HOW DOES TEA CAKE SPEND THE MONEY HE STEALS FROM JANIE?

Tea Cake decided to spend the money buying a macaroni and chicken.

He threw a party.

In Jacksonville, Janie has her first scare. She wakes up one morning to find Tea Cake gone and her secret $200 stash missing. Janie fears that she has misjudged Tea Cake’s character. However, Tea Cake comes back late that night and tells her the whole truth. He did indeed take her money, but not out of spite. He’d just never had so much money in his life before and he wanted to throw a party. So he did and used up all the money. He claims he wanted to come back and grab Janie to come have fun with him, but he was scared she wouldn’t come mingle with the common folks. Janie forgives him and assures him she’ll go anywhere he does.

He buys the food for his friends.

"Tea Cake decided to spend the money buying a macaroni and chicken dinner for all his friends...He and his friends feast all night long. One man tries to eat all the gizzards and livers, the best parts of the chicken. Tea Cake fights with the man, breaks his teeth and leaves."