Eat, Drink, and Be From Mississippi by Nanci Kincaid

Author:Nanci Kincaid [KINCAID, NANCI]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FIC000000
ISBN: 9780316041027
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Published: 2009-01-06T05:00:00+00:00

GOA HOUSE WAS CROWDED as always, but they got a table after a short wait. As the three of them circled the buffet table Truely noticed that Arnold had not served himself anything except rice. “Don’t recognize nothing else,” Arnold said.

“Well.” Truely began to point to the various dishes. “This is chickpeas. I know that. It’s good too. And this is spinach with yogurt right here. It’s good. And that is some kind of cabbage with a curry powder on it. And that red meat is tandoori chicken. This is lamb with some vegetables or something. Cauliflower I think.”

Arnold looked at him with an expression of betrayal.

“Just try it,” he said. “It won’t kill you.”

Arnold tentatively took a tandoori drumstick.

“No guts, no glory,” Courtney teased.

Indian music was playing and the lights were dim. They sat down at their table and Courtney said, “I love Indian food. Try this, Arnold.” She handed him a piece of naan. “I know you’ll like this. Us Mississippi types — we like our starches.”

Arnold tasted the bread, then tore a larger piece. “Pretty good,” he said.

“So, Arnold” — Courtney paused, bowed her head and asked a silent blessing — “tell us about yourself.”

“What you want to know?” He was barely nibbling at his tandoori chicken.

“I don’t know. What were you doing this time last year?”

“Nothing.”

“You had to be doing something, didn’t you?”

“No,” he said. “Wasn’t doing nothing.”

“He was going to high school down in San Diego,” Truely said. “He quit to come up here.”

“Really?” Courtney was interested.

“Truely act like quitting school about the same as shooting yourself in the head. But that school was no good. I wasn’t learning nothing. I figured it would be easier to just come on up here and get my GED.”

“Why up here though?” Courtney asked.

“Free place to stay — over at Shauna’s. Job opportunity at the furniture company. Suleeta, she thought it do me good to get away from down there, get off on my own and see how I like it.”

“So, how do you like it?”

“Not too much so far.”

“What about your mother? What did she think about you leaving?”

“She don’t care.”

“Really?”

“Like I told Truely. My mama got some issues. Everybody got issues, right?”

“I know I do,” Courtney said.

“What kind of issues you got?”

“Did Truely tell you my husband left me?”

“No.” Arnold looked at Courtney with new interest. “Why he leave you?”

“Another woman,” she said. “Younger. Got two little boys.”

“You mad?” Arnold asked.

“I’m sort of torn between wanting to kill him and wanting to forgive him.”

“You better forgive him then,” Arnold advised.

Courtney laughed her deep, rich laugh. “Out of the mouth of babes.” She patted Arnold’s arm. “You’re right, baby.”

“You don’t seem too miserable.” Arnold looked at Truely. “She don’t seem miserable, does she? Lots of women, when a man does them wrong, they act miserable.”

“I have my moments,” Courtney said. “Believe me.”

“Must be a dumb man,” Arnold said. “I don’t see why he want to leave you.”

“Isn’t that the truth,” Truely echoed.

“You two are sweet.” Courtney leaned over and kissed Arnold’s cheek.

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