CHAPTER 2
"Call Mr.Garon down for breakfast, said Mandy, Garon's
live-in nanny, cook, housekeeper, Mandy was a short, and what Garon called
"pleasantly plump", a black woman who could cook the best southern food in all
this part of the country.
Garon just adored Mandy. He wouldn't let
anyone put her down and would stand up to defend her just as he would his own
mother. Garon finally came down the stairs sleepily as if he was sleepwalking.
"Now here I done spent my morning over a hot stove fixin' all this here
food, and you plan on disrespecting
this here ol' black woman by showin' up
late for your own breakfast?"
At the sight of ol' Mandy's face,
Garon's eyes seemed to light up and shine like two lone stars. He walked over to
Mandy, arms outreached, and gave Mandy a kiss on her cheek. "Now Mandy," said
Garon
"You know I wouldn't miss eating this wonderful breakfast and spending
this beautiful sunny morning with you."
Garon sat down at his place at
the table. Set before him was the breakfast Mandy had prepared. A mile of food
reached from one end of the table to the other. Sausage, gravy, biscuits, butter
and jellies, corn grits, fried potatoes, corn beef hash, bacon, baked ham,
cinnamon baked apples, and of course..orange juice and coffee.
The room was filled with Garon's
close friends and entourage, which was dubbed Garon's Rhinestone's by a
newspaper, because of the way they seemed to shine when they were around Garon.
They had been with Garon since the beginning and seemed to always be there. They
are there too often,
thought Garon. Lately Garon had
realized that life just wasn't as great for him as everyone thought.
"Well, let's eat !" Said Garon. getting his mind off that subject. With
enthusiastic approval, they all grabbed a plate and swarmed over the food like
hungry vultures over a dead oppossum or rabbit.
By the time everyone got
what they wanted and sat down, the fried potatoes were gone and the gravy was
cold. Garon got what he could, but he was still disappointed. He could easily
have Mandy cook him up some more, but he decided not to.
"I had that
dream again last night" said Garon. "You mean the one about your mom and
Gracie?" asked Chuck, a close friend of Garon's. "That's the one, I still can't
figure it out." said Garon to Chuck.
"You know, " said Chuck. "Your'e
starting to aggravate us all with that stupid dream."
"Excuse me?" asked
Garon.
"Wer'e just kinda tired of hearing about it, that's all." answered
Chuck.
"Get out! Said Garon.
"Huh?"
"I said 'Get out!' " yelled
Garon.
"But---but, Garon, I..." stuttered Chuck.
"You heard me! Get
out!" ordered Garon once again.
Finally, Chuck quietly got up and left.
At the same time, like a big pouting baby, Garon left the table.
"I'm going
upstairs," he said on his way out of the living room.
"Everybody just
leave me alone right now. Oh, and Willy, Go out and catch Chuck before he
leaves. And let this be a lesson to all of you."
Then he continued
ascending the stairs to the Master bedroom, where he once again had that same,
haunting dream.