Miss Bonzel was known to be a woman of spiritual power, but the nature and source of that power were matters of some discussion. She lived in a large, unfurnished house that had been bequeathed to her by a man who had the misfortune to be eaten by an alligator shortly after finalizing his will. His relatives took the furniture upon notice of his demise.
On this particular day, Miss Bonzel answered a knock at her door. A fair-haired boy of seven years stood before her. "Who are you?" she demanded.
"I'm Andre Jolevett," he replied.
"Why you comin to see me?"
"My mama's sick."
"Your mama send you here?"
"No."
"The doctor been to see your mama?" Miss Bonzel inquired.
"Yeah, but Doctor Pardieu didn't do nothin but tell her to get some rest. She been in bed for more than a week and she aint no better. I think maybe someone put a mojo on her."
Miss Bonzel studied the boy suspiciously. "Did you bring me some money?" she asked.
"I don't have no money, but I'll bring you some when I get it."
"Oh child, I work too hard to be providin no-charge service. I could starve to death watin for you to pay me."
Andre thought for a moment and then offered, "I could bring you a chicken. We got lots of chickens."
Miss Bonzels eyes looked up to the sky and then back down at the boy. "You bring me a big fat layin hen." Andre nodded in agreement. "And a bag of feed, I dont want my chicken to go hungry." He continued to nod. "And child, you know somethin bad gonna happen if you dont bring me a chicken."
Andre paused to consider the gravity of the threat and then spoke in whispered tones, "Okay."
"Well, come on in," she invited.
Miss Bonzel opened her cupboard revealing a number of jars and bowls full of powder. She carefully took little pinches from selected containers and dropped the powders into the palm of her open hand as Andre watched from the center of the room. She turned and walked toward the boy. "Who put a mojo on your mama?" she asked.
"I don't know," he answered.
"Well, whoever did is gonna be real sorry." And with that, she threw the powder into the air. Black smoke rose from the floor and whirled about with such fury that Andre was lifted up to the ceiling and thrown out the door. He landed on his shoulder, rolled up onto his feet, and ran all the way home without ever looking back.
Mama had dinner waiting at the table. She ate well that evening.
Doctor Pardieu became quite ill and was committed to an institution. Some folks said that he just worked himself to a sickness.
Andre took a chicken and a bag of feed to the house of Miss Bonzel and tethered the chicken to her hitching post as she watched from the window.
Mama never missed the chicken.
