Chapter 6 Summary

It's Sunday, and the family packs into Uncle Hammer's Ford to drive to church. The congregation buzzes with excitement as Hammer pulls up. They all think of him as a success, because so few southerners ever go north. On top of that, he owns a car.

The family stops to chat with the crowd, and the conversation quickly turns to Uncle Hammer's old car, the Packard. Everyone quickly agrees that the Packard is a much better car than the Ford he now drives. The Packard, they say, is just like the one Mr. Granger drives.

Joe interrupts everyone and announces that he prefers the yellow Ford to the Packard. When asked why, he explains that the Ford is a happy color, while the Packard was a cold gray. After getting Hammer's permission, Papa takes Joe for a ride before church begins. Before they...