My parents were entering my front gate when I got there. Daddy owned a Ford Model T. It was only a few years old and he loved to drive it. But since they didn’t like to park close to “them bootleggers” one house over from me, they had taken the car home and walked. Even though they lived only a few minutes away, I didn’t think it was such a good idea for them to be roaming around on foot at night. Especially after those thugs attacked Milton last Tuesday. On top of our nice, quiet neighborhood no longer being safe, Daddy’s arthritis was so bad, he had to walk with two canes. Mama dragged along with gouty feet and stiff knees, and she complained about a few ailments I’d never heard of. I worried about them as much as they worried about me.

“I see you didn’t waste no time falling back in with them bootleggers,” Daddy griped in his booming voice. He had lost every strand of his hair years ago, but he still waxed his head with pomade every day. I had inherited his small black eyes, narrow face, and height. Mama’s best features were her pearly white teeth and big brown eyes. Even though they were at least seventy pounds overweight each, they were still attractive for elderly people.

“Oh, Daddy, don’t start up on that again,” I scolded. “Y’all come on in and have some elderberry wine.”

“Buttermilk would suit us better. We drunk enough wine at supper with Sister and Brother Blake,” Mama said with a grimace and a mighty burp.

When we got inside, Daddy started looking around. “Girl, don’t you get lonesome spending weekends by yourself?” he asked, dropping down into the wing chair facing the couch. His massive weight made the chair legs squeak and wobble.

“You’ve asked me that a thousand times before,” I complained.

“So, now it’s a thousand and one times,” he snapped, wagging one of his canes at me.

“I’m used to Odell spending the weekends with his daddy. When I do get lonesome, I visit my neighbors.”

“Joyce, why don’t you get a cat or a dog to keep you company?” Mama suggested. She plopped down on the arm of the chair Daddy occupied and it squeaked and wobbled some more. She snorted and added, “Then you won’t have to spend too much time with them bootleggers.”

“Mama, Daddy, how many times do I have to tell y’all that they are two of our closest friends? They just got out of jail. I had to go over and let them know I was concerned about them. If Odell and I were the ones arrested, I’m sure they would have done the same thing for us.”