The Spitfire Grill Page #4

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I guess it wasn't you that went

over to Joe Sperling's farm.

Well, ain't you the busybody.

You been taking gossip

lessons from Effy?

I don't need Effy to see that Joe's got more

than a little thing for you, Miss Talbott.

Right. That boy's just plain lonely,

that's all.

Ever talked to his father? Haven't had

so many laughs since they locked me up.

Serious.

Well, whatever you say.

It doesn't take an

Einstein to picture...

...you and Joe juggling a

truckload of kids someday.

What?

Did I say something wrong?

What is it, Percy?

When I was reading up on this state,

I come across this story.

There was this Indian squaw and she was

rowing a canoe with her baby in it.

Couple sailors who were liquored up

caught sight of them on the river.

They'd heard this story that...

...Indian babies knew

how to swim from birth.

So they decided to

test their theory out.

They capsized the canoe.

The baby went straight

to the bottom.

The story didn't say what

happened to the mother.

I figure it's probably

best if she just...

...drowned too.

Don't you think?

I forgot, Hannah didn't want

me smoking in the kitchen.

Percy.

I guess you got that

food all right.

Shelby sure can work magic

with flour and butter, can't she?

My name's Percy Talbott.

Well, Percy, at least.

Talbott ain't my real name,

belonged to my stepdaddy.

Don't know who my real daddy was,

so I don't know what my name should be.

Maybe it weren't meant for me

to have one.

What about you?

You got a name?

Maybe you don't have

a real name either.

Still, it'd be nice to

call you something.

The Indians had a story about a

magic giant who lived in the woods.

Called him Gluskap,

'cause he looked out for them.

Would that be a

good name for you?

I can't imagine anyone

wanting to be called Gluskap.

How about Johnny B?

How'd that be for a name?

Johnny B.

Never knew what hit him.

Wouldn't surprise me none if something

like that happened to you.

Unless you tell me something different,

that's what I'll call you.

Johnny B.

Johnny B!

Johnny B., you there?

Oh, Johnny B.

Effy.

A letter come for

you this morning.

"Hannah Ferguson,

care of the Spitfire Grill. "

Who do you know from Chicago?

I'm sure I have no idea.

$100.

"Dear Mrs. Ferguson:

"I saw the article about your contest

last night when I couldn't sleep.

"I was sick of watching TV

so I picked up the paper.

"The reason I can't sleep...

"... is because my family

is falling apart.

"My wife walked out last year...

"... and left me with

our two high-school boys.

"I don't think her leaving us

was all my fault...

"... but they blame

me for it anyway.

"The way they're acting now, if I don't do

something soon, they'll leave me too.

"Maybe if I could take us all

to a place like yours in Gilead...

"... that won't happen. "

If they're all going to sound like that,

the hell with it.

It's just the first one.

Might work better if

you let me do it.

Suppose it might.

Here.

Just don't press too hard.

Still pretty tender in there?

Sore enough...

...seeing as how the doctor keeps

saying how well I'm healing.

You suppose if a wound

goes real deep...

...the healing of it can hurt

almost as bad as what caused it?

Might be.

Detroit.

New York.

Kansas City.

Boston.

Memphis.

As postmistress I've got a

legal right to know...

...if the mail service is being used

for any irregular purpose.

Will you tell me what goes on here

or do I have to open these myself?

Not that it's any of

your business, Effy...

...but I'm running a contest

to give away the Grill.

A contest?

What kind of contest is that?

Some kind of essay thing.

You know Hannah, you don't know

what she could be up to.

Something about an essay or something.

$100 and a letter.

Why would you even want

to try such a thing?

Because no one else is buying.

Where would my Aunt Hannah

get an idea like that?

From me.

Is that right?

I just hope this finally...

...makes an old sour apple like you happy,

Hannah Ferguson.

Holy Moses.

Holy mackerel.

Holy sh*t.

"And I believe...

"... in time, I could

expand the Spitfire...

"... into a national chain

of restaurants. "

Wait, now, listen to this one.

"The reason I need to have your diner

is because that's where the aliens...

"... said to wait for them until

their ship comes to take me to... "

I can't even read that word,

but I'm guessing it's another planet.

We got to send that

one back tomorrow.

You read one, Hannah.

All right, let's see.

"Dear Hannah:

"I've worked as a cook all my life...

"... but hard as my husband and I

have worked...

"... we've never had more than

two nickels to rub together.

"We talked about having

our own little place someday...

"... but that don't put bread on

the table. " That's for sure.

"But now my husband's pretty sick.

"The doctors say there's not much

more that they can do for him.

"I'm sure there's a lot

of deserving people out there...

"... but it would be a true blessing...

"... if my husband could spend

what's left of his days...

"... in a place like Gilead.

"And I could have something

to sustain me when he's gone. "

Maybe you should

hold onto that one.

But I don't know

that we should...

...pick someone out of pity.

Well, what sort of person

would you want in here?

I don't know.

I've always thought it should be

someone younger.

Someone more your

age than mine.

Yeah?

I figured it'd be

somebody like you.

Me too.

Whoever gets it...

...will have their work

cut out for them...

...trying to run this place

without you two.

Have you thought what you'll do

with all this money now?

I've been thinking about that since

the day I first put the Grill up for sale.

Almost gave up hope.

But now...

Where's that jug?

That applejack ain't doing us

any good in the bottle.

Well, maybe half a glass.

More.

"If I were only one inch tall

I'd sleep in a slipper in the hall

"And dream all night

of being tall"

I'm back.

- That's beautiful.

- And it's bedtime for you, sweets.

You go on upstairs.

- I'll be up in a minute.

- Okay.

Looks like that contest

turned out all right.

You must be real proud.

I'm just glad for Hannah, that's all.

But it was your idea.

You deserve all the credit.

We all worked on it together.

"We" means Percy, don't it?

Well, she did her share.

If anyone deserves thanking, it's her.

Like mentioning Center Lovell while

you rubbed elbows in the kitchen.

Well, what if she did?

- What would be so terrible

about that? - Nothing.

Except I knew this could never

have come from you.

Why not?

Why couldn't it have

come from me?

'Cause you're just plain

not smart enough.

That's why.

If you want a clean shirt for yourself

for tomorrow, you can wash it yourself.

$100? For this place?

Not from me.

I wouldn't take it for free.

- Meeshack, you having the special today?

- Win something if I do?

You gotta talk real pretty

and it'll cost you.

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