Jr Goes To Town
Mable taught Jr to never accept rides with strangers, but not for the reasons you might think.
Previously, It Is What It Is.
Jimmy was driving down the road one afternoon when he spotted his neighbor, Jr, walking along the side of the road. “Hey Jr,” he shouted over the sound of his pick-up. The truck was very loud as Jimmy had installed straight pipes. “Need a ride?”
“Maw told me never ride with strangers,” Jr answered.
“But we’re not strangers,” Jimmy shouted. “We grew up together. We even rode the short bus to school together.”
“You’re stranger ‘n me,” Jr shouted.
“Fine,” Jimmy shouted as he sped away in a cloud of dust and rocks.
A few minutes later Jordy came driving up beside and shouted, “Need a ride?”
“Maw told me never ride with strangers,” Jr replied as he continued walking towards town.
“I’m not a stranger,” Jordy shouted.
“You’re stranger ‘n me,” Jr shouted. Jordy just shook his head and drove slowly away thinking Jr might change his mind, but Jr just kept walking towards town.
A little ways on down the road, Shirley spotted Jr and said to Kathy, “We should stop and pick Jr up.”
“You’re right,” Kathy agreed as she slowed the car alongside Jr. “Hey Sweetheart, want a lift?”
“No thanks,” Jr answered. “Maw told me never ride with strangers.”
“But we’re not strangers, Honey,” Shirley laughed. “We’re friends of your mother.”
“I know,” Jr agreed, “but Maw said no riding with strangers.”
“But we’re not strangers,” Kathy grinned.
“You’re stranger ‘n me,” Jr disagreed. The girls drove quietly away laughing at what Jr had just said.
When Earnest returned home from bailing hay and saw Jr was nowhere to be seen, he asked, “Where’s Jr, why ain’t he inside?”
“Jr decided to walk to town,” Mable replied.
“What time was that?” Earnest asked.
“About 5:00,” Mable answered.
“And you let him go?” Earnest asked in earnest. “It’ll be dark afore he gets there. I can’t believe you let him go.”
“He’ll be fine,” Mable replied.
“I’m gonna go fetch him,” Earnest said as he walked out the door shaking his head in disgust.
“I knew he’d be fine,” Mable giggled as Earnest drove away. “Earnest is such a good father to that boy.”
Continued in Beggar’s Toe.
