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But Minas and Branwyn didnt know anything about the
kitchen table and its special status. As a matter of fact, Branwyn
thought that it was probably the worst seat in the house, being in the
noisy kitchen and all, but she was willing to sit there because of that
note of deep need in Minass voice when he declared his hunger.
Minas asked for ribs, but Fontanot told him that if
he was hungry he wanted the restaurants special smoked sausages.
Sausages stick to your ribs, boy," the big chef
declared. An what will you have, Miss Beerman?"
I dont eat much meat," she admitted with a slight
bow of her head.
Minas thought that she was such a kind woman that she
was afraid that her appetite would somehow bruise Fontanots feelings.
I got catfish come up evry day from Lake Charles,
Louisiana," Fontanot said. Theys a farm down there where they
introduce wild fish every six weeks. You know, the big catfish farms got
they fish so inbred that you might as well callem sole."
This made Branwyn laugh.
Minas looked at the young, beautiful woman and
wondered where she could have possibly come from. He was about to ask
her, when Fontanot put a big oval plate of steaming sausages in front of
him. One bite and Minas couldnt stop eating. The sauce was extremely
spicy-hot, and so the doctor ate plenty of bread and downed glass after
glass of ice water through the meal. But he didnt turn away the second
plate when Fontanot placed it in front of him. Something about Branwyns
company and the kitchen and loud, loud Ira Fontanot made the doctor
ravenous.
Branwyn picked at her catfish, which was very good,
and watched the heart surgeon eat. She imagined that he probably hadnt
had a good meal since the day his wife died.
Rich white doctor or no, she thought, its
an unlucky star that shone down on this mans backyard.
Im not usually such a pig, Miss Beerman," Minas
said when he noticed her smiling at him.
Appetite aint nuthin to be shamed of, Doctor," she
said. I wish that I could see my son eat like you."
You should see my boy, Miss Beerman," Minas replied.
He sucks down formula by the quart. When he cries its almost as loud
as Mr. Fontanot here."
Maybe hell be a singer," Ira Fontanot said. Thats
what I always wanted to be. But my voice was too strong, and they made
me lip-synch in the church choir."
Thats awful," Branwyn said. A boy or a girl should
always be let to sing. When you gonna sing but when youre a child?"
And who has more reason?" Minas added.
The three were silent a moment, appreciating how much
in line their thinking was.
More sausages, Minas?" Fontanot asked.
I wouldnt be able to get in behind the wheel if I
had them, Ira."
Hows your fish?" the big cook asked Branwyn.
The best Ive ever eaten," she said. But dont tell
my mama I said that."
BACK IN THE CAR, Minas related a long and
convoluted joke about a poor woman who fooled a banker into being the
shill for a hoax she was pulling on a fancy-pants lawyer.
The story took so long to tell that he had driven to
her apartment building and parked in front of the door again before it
was through.
Branwyn liked a good story, and she was happy at the
end when the trick made her laugh and laugh.
Thats really beautiful," Minas Nolan said.
Copyright © 2006 by Walter Mosley
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