chapter 11

"Well, is he – he – is he got ... uh wife or something lak dat?"…

"No’m. And nobody wouldn’t marry Tea Cake tuh starve tuh death lessen it’s somebody jes lak him – ain’t used to nothin’. ‘Course he always keep hisself in changin’ clothes. Dat long-legged Tea Cake ain’t got doodly squat. He ain’t got no business makin’ hissef familiar wid nobody lak you."

Someone doesn’t want Janie to run off with tea cake because he is poor and they don’t think tea cake should get familiar with someone like Janie, and they don’t think Janie should get familiar with anyone like tea cake, because they know Janie comes from way better than what they think tea cake can offer to Janie.

"It was so crazy digging worms by lamp light and setting out for Lake Sabelia after midnight that she felt like a child breaking rules. That's what made Janie like it."

Janie liked that she got to feel like a kid again when she was digging worms up by the lamp light and setting out for the lake. She said that she felt like a child breaking the rules, and that is why she enjoyed digging worms up by the lamp, and watching the lake.