Sugar and Wine

Chapter 2

"Ah, that's okay, Mrs. Arnold. I know he's only joking. It's nice of y'all to have me over to eat anyway. Otherwise, I'd be going into town to eat at the Quincy's or Pizza Hut or something. It's much nicer to have a home cooked meal than that stuff they speed cook at the restaurants."

"Why, of course it is, Justin dear," Mrs. Arnold says setting down her long wooden spoon and wiping her hands on her apron decorated with a scene depicting rows of sunflowers and grassy hills.

Justin beams as he studies the petite plump woman as she wipes flour off her round nose and chin with a cloth then pushes locks of gray hair out of her eyes replacing them in the fat bun atop her head. She nods towards the round wooden table in the corner saying, "You two men can go on and have a seat now. I've got everything set out on the table. Charlie don't forget to roll up your sleeves before you start eating now. I don't want to have to take that shirt to the dry cleaners if it gets stained like the last time. There are just some things I can't do here in the regular wash."

"Yes, Mother," Mr. Arnold responds as he takes Justin's elbow and guides him to the table.

Sitting down in the corner, chills run up his spine as bits of cold air seep in from the windows behind him. As long as he'd lived in the South, he'd never adjusted to the weather shift beginning in late August to early September since the humidity's constant presence in the summer disappeared at night closer to the fall. It made a short sleeve shirt and khaki's like he was wearing now and wore most of the time less comfortable in the evenings than what the Arnold's, who were dressed in flannel shirts and overalls, were wearing.

As Mrs. Arnold takes a seat between them, they all wait silently for Mr. Arnold to roll up his sleeves. Then they bow their heads and close their eyes as Mr. Arnold recites the Lord's Prayer.

He finishes the blessing of the meal by saying, "Thank you dear Lord for this food that we are about to receive. Please bless today and tomorrow's work. Please let the weather be good to the crops this year. And, thank you for the company you bring us tonight. May he accomplish all he needs to while he's here, and may he arrive safely back home when he is through. Amen."

"Amen," Mrs. Arnold and Justin repeat simultaneously.

Lifting their heads, Mrs. Arnold says, "Here you go, Justin."

Justin stares into her ice blue eyes and grins as she hands him a white porcelain bowl filled with homemade mashed potatoes. He piles several spoonfuls onto his plate, then grins again as she hands him a deep boat of brown gravy.

They repeat the process with hot buttered corn, green beans, fried chicken and biscuits. Finally, Mrs. Arnold passes around a glass pitcher of milk filling up three large glasses handing one to Justin and then one to her husband.

Justin starts to take a bite of fried chicken, then says, "This smells delicious, Mrs. Arnold. It all looks so good. I'm so--."

"Now, son. You go on and eat. You can thank me later," Mrs. Arnold says filling her tiny mouth with a huge spoonful of potatoes and gravy.

"Yep, you go on and eat now," Mr. Arnold says as he takes a bite of chicken then chomps into a biscuit dripping with butter.

Watching them both for a couple of seconds, Justin gnaws into the chicken his mouth salivating with every chew.

Almost an hour later, they push back from the table only to have Mrs. Arnold shoo them from the kitchen telling them she wants them out of there so she can clean up. They retreat into the small Living Room leaving her to her work. Plopping down in an overstuffed chair, Mr. Arnold watches as Justin plunks down on a brown leather recliner beside him.