, she would reluctantly choose being a "respectable" Black woman—"herself but black." She makes judgments about people based on their shoes. Mrs. Turpin observes an ugly teenage girl in the office whom she feels pity for. Mrs. Turpin and the "white trash" in the waiting room lament that Black people don't want to pick cotton anymore, like white folks. A young Black boy enters the office with a delivery. After he leaves Mrs. Turpin and the other patients continue their racist rants. An ugly girl scowls at Mrs. Turpin. When Mrs. Turpin tries to make conversation with her, the ugly girl's mother explains that she attends Wellesley College. The ugly girl assaults Mrs. Turpin with her book, attempts to choke her, and kicks Claud. The doctor intervenes. The girl calls Mrs. Turpin a hog. Back at their home, Mrs. Turpin and Claud begin their work day. Mrs. Turpin recounts the assault to some of the Black workers on the pig farm. Mrs. Turpin continues to be upset that the ugly girl called her a hog, of all insults. Mrs. Turpin watches the sunset and walks back from the farm to her house.