dandelions dotted the area, and a lone cedar tree stood sentry in the center. Several chickens lazed about under the cedar, a few taking advantage of the dirt readily available to give themselves a dust bath.
Old cans, bottles and other remnants of broken glass lay sprinkled among the shingles and the chickens. Various auto parts lay discarded closer to the porch where a cat lay scratching its ear.
As they picked their way through the area to the porch, Vani groaned, “If I had known we would be walking through land mines, I wouldn’t have worn my favorite Jimmy Choos.”
“Hush, Vani, it’s only dirt, it’ll wash.” Shelly admonished her daughter, though she wondered at her own choice of wardrobe. If she ruined her beautiful wheat colored Versace suit, she was not going to be happy.
The y picked their way carefully up to the front porch of the house, carefully stepping as they went. Shelly straightened her jacket and knocked heavily on the wooden screen door that vibrated with each knock. They could hear footsteps inside the home, and what sounded like a male voice talking to a female voice. The female sounded confused and surprised that anyone would be visiting them. “Is it the landlord, Billy Joe?” They heard her ask, “Or that no account friend of yours?”
Billy Joe answered the door.
“Can I help y’all?”
Dorothy peeked from behind Billy Joe, “Are y’all lost or something?”
“Billy Joe Thompson?”
“ That’s me.”
“I’m Shell y Shepard.” She motioned to her group, “These good folks are my friends. We’d like to speak with you and your wife, please.”
He was thinking of what he was going to say since he saw her get out of her car. Everything he had thought about saying evaporated from his mind. He opened the door wide and pushed the screen door open toward them, “Come on in then and have a seat.”
Dottie stepped back and stood with her mouth gaping open when she saw the five well-dressed strangers enter her house. She knew she was blushing, she was embarrassed for such fine looking people to see her home.
Shelly could see that the woman was obviously embarrassed, and Billy Joe looked like a child caught doing something he knew he was not supposed to be doing. So, she decided to skip introductions and get right to the reason for their visit. She assumed that Dorothy knew what her husband had sent, so she didn’t see the point in rehashing it. “First of all, I realize that you believe I am some relation to you and your family. If that is the case, please tell me who you think I am, and who my family is.”
Billy Joe started to speak, but Dorothy slapped the side of his head, admonishing him, “Oh Billy Joe, what in the world have you gone and done?”
Billy Joe stammered, “Dottie, I didn’t do nothin’ I was just tellin’ her that we needed money. We ain’t got nothin’ and she’s got everthing….”
“ Just be quiet. Billy Joe, you ain’t no smarter than them chickens out there in the yard.”
Billy Joe wasn’t going to be quiet so easily, he continued, “But Dot… she looks jus like you, even BJ said so, and what with your sister that runned off, it has to be her. It’s gotta be. She should be a helpin her kin out.”
Dorothy folded her arms over her chest, “Shut up, Billy Joe, just shut your trap. You don’t know nothin’ about nothin’. ” She looked at Shelly, “Miz Shepard, I’m real sorry about this fool here, he ain’t got no manners and he ain’t got no sense. I’m real sorry he bothered you. I ain’t got much, but could I offer you a glass of water or something?”
Shelly shook her head, she believed the woman’s outrage and didn’t think she was involved in her husband’s attempt at bribery. “No thank you, we’re fine. But, could you please explain to me why you would think I was related to you. I’m afraid I don’t understand.”
Dorothy shrugged her shoulders and sighed. “I
Old cans, bottles and other remnants of broken glass lay sprinkled among the shingles and the chickens. Various auto parts lay discarded closer to the porch where a cat lay scratching its ear.
As they picked their way through the area to the porch, Vani groaned, “If I had known we would be walking through land mines, I wouldn’t have worn my favorite Jimmy Choos.”
“Hush, Vani, it’s only dirt, it’ll wash.” Shelly admonished her daughter, though she wondered at her own choice of wardrobe. If she ruined her beautiful wheat colored Versace suit, she was not going to be happy.
The y picked their way carefully up to the front porch of the house, carefully stepping as they went. Shelly straightened her jacket and knocked heavily on the wooden screen door that vibrated with each knock. They could hear footsteps inside the home, and what sounded like a male voice talking to a female voice. The female sounded confused and surprised that anyone would be visiting them. “Is it the landlord, Billy Joe?” They heard her ask, “Or that no account friend of yours?”
Billy Joe answered the door.
“Can I help y’all?”
Dorothy peeked from behind Billy Joe, “Are y’all lost or something?”
“Billy Joe Thompson?”
“ That’s me.”
“I’m Shell y Shepard.” She motioned to her group, “These good folks are my friends. We’d like to speak with you and your wife, please.”
He was thinking of what he was going to say since he saw her get out of her car. Everything he had thought about saying evaporated from his mind. He opened the door wide and pushed the screen door open toward them, “Come on in then and have a seat.”
Dottie stepped back and stood with her mouth gaping open when she saw the five well-dressed strangers enter her house. She knew she was blushing, she was embarrassed for such fine looking people to see her home.
Shelly could see that the woman was obviously embarrassed, and Billy Joe looked like a child caught doing something he knew he was not supposed to be doing. So, she decided to skip introductions and get right to the reason for their visit. She assumed that Dorothy knew what her husband had sent, so she didn’t see the point in rehashing it. “First of all, I realize that you believe I am some relation to you and your family. If that is the case, please tell me who you think I am, and who my family is.”
Billy Joe started to speak, but Dorothy slapped the side of his head, admonishing him, “Oh Billy Joe, what in the world have you gone and done?”
Billy Joe stammered, “Dottie, I didn’t do nothin’ I was just tellin’ her that we needed money. We ain’t got nothin’ and she’s got everthing….”
“ Just be quiet. Billy Joe, you ain’t no smarter than them chickens out there in the yard.”
Billy Joe wasn’t going to be quiet so easily, he continued, “But Dot… she looks jus like you, even BJ said so, and what with your sister that runned off, it has to be her. It’s gotta be. She should be a helpin her kin out.”
Dorothy folded her arms over her chest, “Shut up, Billy Joe, just shut your trap. You don’t know nothin’ about nothin’. ” She looked at Shelly, “Miz Shepard, I’m real sorry about this fool here, he ain’t got no manners and he ain’t got no sense. I’m real sorry he bothered you. I ain’t got much, but could I offer you a glass of water or something?”
Shelly shook her head, she believed the woman’s outrage and didn’t think she was involved in her husband’s attempt at bribery. “No thank you, we’re fine. But, could you please explain to me why you would think I was related to you. I’m afraid I don’t understand.”
Dorothy shrugged her shoulders and sighed. “I
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