Barbara Kingsolver by Prodigal summer: a novel

Author:Prodigal summer: a novel [novel, Prodigal summer: a]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, General, Fiction - General, Domestic fiction, Classics, Natural history - Appalachian Region; Southern, Appalachian Region; Southern, Farm life, Mountain life
ISBN: 9780060959036
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2001-08-15T05:00:00+00:00

224

{ P r o d i g a l S u m m e r }

Lois snorted, breathing smoke out her nose like a dragon.

“After the second bottle of that stuff, turpentine’d taste pure wonderful, I expect.”

Lusa watched the sisters volley, surprised that they could be as

mean about their own husbands and each other’s as they’d ever been

toward her. Cole had always insisted that she took his family too

personally. She’d never had brothers or sisters of her own, only parents who said “please” and “thank you” to each other and to the

child they’d produced late in life and never quite known how to

handle. Maybe Cole had been right. She’d never experienced

rough-and-tumble, the sharper edges of family love.

She walked down toward the chicken house, deciding to investigate whatever it was that was biting these men as the serpent. They

were engaged in the kind of cheerful, energetic argument that

tends to happen when all present are agreed and the enemy is absent. Farm policy and government stupidity, most likely. But maybe

not. “Blevins would lie, though,” Herb was saying. “He’d lie

quicker than a dog can lick a plate.”

“Howdy, gentlemen,” she called from a decent distance as she

approached, just in case they were about to say something they

wouldn’t want her to hear. It embarrassed them to death if they let

slip even so much as a “hell” or “damn” in her presence.

“Hey there, Miz Widener,” Big Rickie called to her. “I have a

crow to pick with you!”

His friendliness caught her off guard. This crow didn’t seem very

threatening. “What is it now, those cows I sold you and Joel? Did

they all run off already? I warned you they were fence jumpers.”

“No ma’am, them cattle are behaving just fine, thank you. But

now we leased them cattle, a percentage on the calves, let’s don’t forget. We don’t owe you unless they all get busy and get theirselves in

the family way this winter.”

“I recall the terms, and I gave those girls their instructions.”

Lusa smiled. Rickie and Joel had made her a good deal, and she

knew it.

225

{ B A R B A R A K I N G S O L V E R }

“No, now, our contention is with your antitobacco policy.”

“My what? Oh, I see. You’ve got me chalked up as the enemy

of the small farmer.”

Rickie hid his cigarette quickly behind his back. Herb, Joel,

Frank, and Herb’s son all followed suit. “No ma’am,” Big Rickie

said. “We’ve got you chalked up with Miss Butcher, our tenthgrade shop teacher. She used to throw screwdrivers at us when she

caught us smoking.”

“A woman, you had for a shop teacher? A Miss Butcher? I can’t

believe that.”

“God’s honest truth,” Frank said. “I had her, Rickie and Joel

had her, and Herb’s boy here did, too. By the time she retired she

was somewheres around a hundred years old, and missing three fingers.”

“She should live to a hundred and twenty,” Lusa said. “Look at

you. Despite her years of trial, you’re all still smoking like chimneys.

Where’s my screwdriver?”

They ducked their heads like little boys. Lusa felt amazed to be

the center of their attention.

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