“Meadows? Have you ever known me to lie? You of all people should remember, I’m a real bad liar. Couldn’t keep a secret if my life depended on it. Which it did. Several times. Funny, I figure that’s why I’ve lived so long. I basically don’t give two shits about most of the things most people do. Seems I have a different kind of pride from others. So, if Clyde had horns and a tail and could play organ music out his butthole, wouldn’t have bothered me a bit. If I loved him. And I did. In my own way and time, I was nuts for the guy. As mad for him as you were. And I saw how mad you were for him. I know….” She faltered around something, coughed once, proceeded through it. “And I know, son, nobody ever loved anybody the way he loved you. Ev-er. Got so I felt jealous. Even when I had my lover in the house. Jealous of you two being out loose in the world without me. Those motels, you made them sound like early Disneyland. All the news you two came home with. All those loonies you collected. Remember the one that brought the plant by taxi clear from the coast? And you think I’d now be scared to admit marrying a husband who had one type blood or other? Grow the fuck up. You’re still basically such a squirt. I was afraid of that. Look, you—my father’s family is the one rumored to’ve had somebody frisky in the woodpile. And not too many generations back. Have you noticed how I take the sun? Never had a bit of ‘surgery,’ I’ve never shriveled up like most the old Naugahyde white-broads down here. And it ain’t ‘Cherokee,’ honey. If you’d ever seen my dad’s youngest sister’s hair and features, you’d believe the rumors. Meadows, their family’d walk into stores and clerks would always hand her the heavy parcels. Got so she wised up, stayed home, upstairs. She’s not in any of the photographs. And nobody begged her, either. I don’t know many ‘good’ old Southern families don’t have some of this. So if you’re a black, it’s probably likelier on my side, Mr. Bean Counter Professor!