"Mornin' Aunty, how y'all been?"
I grinned down the porch steps at Elmo Wiggins, "Same as we wuz last night Elmo when ya' strolled over this way. Nuthin' has changed in 15 hours other than the sink is full of dishes--again."
He nodded his haid absentmindedly. "Well, but I seen a wheelbarrow out in the side yard, so I thought mebbe ya' had a project about to commence."
"I reckon so, Elmo. Uncle is hidin' here at home avoidin' the Pork Rind office, so ain't no tellin' what he done drug out the buggy barn an' has set his mind to doin."
He stood there as if he were part of the landscape, eyes off to the distance. "When he hides, he hides at home, huh?"
"Sometimes," I said. "Iffin' he ain't down to the camp."
Elmo scuffed the toe of his shoe at the steps, "Well, reckon I'se hidin' heah. I told Dottie I promised to hep out over heah when I seen Uncle's buggy in the drive. "
"Elmo, what sorta spat is y'all two havin' that ya come over heah to hide from Dottie Mae?"
Scuff scuff went his shoe against the lower step.
"Aw, nuthin' really. It's jes' that she has gone to repeatin' everthang I say --as iffin' I couldn't hear her. It's maddening to have a woman repeat what ya' say like ya' wuzn't even theah."
"Last night when I come home to supper I looked on the stove to see what was cookin'. When I seen inside the pots, I said,
" Brussel sprouts an' beets? In the same meal?"
Then she snapped back, 'Well, Elmo, I'se jes' tryin' to serve up some colorful food.' "
"I doan want colorful food" I said.
" ' He doan want colorful food', she said wif' her mouth all scrunched up."
I snickered behind mah hand.
"Later when settled in mah chair to watch the game, she as't what about a movie. An' Belle, as sweet as I know how, I said, 'Gosh Dottie, baby, I wuz thinkin' to catch the Bruisers' game.' An she twisted her mouth up an said in a squeak, 'He wuz thinkin' to catch the Bruisers.' "
Scuff scuff when the toe of his shoe. "Why do women say back what ya jes' said when you already heard it from yore own self? Who's she speakin' to?
It gripes, me Belle. Doan know why but it do."
He shuffled off toward the side yard where Uncle planted the wheelbarrow but so fer, nuthin' else.
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