by Douglas Young<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0At 10 o\u2019clock on a warm August morning, an old but immaculate big blue Buick slowly pulled up and parked by the front gate of the largest section in Serenity Springs Cemetery, Azalea Falls\u2019 oldest, biggest burial ground. Heavy-set, eighty-two-year-old Averilla Finney and her almost as heavy-set, eighty-year-old sister, Zabel, slowly emerged from the car, surveyed the sprawling array of graves stretching over the hill above, and sighed. Averilla\u2019s forehead was shielded from the sun by a floppy straw hat covering her jet white hair. She wore an old orange dress and carried a bouquet of artificial red and yellow flowers. Zabel\u2019s mostly white hair was covered by an Atlanta Braves baseball cap. She wore a faded yellow dress. <\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJumping Jehosaphat, Averilla. It\u2019s liable to take us all day to find that grave and it\u2019s already 80 degrees and getting hotter by the minute. We could be here till dark and still miss it,\u201d Zabel complained.<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell, it ain\u2019t our fault the sexton wasn\u2019t in his office to take us right to it.\u201d Averilla defended herself.<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAnd that\u2019s all the more reason why we oughta just come back when he is,\u201d an already exasperated Zabel replied. \u201cAnd it\u2019s Saturday, Averilla. So that man ain\u2019t gon\u2019 be here \u2019till Monday anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut you know I\u2019m fixing to leave town this afternoon, and no telling when I\u2019ll be back. Now, Zabel, you was with me the last time we visited sweet ol\u2019 Luna Laughton before her daughter took her up north to live with her family. And the last thing that dear ol\u2019 Christian lady said to us, with tears in her eyes, was to beg us to look after her baby boy Luther\u2019s grave if he died before she did. And dog if he did too. She knew he was all messed up with drink and drugs and was just a tragedy a waiting to happen. And that poor boy ain\u2019t got no close kin left in these parts, and here it is almost a year since he died and we still<\/em> ain\u2019t even visited him. I feel just terrible \u2019bout this \u2019cause we gave Luna our word, and Lord knows what kinda shape Luther\u2019s plot\u2019s liable to be in.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou mean you gave your <\/em>word,\u201d Zabel noted in a lower voice looking uphill.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell, sister,\u201d Averilla said pointing at her. \u201cNow you were there too and you sho\u2019 didn\u2019t say nothing otherwise. And I say it\u2019s a real sin and a shame when folks don\u2019t keep their word, and how sad that poor Luther likely ain\u2019t got nobody to check on his grave and visit him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYeah,\u201d Zabel said shaking her head surveying the multi-acred, hilly cemetery with thousands of graves. \u201cAnd maybe Mr. Luther should have thought of that when he was a doing all that drinking and drugging.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell,\u201d Averilla sighed. \u201cHe led a hard life and it sho\u2019 caught up with him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAll right,\u201d Zabel conceded. \u201cI know better than anyone when your mind\u2019s made up. So come on. Let\u2019s start looking. It\u2019s only getting hotter. But if we ain\u2019t found that grave by lunchtime, I\u2019m going home \u2013 and I\u2019ll walk if I have to. For goodness\u2019 sake, Averilla, you\u2019ve been retired for years. I don\u2019t see why you can\u2019t come back on a weekday when the sexton\u2019s here and he can just take us right to it. Whatever. Suit yourself\u201d She waved her hand.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell,\u201d Averilla observed. \u201cAt least we know Luther ain\u2019t buried with the Hebrews or in the colored quarters \u2013 or the Confederate section. So that\u2019s narrowing things down something considerable.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOh, yeah. I reckon that leaves us only \u2019bout eighty percent of the cemetery.\u201d Zabel shook her head.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The two old maids entered the gate and began reading the names on every tombstone. There was no consistency of gravestone architecture, and old and recent graves were often side by side, especially in family plots. Though admiring all the pretty purple, pink, and white azaleas, as well as the bright red bougainvilleas creeping over several family mausoleums, the Finney sisters most relished the mighty magnolia trees providing some coveted shade as they slowly walked uphill.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLord, with this incline, I sho\u2019 wish I\u2019d thought to bring my cane,\u201d Averilla said looking up at all the graves ahead.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell, I\u2019m happy to come back when you\u2019ve got it,\u201d Zabel stated hopefully.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo, I\u2019ll manage, seeing as how we\u2019re already here,\u201d Averilla said softly.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell, would you look at kind old Mr. Fodis Franklin buried right between both his wives.\u201d Zabel chuckled as she stood in the Franklin family plot. \u201cHe sure was a sweetheart. I used to love to go in that man\u2019s store growing up \u2019cause he always gave us a piece of candy. You remember him?\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI sho\u2019 do.\u201d Averilla nodded. \u201cHis was the only store in Azalea Falls with Bit-O-Honeys too. But, I declare, being planted right smack in the middle of your first and second wife. I just don\u2019t rightly know what to make of that. Good Lord, they look just like a mess of Mormons.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOh, fiddlesticks, sister. Momma said they was Lutherans, and it wasn\u2019t like Mr. Fodis left the first Mrs. Franklin for the second. Flora Franklin died after being eat up with cancer for years, and then he married Miss Aubrie a few years after that. And, look, all three of \u2019em are right here smack dab in the middle of the family plot. So, see, it clearly don\u2019t bother their own kin none.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell, I still say it don\u2019t look proper,\u201d Averilla pronounced pensively.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNow come on, we ain\u2019t got time to be figuring on that a spell.\u201d Zabel sighed looking at how little ground they had covered and how much more was still ahead, and all uphill.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 They continued carefully inspecting the names on each tombstone. Making the search harder was that there was no Laughton family plot, nor a separate section reserved for more recent burials.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 At the sight of a flower vase turned over or anything out of place, Averilla carefully put it back in order. She was also intrigued by all the information on the gravestones and often paused to try to make connections between the various residents and recall whether she knew them or their descendants.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNow please don\u2019t be slowing us down by fixing up each plot, Averilla.\u201d Her sister looked at her with her hands on her hips. \u201cDog if we ain\u2019t gon\u2019 be here all day and half the night at this pace. Just what do you think the sexton and all his staff do here anyway \u2013 and are\u00a0paid<\/em>\u00a0to do?\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell, I do hate to see anyone\u2019s final resting spot in such disorder. I declare, Zabel, I sho\u2019 hope you have a better attitude \u2019bout tending my grave. I don\u2019t rightly know but that maybe I oughta just go ahead and pay extra for the perpetual care option.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOh, good Lord, sister,\u201d Zabel replied. \u201cYou know good and well I\u2019ll check on you regular. I do hope you know the difference between taking care of your closest kin\u2019s grave and some stranger\u2019s. Besides, you probably gon\u2019 outlive me anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell, if that\u2019s the Lord\u2019s will, I\u2019ll be sure to look after your plot and visit you regular.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell, what a powerful comfort, dear. And now that we\u2019ve settled that, can we please speed up?\u201d Zabel pointed to the heavens. \u201cLook. The clouds are parting. So it\u2019s gon\u2019 get even hotter.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 They continued slowly walking uphill, with Zabel always ahead and periodically looking back in frustration at Averilla\u2019s far slower pace. Just when she felt sorry for her sweating sibling, she recalled all their local young great nieces and nephews who could have been asked to put the plastic flowers on Luther\u2019s grave.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell, bless my soul. Would you look who\u2019s here?\u201d Averilla suddenly smiled and clapped her hands. \u201cIt\u2019s Floppy Flanagan. I haven\u2019t seen her since our 60th<\/sup>\u00a0class reunion.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWon\u2019t be seeing Miss Floppy at any more of \u2019em,\u201d Zabel observed.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAnd would you just look at this mess?\u201d Averilla shook her head at all the flower vases lying on their sides in the Flanagan family plot and slowly bent down to fix each.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNow they\u2019s Flanagans all over Azalea Falls,\u201d Averilla stated. \u201cYou\u2019d think at least one of \u2019em woulda bothered to check on their kin here. I\u2019m right disappointed with Floppy\u2019s folks.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell, that\u2019s for Floppy\u2019s people to worry about. It\u2019s already almost 10:30, sister,\u201d Zabel lamented. \u201cI never had much use for ol\u2019 Thunder Thighs anyway. I was nothing but nice to her but she wouldn\u2019t give me the time of day. Thought she was something special being a cheerleader in high school and all. Yeah, she stood out, all right, \u2019cause ol\u2019 Thunder Thighs was the fattest one on the whole squad. I always figured her momma — Miss Florina — being on the school board is what got her on the squad. Miss Floppy sure couldn\u2019t do all that acrobatic stuff the others did.\u201d Zabel laughed.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell, she just needs our prayers,\u201d Averilla noted.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI b\u2019lieve it\u2019s a little late for that,\u201d Zabel replied. \u201cOh, look, Averilla. Here\u2019s Dr. Hank Lewis. Now if he wasn\u2019t the finest doctor Azalea Falls ever had.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOr all of Evander Law County.\u201d Averilla smiled.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAmen to that, sister.\u201d Zabel stopped to look at her long-time favorite doctor\u2019s tombstone. \u201cAnd what a fine-looking man too. Had him that silver mane a going. Mmm. Yes, sir, he was one mighty looksome fellow, a real 200-proof, industrial strength man too.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u201cI knowed you always sure was sweet on him.\u201d Averilla grinned as her sister started fanning herself with her cap.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat was it that killed Doc Lewis, Averilla?\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOh, sweetie, I can\u2019t recall. He had long since retired and was old as the hills. I reckon just age and mileage.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYeah, that\u2019ll eventually get even the best of \u2019em.\u201d Zabel sighed. \u201cGood Lord, it says here he\u2019s been gone twenty-two years now. Well, I sure have been to a whole mess of new doctors since then too. \u2019Course, I reckon if it wasn\u2019t for doctors\u2019 appointments, I \u2019spect I wouldn\u2019t have no social life no how.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Zabel frowned looking uphill again and realizing how far they still had to go. After they moved up some more and stopped to rest a spell in the shade of a big magnolia, Averilla suddenly smiled.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell, looky who\u2019s resting right beside us. If it ain\u2019t none other than Scilla Nicks,\u201d she exclaimed.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNow talk about good-looking,\u201d chimed in Zabel. \u201cMy money\u2019s on Miss Scilla being the best-looking blonde ever to come out of Evander Law County.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYes, ma\u2019am, and the pipes on that little lady. Gracious alive, she could sing louder than anyone in the whole First Baptist Church or Arnold Elzey High School,\u201d Averilla announced.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAnd a songwriter and a poetess to boot,\u201d Zabel added. \u201cOh, look. Here\u2019s a poem of hers on her headstone\u2026. Huh. It don\u2019t rhyme. Well. But she sure was always good to me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAnd just as sweet as she could be to everybody. She sho\u2019 never let her looks go to her head,\u201d Averilla stated.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cRemember all that pretty singing at her funeral, both hymns and even some tunes she wrote?\u201d Zabel asked.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI sure do. That was the most fun funeral.\u201d Averilla beamed.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 By 11 a.m. the Finney sisters reached the middle of the cemetery\u2019s main section and stopped at the Finney family plot. They both removed leaves and any other debris as they carefully inspected their relatives\u2019 graves and were relieved to find each one in good shape.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWooh, I sure do wish we had us a fine big magnolia or oak standing over us to spare us some shade,\u201d Averilla announced.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSister, while we\u2019re here, I want to bring up something I shared with Thad at the last family reunion. Come here and let me show you.\u201d Zabel looked very serious as Averilla walked to her.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNow you see, they\u2019s just three more spaces left in the whole Finney plot \u2013 for you, me, and Thad. They\u2019s one on each side of Momma and Daddy and then that other one in the corner yonder. Now, sister, you see how they\u2019s lots of room here on either side of Momma and Daddy. But look at this little iddy biddy space in the corner. Averilla, in case I go before y\u2019all, please <\/em>promise me you won\u2019t plant me in this little corner. Look how tiny this space is. You know<\/em> how claustrophobic I am. If y\u2019all squeeze me in here, I\u2019ll never rest in peace \u2013 and I may just haunt y\u2019all too. Now I\u2019m as serious as cancer \u2019bout this, sister.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAll right. Quit your fretting. So that\u2019s what you and Thad was a jawing about so at the reunion. Well, that\u2019s fine. You want to be put by Momma or Daddy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOh, it don\u2019t make no difference. Either one\u2019s fine with me. Big thanks, Sis.\u2019 And Thad said he didn\u2019t care none neither. But if I ever get wind that I\u2019m destined for that little corner, then I\u2019m getting cremated.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo, you will not!\u201d Averilla exclaimed.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAnd why not?\u201d Zabel looked at her with one hand on her hip.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t want none of our kin cremated.\u201d Averilla waved her hands.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat particle of difference does it make?\u201d Zabel furrowed her brow and frowned.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell, when the Good Lord comes back to claim His people, I just don\u2019t rightly see how He\u2019s gon\u2019 take back a bunch of ashes. Now I\u2019ll just be frank with you, sister,\u201d Averilla announced authoritatively as Zabel rolled her eyes and sighed.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 They resumed the search, albeit at a slower pace amidst the rising heat and humidity. Each sister acknowledged what a swell job the grounds crew did cutting so much grass and maintaining all the many flowers, shrubs, and trees. They just wished there were a whole lot more trees.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 By 11:30 Zabel\u2019s patience was nearly exhausted. Drenched in sweat, she saw they had traversed most of the cemetery\u2019s main section, but still had many more plots to explore.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGracious alive, Averilla, we gon\u2019 soon be knocking on noon. Are you absolutely certain Luther was even buried here? Remember, neither of us was able to go to his funeral on account of Thad being in the hospital then. Now if it turns out Luther wasn\u2019t even buried here, dog if I\u2019m not gon\u2019 scream.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOh, don\u2019t blow a bowel, Zabel. I know good and well Luther\u2019s here \u2019cause Luna done wrote and told me so.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell, maybe they put him in the Jew section,\u201d Zabel suggested.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe Laughtons ain\u2019t no Hebrews. They\u2019re Methodists, every one of them,\u201d Averilla stated emphatically.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThen maybe they ran out of room and dropped him in the colored section,\u201d Zabel countered.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAnd maybe somebody\u2019s getting a little swimmy-headed in all this heat,\u201d Averilla mused.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYeah, and maybe we gon\u2019 both collapse if we don\u2019t get out of this sun soon,\u201d Zabel remarked. \u201cI\u2019m serious, Averilla, if we don\u2019t kick it into fifth gear, they\u2019re liable to find two old women laying out here dead of heatstroke.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Sweating, drained, and harboring serious doubts about ever finding the elusive grave of Luther Laughton, the two old ladies soldiered on as fast as they could, grateful they at least both thought to wear a hat, though Zabel wished her baseball cap was much wider. Near the top of the hill and the back of the cemetery, they came upon the largest, gaudiest gravestone of all.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell, would you just take a gander at that? If it ain\u2019t none other than the most successful windbag in all of Evander Law County, the illustrious Lester Haggen, \u2018the people\u2019s lawyer.\u2019\u201d Zabel laughed. \u201cThat old scudder.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe most successful skirt-chaser in the county too,\u201d Averilla observed, catching her breath.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou sure shared the gospel truth there, sister,\u201d Zabel agreed.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThough he married hisself five wives, I don\u2019t see a one of \u2019em here with him,\u201d her sister observed.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell, maybe that\u2019s \u2019cause he was a cheating on each one with the next,\u201d recalled Zabel.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNow I will say,\u201d Averilla added. \u201cThat last Mrs. Haggen\u2014”<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe one thirty years his junior,\u201d Zabel noted.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s the one. She was awful nice to me every time we met in a store or somewheres. I sure hate to think she was a cheating with him while he was still hitched to Number Four.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u201cOh, I heard they was definitely doing the dirty, all right. In fact, I hear tell he ditched his fourth\u2019un so sudden \u2019cause he thought his new love was pregnant.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIs that why he gave Number Four that great big multi-millionaire dollar settlement?\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cUh, huh.\u201d Zabel stated confidently. \u201cTo minimize the scandal, he gave her everything she asked for. The only catch was she had to sign one of them confidentiality forms and leave town.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTo think that\u2019s the richest man ever to come out of Azalea Falls.\u201d Averilla shook her head.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAnd the only man I ever knew to get rich drunk,\u201d Zabel added in awe.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOr win cases under the influence. Shoot, Mr. Lester was a far sight better lawyer drunk than the rest of \u2019em sober,\u201d Averilla marveled. \u201cStill, it was right sad him dying in that plane crash. I knowed it had to hurt his children and grandchildren something terrible to lose him that way, \u2019specially on account of them having had him so long. He was pushing 90 and still flying hisself when that private plane of his went down.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAnd I bet you a dollar to a donut he was flying under the influence too,\u201d Zabel speculated. \u201cI always figured that car wreck he had was on account of his drinking too. \u2019Course, after flying right into that mountain, I doubt they was able to piece near enough of him back together to tell what he\u2019d been drinking.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell, it\u2019s just as well, \u2019specially for the poor family\u2019s sake. Say, how\u2019d you like to fly in an airplane someday, Zabel?\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAverilla, I don\u2019t get no higher than picking corn or lower than planting taters. And look<\/p>\n where flying got Mr. Lester.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell, you\u2019re right about that,\u201d Averilla agreed as she admired the attorney\u2019s large and elaborate tombstone. \u201cAnd he sure didn\u2019t take any money or that fancy fine house with him, neither.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAmen.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 As they approached the big bushes bordering the back of the burial ground, Zabel looked at all the acres of graves they had carefully examined for the better part of two hours. She shook her head and then faced her sister.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAverilla, what do you want to bet that boy\u2019s grave is on the very last row? We shoulda knowed the fastest way to finding anything in a big batch is to start at the back of the stack.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Stopping to get her breath, Averilla Finney looked up at her sister.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell, maybe he\u2019s downhill somewheres and we just plum missed him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAnd if you think I\u2019m just gon\u2019 turn around and walk all over these graves again, shug, you\u2019re the one\u2019s who\u2019s sho\u2019 nuff \u2018swimmy-headed\u2019 indeed, \u2019cause as soon as we get to that last row, I\u2019m heading straight to your car. And if you ain\u2019t with me, I\u2019ll just walk home or maybe hitchhike. Good Lord, it\u2019s well-nigh noon, sister.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 With her hands on her hips, Averilla proceeded to wipe her sweaty forehead and fan herself with her floppy hat. She then started scrutinizing the names on the last rows of gravestones, knowing full well she would never hear the end of it if they could not find Luther\u2019s.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLord, I sure could do with a great big glass of lemonade \u2019bout now,\u201d Averilla exclaimed.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAnd I could drink the whole pitcher,\u201d Zabel replied. \u201cIt\u2019s a miracle we ain\u2019t both passed out from dehydration.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 To her right, Zabel saw a pair of large family plots, as well as a fairly fresh-looking little flat marker sandwiched between them. Walking to the grave sitting by itself, she dared hope their search might at last prove successful.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell, hallelujah! \u2018Luther Abraham Laughton,\u2019\u201d Zabel read. \u201cThank you, sweet Jesus.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOh, praise the Lord,\u201d Averilla added. She quickly walked over to join her sister.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAnd just two rows from the top, but we\u2019ll sure take it. Oh, Lord have mercy, what a morning,\u201d Zabel declared and wiped her brow. \u201cNow come on, sister, let\u2019s hurry up and place them flowers and head home for lunch. I\u2019ve worked up a powerful appetite something fierce, and I bet you have too.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell, now just hold your horses,\u201d answered Averilla as she slowly bent down to wipe some dirt off the small smooth stone bearing only a name and dates. She then straightened up the grave\u2019s empty flower vase and carefully inserted the little plastic red and yellow bouquet she had been carrying before Zabel helped her up.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBless his heart. It\u2019s sure not much to show for a life, and just 36 years old.\u201d Averilla stared at the headstone before looking up and taking in all their surroundings.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAll right. We\u2019ve kept our word,\u201d Zabel declared. \u201cNow I don\u2019t know what more we can do. So can we now finally please get back to the car and be sure and crank up that air conditioner?\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYes, but first we gon\u2019 have prayer,\u201d Averilla announced.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Zabel looked away and took a deep breath before turning back.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cFine, but, please, sister. Just not one of them long, soul-saving prayers you\u2019re so fond of. I do b\u2019leive it\u2019s a tad late for brother Luther.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Averilla bowed her head and closed her eyes. Zabel clasped her hands and did the same. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Neither Miss Finney said anything for a while, and for the first time that day they were enveloped by a breeze. First Averilla and then Zabel turned around to start walking downhill toward the car. Soon Zabel looked at her older sister.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat was a real fine prayer, sister. Miss Luna would be right proud\u2026. And Mr. Luther.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThank you, darling. I just wish sweet Luna was able to visit her boy. I do so hope and pray he\u2019s now with the Lord.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 They continued walking under the noon sun and Zabel helped her sister step down from a granite-ringed family plot while dreading how sunburned her arms would be. At least they had fulfilled their promise and would never have to do this again, she assured herself.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Suddenly, Averilla stopped and looked up. Startled, Zabel turned to her.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou know who else is up here?\u201d Averilla asked excitedly. \u201cLuna and Luther\u2019s cousin Phineas Faircloth. As a matter of fact, Luna wrote that Cousin Phinney\u2019s resting just a stone\u2019s throw from Luther!\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Zabel stared at her sister for several seconds before taking a deep breath and turning to look nowhere. After a few more seconds, she turned back to Averilla.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNow, sister,\u201d she began slowly before pausing briefly. \u201cYou can go right to Mister Phinney\u2019s grave if you want. I\u2019m sure that would be a mighty Christian thing to do. But if you do, I\u2019m taking your car key right now and I\u2019m a heading straight to that car where I\u2019m gon\u2019 turn that air conditioner full blast and head straight home. But I\u2019ll be sure and call 911 to tell \u2019em where they can find your body.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell,\u201d Averilla said before briefly looking down and resuming her walk downhill, albeit at a faster pace. \u201cI guess we can just remember to include Cousin Phinney in our prayers.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI guess we can,\u201d Zabel agreed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Douglas Young \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0At 10 o\u2019clock on a warm August morning, an old but immaculate big blue Buick slowly pulled up and parked by the front gate of the largest section in Serenity Springs Cemetery, Azalea Falls\u2019 oldest, biggest burial ground. Heavy-set, eighty-two-year-old Averilla Finney and her almost as heavy-set, eighty-year-old sister, Zabel, slowly emerged […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1705,77],"tags":[1565,1706,1123],"class_list":["post-15233","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-egophobia-81","category-english","tag-douglas-young","tag-egophobia-81","tag-english"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6DakB-3XH","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/egophobia.ro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15233","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/egophobia.ro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/egophobia.ro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/egophobia.ro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/egophobia.ro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=15233"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/egophobia.ro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15233\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15234,"href":"https:\/\/egophobia.ro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15233\/revisions\/15234"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/egophobia.ro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=15233"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/egophobia.ro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=15233"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/egophobia.ro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=15233"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n\u201cDear heavenly father,\u201d the elder Finney began. \u201cWe come here to honor one of your children who has passed on. We thank thee for blessing him with such a fine Christian home and giving him good health and a first-class college education too. Now we know Luther \u2026 had some troubles, Lord — like everybody — but he was a Christian and we beseech thee, o Lord, to welcome him into thy loving arms. And, Lord, we also ask that thou please comfort all his kin, \u2019specially his dear momma, Miss Luna, since all of \u2019em have surely been grieving their loss something terrible. And we thank thee so much, Father, for leading us to Luther\u2019s grave. In Christ\u2019s name we pray. Amen.\u201d<\/p>\n