having Lurleen Ashton here won’t exactly make things any better.”
Lurleen was the co-owner of Hog Heaven, the leading competitor to Aunt Pat’s. Her gung ho, cheerleading, way-too-sunny attitude made Lulu want to throw up.
She appeared to have a bunch of colorful flyers in her hands. “Miss Adrian?” she asked brightly, adroitly blocking Rebecca’s attempted huffy escape. “Just making sure you’re good and hungry. Because when you pop in down the street to Hog Heaven, you’re going to have some of the best barbeque ribs you’ve ever put in your mouth. I was just wondering when you might be coming by today. You know, so I can lay out the red carpet and everything.”
Lulu made a shooing motion at both of them. Lurleen smiled sweetly at her and followed Rebecca, who was only too delighted to push her way out the screen door.
Big Ben shivered, even though the weather outside had warmed up to nearly eighty degrees. “I got a funny feeling about what happened, Buddy. A goose walked over my grave.”
Buddy said, “I know what you mean. That little thing is one wicked person. She’s about as deep as a Dixie cup.”
“I don’t feel much like going home by myself. What’re you doing this afternoon? Waving at cars?”
“No, I don’t feel too much like waving. Seems a little jaunty, under the circumstances. No, I think I’ll head home and watch the Weather Channel for a while.”
“That so?” Big Ben brightened. “I do like the Weather Channel.”
Buddy nodded sagely. “It’s the most excitement you can find on television. Floods, tornadoes, droughts, snow . . . all on the same day in the same country. It’s good stuff.”
“Might be good enough to try out that fancy wine you’ve been holding on to?”
“The Domaine Vincent Dauvissat Chablis Les Preuses?”
“That very one.”
“Watching the Weather Channel,” said Buddy soberly, “is not a special occasion.”
Big Ben’s jowly face fell even further.
“I still have some of the sweet tea left over from the other day, though.”
Big Ben pushed up from the table and hitched up his trousers. “Let’s go!”
Tony the camera man walked out of the men’s room and up to Ben. “Where’s Rebecca?” Ben pointed to the door, and Tony said “What? She’s gone?” He looked through the window in time to see the Cooking Channel van passing Beale Street.
He shrugged. “Might as well enjoy some lunch.” He hopped up on a lunch stool.
“I’m so sorry, Tony,” said Lulu. “I ran Rebecca off. I’d totally forgotten that she was your ride. This plate is on me.” She rubbed her hand against the side of her face. “Can we give you a ride after lunch?”
Tony shook his head. “The Peabody is easy to walk to, Mrs. Taylor. I should get a little exercise, anyway. Not that your barbeque is fattening or anything,” he added hastily.
“Well, it wasn’t designed to be low fat.”
Tony frowned. “We were supposed to be heading over to Hog Heaven later this evening. Did she say anything about where she might be going in the meantime?”
Coco chimed in. “She told me she was really tired and wanted to nap.”
“Must need to sleep it off,” muttered Flo.
Tony said thoughtfully, “She did tie one on last night. But I don’t think I ever remember her napping in the middle of an assignment. Did, uh, anything else happen?”
Lulu sighed. “I hate to admit it, but she got under my skin, Tony. She flew off the handle at one of our customers when she accidentally spilled some tea on her. Well, I guess it was an accident, anyway. Rebecca was being so ugly to Mildred that maybe she thought a little spilled tea on Rebecca’s designer clothes would be a good idea. I fired off and told her she wasn’t welcome to come back to Aunt Pat’s. She was cutting down people in my family and some of my regulars. A Cooking Channel episode or even a series is great for a while, but if you don’t have your loyal customers, you’re
Lurleen was the co-owner of Hog Heaven, the leading competitor to Aunt Pat’s. Her gung ho, cheerleading, way-too-sunny attitude made Lulu want to throw up.
She appeared to have a bunch of colorful flyers in her hands. “Miss Adrian?” she asked brightly, adroitly blocking Rebecca’s attempted huffy escape. “Just making sure you’re good and hungry. Because when you pop in down the street to Hog Heaven, you’re going to have some of the best barbeque ribs you’ve ever put in your mouth. I was just wondering when you might be coming by today. You know, so I can lay out the red carpet and everything.”
Lulu made a shooing motion at both of them. Lurleen smiled sweetly at her and followed Rebecca, who was only too delighted to push her way out the screen door.
Big Ben shivered, even though the weather outside had warmed up to nearly eighty degrees. “I got a funny feeling about what happened, Buddy. A goose walked over my grave.”
Buddy said, “I know what you mean. That little thing is one wicked person. She’s about as deep as a Dixie cup.”
“I don’t feel much like going home by myself. What’re you doing this afternoon? Waving at cars?”
“No, I don’t feel too much like waving. Seems a little jaunty, under the circumstances. No, I think I’ll head home and watch the Weather Channel for a while.”
“That so?” Big Ben brightened. “I do like the Weather Channel.”
Buddy nodded sagely. “It’s the most excitement you can find on television. Floods, tornadoes, droughts, snow . . . all on the same day in the same country. It’s good stuff.”
“Might be good enough to try out that fancy wine you’ve been holding on to?”
“The Domaine Vincent Dauvissat Chablis Les Preuses?”
“That very one.”
“Watching the Weather Channel,” said Buddy soberly, “is not a special occasion.”
Big Ben’s jowly face fell even further.
“I still have some of the sweet tea left over from the other day, though.”
Big Ben pushed up from the table and hitched up his trousers. “Let’s go!”
Tony the camera man walked out of the men’s room and up to Ben. “Where’s Rebecca?” Ben pointed to the door, and Tony said “What? She’s gone?” He looked through the window in time to see the Cooking Channel van passing Beale Street.
He shrugged. “Might as well enjoy some lunch.” He hopped up on a lunch stool.
“I’m so sorry, Tony,” said Lulu. “I ran Rebecca off. I’d totally forgotten that she was your ride. This plate is on me.” She rubbed her hand against the side of her face. “Can we give you a ride after lunch?”
Tony shook his head. “The Peabody is easy to walk to, Mrs. Taylor. I should get a little exercise, anyway. Not that your barbeque is fattening or anything,” he added hastily.
“Well, it wasn’t designed to be low fat.”
Tony frowned. “We were supposed to be heading over to Hog Heaven later this evening. Did she say anything about where she might be going in the meantime?”
Coco chimed in. “She told me she was really tired and wanted to nap.”
“Must need to sleep it off,” muttered Flo.
Tony said thoughtfully, “She did tie one on last night. But I don’t think I ever remember her napping in the middle of an assignment. Did, uh, anything else happen?”
Lulu sighed. “I hate to admit it, but she got under my skin, Tony. She flew off the handle at one of our customers when she accidentally spilled some tea on her. Well, I guess it was an accident, anyway. Rebecca was being so ugly to Mildred that maybe she thought a little spilled tea on Rebecca’s designer clothes would be a good idea. I fired off and told her she wasn’t welcome to come back to Aunt Pat’s. She was cutting down people in my family and some of my regulars. A Cooking Channel episode or even a series is great for a while, but if you don’t have your loyal customers, you’re
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