about
him, like we’d met. Only, I was certain we hadn’t. He glared my
way, tears streaking down his face. I stared his way, tears streaking
down mine as well.
I turned back around, just as they were lowering her into the
ground, the iced tea glasses making there way around. The toast
was said by Jeeves, of all people. “Rest in peace, Miss Jackson,”
he said, with a wry smile. “Or at least let those around you get
some.” I chuckled, as did Pearl. Probably the first joke he ever
made, and, wouldn’t you know it, it was at a funeral.
southeRn FRied 43
Still, not everyone was laughing as the coffin hit rock bottom,
so to speak.
It was then that the stranger’s bawling turned to caterwauling
and then to flat out hysterics. “You can’t go!” he shouted, breaking
through our little group before kneeling at the edge of the grave.
“Not yet!” he added, somewhat cryptically, I thought. I mean, she
was old. Way old. And she’d done everything she’d set out to do,
far as I knew. What did she have yet to do? Plus, who was he to be
going on like that? And, yikes, where was he going?
Meaning, one minute he was staring over the edge and the
next he was gone. Plunk . Yep, with all of us staring on in disbelief,
he dropped right on down, landing on top of the casket, which
he then began to claw at. I know this because I moved in to
watch, scratching my head all the while, my iced tea gulped down,
the glass set to the ground. I mean, yes, the man had clearly lost
his senses, but no use letting that fine tea go to waste.
Pearl came over to my side and craned her ample neck down,
too. “Ain’t gonna bring her back, son,” she tried telling him.
Which probably wasn’t the best choice of words, seeing as
he doubled up on his sobbing and carrying on. And clawing at
all that expensive wood. So I tried something next. “Uh,” I said,
squatting now and staring over the edge. “You know, Granny
hated scenes.”
Well now, wouldn’t you know it, that stopped him cold. He
turned to look up, locking eyes with me yet again, his stare sharp
as daggers. “What would you know about it? Ain’t like you been to
see her in all this time,” he spat, briefly pausing with his carrying
on. Briefly. Because then he went right on back to it.
I stood, confused at what he’d said. How would he know
where I was or wasn’t all those years? Just who the hell was he,
anyway?
But, again, I wasn’t about to find out. Least not yet. Because
right about then the police pulled up, their car at the edge of the
grass, lights flashing. The preacher must’ve called them, I figured,
seeing as we hadn’t. And it wasn’t as if any of us where about to
44 Rob Rosen
jump in the grave after him. As I had said, Granny hated scenes.
As did we all. At least not in public. It just wasn’t very southern.
The police obviously had the same misgivings. Still, someone
had to get him out of there, and it might as well have been them,
especially since we were all hollering at them to do just that, the
preacher the loudest. I mean, yes, he might’ve been creepy, but
he was still the Lord’s right hand man, so it probably wasn’t good
to ignore him for very long.
Thankfully, the police relented soon enough and jumped in
after the stranger. Took them several minutes, but they managed
to yank him free. Kicking and squirming, he fought them, but
eventually they managed to lift him up and toss him out. Which is
when, like I warned you about earlier, he was carted away, leaving
us all there in utter shock and confusion.
“What was that all about?” I managed.
“Beats me,” replied Pearl. “I mean, I done loved your Granny,
but I ain’t about to jump in there with her.” She pointed down to
the now silent grave. “Though the tea was a nice touch.”
I nodded. “Hit the spot.”
We all turned as the dirt started getting tossed in. None of us
had the heart to watch. Instead, we walked toward
him, like we’d met. Only, I was certain we hadn’t. He glared my
way, tears streaking down his face. I stared his way, tears streaking
down mine as well.
I turned back around, just as they were lowering her into the
ground, the iced tea glasses making there way around. The toast
was said by Jeeves, of all people. “Rest in peace, Miss Jackson,”
he said, with a wry smile. “Or at least let those around you get
some.” I chuckled, as did Pearl. Probably the first joke he ever
made, and, wouldn’t you know it, it was at a funeral.
southeRn FRied 43
Still, not everyone was laughing as the coffin hit rock bottom,
so to speak.
It was then that the stranger’s bawling turned to caterwauling
and then to flat out hysterics. “You can’t go!” he shouted, breaking
through our little group before kneeling at the edge of the grave.
“Not yet!” he added, somewhat cryptically, I thought. I mean, she
was old. Way old. And she’d done everything she’d set out to do,
far as I knew. What did she have yet to do? Plus, who was he to be
going on like that? And, yikes, where was he going?
Meaning, one minute he was staring over the edge and the
next he was gone. Plunk . Yep, with all of us staring on in disbelief,
he dropped right on down, landing on top of the casket, which
he then began to claw at. I know this because I moved in to
watch, scratching my head all the while, my iced tea gulped down,
the glass set to the ground. I mean, yes, the man had clearly lost
his senses, but no use letting that fine tea go to waste.
Pearl came over to my side and craned her ample neck down,
too. “Ain’t gonna bring her back, son,” she tried telling him.
Which probably wasn’t the best choice of words, seeing as
he doubled up on his sobbing and carrying on. And clawing at
all that expensive wood. So I tried something next. “Uh,” I said,
squatting now and staring over the edge. “You know, Granny
hated scenes.”
Well now, wouldn’t you know it, that stopped him cold. He
turned to look up, locking eyes with me yet again, his stare sharp
as daggers. “What would you know about it? Ain’t like you been to
see her in all this time,” he spat, briefly pausing with his carrying
on. Briefly. Because then he went right on back to it.
I stood, confused at what he’d said. How would he know
where I was or wasn’t all those years? Just who the hell was he,
anyway?
But, again, I wasn’t about to find out. Least not yet. Because
right about then the police pulled up, their car at the edge of the
grass, lights flashing. The preacher must’ve called them, I figured,
seeing as we hadn’t. And it wasn’t as if any of us where about to
44 Rob Rosen
jump in the grave after him. As I had said, Granny hated scenes.
As did we all. At least not in public. It just wasn’t very southern.
The police obviously had the same misgivings. Still, someone
had to get him out of there, and it might as well have been them,
especially since we were all hollering at them to do just that, the
preacher the loudest. I mean, yes, he might’ve been creepy, but
he was still the Lord’s right hand man, so it probably wasn’t good
to ignore him for very long.
Thankfully, the police relented soon enough and jumped in
after the stranger. Took them several minutes, but they managed
to yank him free. Kicking and squirming, he fought them, but
eventually they managed to lift him up and toss him out. Which is
when, like I warned you about earlier, he was carted away, leaving
us all there in utter shock and confusion.
“What was that all about?” I managed.
“Beats me,” replied Pearl. “I mean, I done loved your Granny,
but I ain’t about to jump in there with her.” She pointed down to
the now silent grave. “Though the tea was a nice touch.”
I nodded. “Hit the spot.”
We all turned as the dirt started getting tossed in. None of us
had the heart to watch. Instead, we walked toward
Similar Books
