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FAMILY STORIES

"April, the Cook"

»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«Lois Caywood Guffy»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«

One time when we were topping corn, we had a neighbor, Leroy Settle, help us with the chore.

I drove the tractor that pulled the grain cart and my husband Wayne and Leroy flanked each side of the cart and as they topped the ears of corn they would toss them into the cart.   We worked in the field until almost noon.

Wayne looked at his watch and said " well, it is about time to go to the house and eat lunch" Leroy glanced over at me, then back to Wayne and said "where will we eat ?" Wayne told him that April was making the meal.

By the telltale look on Leroy's face, I could tell he was worried what kind of a meal an eleven year old girl would cook and wondering how he could get out of eating with us.  He said he could go home, but Wayne insisted that he eat with us.

Wayne never caught on as to why he was hesitant, I did, but never said anything. We got to the house and the men went in to wash up, then came to the table and when Leroy sat down to eat, he saw that April had made fried chicken with side dishes of mashed potatoes, vegetables, a green salad, and desert. I made the gravy as she had never mastered that feat at that time. He just sat there silently, after eating a few bites and said "Well I'll be darned, Sue can't even boil water".

Sue was his 18 year old daughter. I am quite sure he went home and told his wife and Sue what an eleven year old girl could do.

1998