didn’t rightly understand me. . . . I was referring to your wife as the Old Gray Mare. . . . I mean she ain’t what she used to be what with all them carbuncles and cataracts and chilblains and haemorrhoids and aftosa.’
‘“ Yas, Doc, Liz is right sickly. Never was the same after her eleventh miscarriaging. . . . There was something right strange about that. Doc Ferris he told me straight, he said: “Arch, ‘tain’t fitting you should see that critter.” And he gives me a long look made my flesh i
crawl. . . . Well, you sure said it right, Doc. She ain’t what she used to be. And your medicines don’t seem to ease her none. In fact, she ain’t been able to tell
night from day since using them eye drops you sold her last month. . . . But, Doc, you oughtta know I wouldn’t be humping Liz, the old cow, meaning no disrespect to
the mother of my dead monsters. Not when I got that sweet little ol’ fifteen year old thing. . . .You know that yaller girl used to work in Marylou’s Hair Straightening
and Skin Bleach Parlor over in Nigga town.’
“ ‘Getting that dark chicken meat, Arch? Gettin’ that coon pone?
” ‘Gettin’ it steady, Doc. Gettin’ it steady. Well, feller say duty is goosing me. Gotta get back to the old crank case.’
“ ‘I’ll bet she needs a grease job worst way.’
“ ‘Doc, she sure is a dry hole. . . . Well, thanks for the paregoric.’
“ ‘And thanks for the trade, Arch. . . . He he he . . . Say, Archy boy, some night when you get caught short with a rusty load drop around and have a drink of Yohimbiny with me.’