SON OF HADLEYVILLE NIGHTS: 6.CHEZ HIGH TOPS Last night Frankie and I went over to High Tops for supper. Now, High Top usually isnt too big on hosting family gatherings, but hed agreed to it this time. Mr. Bass stayed home. He says that since he cant drink or smoke any more, partying and night-time galas just dont have the appeal they used to have. Anyway, most of the family was present--siblings and spouses. Of course, my sister Villettes husband Elbert wasnt there and conversing about that made for some interesting table talk. Elbert, who used to be an English professor at a small college in the area, always was an odd bird by family standards. However, since he’s not a serial killer or axe murderer, it makes his incarceration easier to joke about. A while back, Elbert got charged with harassment by a couple of female students and by a faculty member. Then, in the course of that investigation, it all got stickier still. Not only had there been misuse of some student club funds he was overseeing, but also misuse of departmental funds and a school car. Anyway, Elbert has ended up doing some time. I think Elberts been behaving himself, although maybe acting a little puffed-up and trying to put on a front. Elberts like that. Recently, something happened. It seems that two or three of his fellow inmates decided to stage an escape, which turned out to be successful, and they took Elbert along as either a hostage or because they thought hed be such a big help to then. Villettes been very worried that theyre going to turn up at her place, wanting sanctuary. Shes obsessed about that a lot. Well, all that aside, the main point of the get-together last night turned out to be Mr. Bass. The others were wondering if Frankie and I would mind going on staying at his house for a while. It’s not like weve got another house built yet. Since Frankie decided to torch my old house, hoping to smoke Elz out (Actually, hoping to burn him to a crisp.), we’ve been without any roof over our heads, except borrowed ones. Frankie said wed have to think about it a little. I had to speak up then, because Id just gotten an offer from a man from out of town, who was wanting to buy my former house place in order to put up a building out there. Antietam Mooney. I asked him about the name. He said that someone in each generation of his family got the name, and his folks had drawn the short straw. I suspected he probably has a nickname, but I didnt ask him. Once again, Frankie said she figured wed need to sleep on it. Of course, everybody had to trot out an argument, and there were some good ones. I think Frankie has gotten where she likes it pretty well, living with Daddy. One thing I think she misses from my old house is the swimming pool, so it may be shes going to put the screws to my sibs on that. Guess Ill wait and see. High Tops boys--Buddy and Charles--are grown and gone, of course, so its been just him and his wife, Mimi, for a while now. I thought Mimi was looking really well. Certainly a lot better than the last time I saw her. Of course, she still has that little facial tic (I expect that wont ever entirely go away.), but she seemed very focused during the evening, so Id bet maybe shes getting well. Time may not heal all wounds, but it can help.
Posted on: Tue, 22 Oct 2013 10:20:56 +0000
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