She was so excited about us taking her out, you would have thought it was the first time she’d ever ate in public. Before Milton even steered the truck onto the main highway, she started spewing more trash talk than a junkman. “I was flabbergasted when y’all invited me to go out for supper. I have to admit, and I hope y’all don’t take this the wrong way, but I thought y’all would choose one of the chicken shacks or rib joints on the lower south side. I’m so glad we’re not going to a restaurant in Mobile. That city scares me. A lot of the convicts end up there when they get out of prison.” Joyce glanced out the window for a few moments and then she shifted in her seat next to the passenger window. She looked around inside the truck cab, frowning and shaking her head. I was not surprised when she ran her finger across the dashboard before she went on. “I sure wish we could have ridden in something better than this dusty, tobacco-smelling old truck. I thought y’all were going to borrow Mr. Cunningham’s truck.”

“We was, but he had some relatives show up unannounced on foot today. He had to keep his truck in case he had to haul them around,” I explained.

“Oh. The next time we go out to eat, we’ll have to make sure it’s when Odell is available. That way we can go in a decent vehicle. He keeps his spotless and fresh smelling. Just like everything else he owns.”

I didn’t feel like listening to this cow complain about anything else, or brag about Odell. I decided to take the conversation in another direction. “At first, we even talked about cooking supper for you at home. Them restaurants can be so expensive. And, as you know, we been having some serious money problems lately.”

“We don’t have to go out. I’d be just as happy if y’all treated me to a home-cooked meal,” she said. “Oh well. It’s probably too late to do it for this evening, but some other time would be okay. The only thing is, I’d like to choose what y’all cook. Odell and I eat enough possum and squirrel meat at my parents’ house.”

“No, no, no,” I chanted. “After we thought a little more about cooking something at home, we decided to do something more personal. With all the traffic in and out of our house, a supper there wouldn’t be as much fun. Other people would want to eat, and it wouldn’t be as special as eating out. Besides that, me and Milton cook every day. It’s a treat to us when somebody else do all the cooking.”