Miss Ruby, a white woman, listens to a group of Negros huddled in a nearby shack sing together after calling off work for the day due to the rainy weather. She walks up to one of the Negro men who is large with fiery eyes. The man goes off to tell her a story about how he had come to live on the property after his uncle passed away while the other slaves push her car on to the street. Once he finishes his story, Miss Ruby tells the Negro that she wants to hear more about his experiences, and he tells her his name is Richard Amason. He continues by telling her that people think he is crazy but that he thinks he isn't. Miss Ruby invites him to come to town where she can buy him shoes and clothes. Early the next morning, she finds Rich on her doorstep after going to the wrong house and getting attacked by their neighbor’s dog. He says his rheumatism is worsening. Nonetheless, Rich feels that outwitting the dog shows his superior strength and invincibility.  Miss Ruby talks to Bing Oliver next. He is an elderly Negro man who tells her of the time last summer when Dink and his brother, Shrug, took him to a Baptist Association meeting last summer. However, the car turned out not to work and Bing and Dink ended up having to push the car. In the next section, Miss Ruby talks to an unnamed Negro who tells her about his partner Alice. Alice had asked him to buy her some snuff but he is unable, so she promises to buy herself some snuff and her husband some tobacco. The next time her husband goes to town, Alice gives him food and hens to offer people in town in turn for the snuff and tobacco. He goes to town and does as Alice says. After successfully bringing the goods home to Alice, he goes to town again with more chickens and buys himself a pair of stockings. When he comes back to Alice, the couple takes turns with the socks every other Sunday to wear when they go to their respective churches. In the fall, Alice and her partner gin some cotton and take their product to town to trade in happily for more socks so they do not have to switch off anymore. They are in luck.