[Section opener]
Birdie
Chapter 41
“You ever heard that saying, ‘sweating like a whore in church’?” Flossy asked.
“Yes, Flossy,” I said.
“I find that saying irritating,” she said. “Like it’s news to us types we’re going to hell?
Which don’t even make sense ’cause if we know we’re going to hell, why would we bother
going to church?”
“I ain’t going to hell and I ain’t going to church,” Ruby said.
“Can we enjoy this beautiful day, please?” I asked.
It was the fourth day of October and so gorgeous out that me, Ruby, and Flossy had
carried our coffee cups out to the backyard. Birds were singing and zipping around; sun dappled
the dance floor. It was cool enough that I draped a sweater around my shoulders. I’d milked the
cow at two o’clock this morning, and now it was past one in the afternoon. Picador and Polly had
already come and gone. With more one- and two-hour appointments, business was very good,
and there were fewer sheets to wash.
I picked up yesterday’s newspaper with the headline “Thousands Come to Town to Root
for the Red-and-Blue Football Team.”
Underneath a drawing of a football, I saw that Garnett Pittman had also made the front
page again, less than a week after Priscilla’s arrest. “Mrs. Welty Pittman Lunches at Gov.
Mansion and Issues Statement.” I dreaded reading anything that witch had to say. “As newly
elected president of the Anti-Vice League”—Lord, we know—“I feel it is my responsibility to
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