A Piggly Wiggly Wedding by Robert Dalby

Author:Robert Dalby
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group

9.

“HEART AND SOUL”

It was no coincidence that Delta Sunset Village just outside Greenwood reminded everyone of Mount Vernon—with a couple of extra floors and a few cypress knees in the front yard thrown into the mix. The Memphis owners of the state-of-the-art retirement home with its assisted-living and memory-care wings were relentless in their pursuit of flag-waving Americana. They had also built two condo developments over on Lake Ferguson with all the units resembling scaled-down versions of either Monti cello or Jefferson Davis’s home, Beauvoir, down in Biloxi; and then a singles apartment complex modeled after the Alamo that was within a great tee shot of Tunica’s largest casinos; and finally a theme park near Vicksburg with a concrete mock-up of Mount Rushmore that had been poured into the side of one of the many loess bluffs that characterized the area’s topography.

“I know the home looks a little like a Hollywood set on the outside, but it’s really quite unique inside,” Gaylie Girl was saying to Mr. Choppy as he pulled into a parking space near the white-columned front entrance. He had driven her car over on this sultry Sunday morning from Second Creek, leading a veritable motorcade that included the rest of the Nitwitts, Powell Hampton, Euterpe—without her poodle, for once—and finally Amanda, Petey, and Meta Belford bringing up the rear in Mr. Choppy’s Dodge.

“The important thing is the quality of care Wittsie is getting round the clock. The staff is no-nonsense and prepared to deal with any health crisis that arises. That’s really the only thing that helps me keep my emotions under control whenever I come over to visit her,” Gaylie Girl continued. “I can pull a cord, and someone appears like magic.”

Mr. Choppy unhooked his seat belt. “Well, I sure hope they have plenty of food for everyone. Judgin’ by last night’s progressive dinner, this crowd can really put it away.”

Gaylie Girl soon joined him in the parking lot, watching the rest of the Nitwitts emerge from their cars all atwitter and dressed in their Sunday best. “That’s been taken care of. We’ve reserved a private dining room and ordered up some extras, including small glasses of watered-down champagne. Of course, in true Nitwitt fashion some of the girls were lobbying for the full-strength variety, but the staff said no, better not tempt fate with all the people wandering around on medication during mealtime, including our dear Wittsie.”

Several minutes later, everyone had gathered in the spacious lobby of the facility, and there was a healthy amount of stargazing for those who had never been under its roof before. The first thing that caught the eye was a mini-atrium that reached all the way up to the third floor, supported by four white columns that echoed the style on the façade outside. In the exact center of the room was the elegant grand piano where Gaylie Girl and Laurie’s duet would later be staged. On the wall to the right was a large, high-definition TV monitor displaying the extensive Sunday brunch menu.

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