Now me, Deke Whatley said, uncrossing his legs and stepping down out of his chair to walk me out onto the sidewalk, I just want to make sure you know that the fact that you made a special stop in here just to let us know you’re back in town, says a lot. That’s a true down-home boy, Mobile. A true homeboy come back to tag up and get long gone again. And further. Some of these somiches come back through here just to show off like they escaped from something here, forgetting that it was what they took up there from down here that took them up there out there and over there or wherever they got come by whatever. But so much for that. Here’s what I just want to say. Not that you don’t know it already. Giles and Hortense talk about you like family. That’s the kind of folks to have in our corner. But hell, I ain’t telling you nothing you don’t know already. I’m just saying amen!
But just let me say this. The main thing about education. No matter what kind of course you take, and how many degrees you get, The main thing is knowing what to want! You understand what I’m saying? Don’t care what courses and how many degrees, the main thing is know what you really want for yourself. I’m not talking about self-indulgence. I’m talking about self-satisfaction. Knowing what to choose. Knowing how to pick and choose.
XXVII
Well, here he is just like you said, Giles Cunningham said, as much to us as to Hortense Hightower, when Eunice and I arrived at the Pit at one-fifteen that next afternoon and headed for the table where the two of them were just pulling out their chairs to sit down for the light midday meal I had guessed they would be having at that time. We stepped down from the entrance level to the dining level and came on over to where they were, and when we all had gone through old Daddy Royal’s jive time greeting routine and sat down, he said, Right on the money. Man, the boss lady is still right on your case. When old Deke called last night to see if we were back from Florida and told us you were already back on the scene and making the rounds, you know what she said? She said, Well, most likely he’ll be dropping by the Pit to catch us on our lunch break. Man, what can I tell you? Didn’t I tell you she don’t miss? Here you are and there are those two extra place settings.
I didn’t remind him that even before he had given me the part-time job that summer before my senior year I had already heard enough about him to know that he usually spent the first part of Monday through Friday mornings in his headquarters office at the Pit, where he had breakfast and worked until midmorning. Then unless there were appointments elsewhere he usually drove on along the interstate highway to the off-campus settlement area where the Dolomite Club was, and where if he had no other errands he stayed until he came back to the Pit to have lunch and an updating session with Hortense, who usually slept late, had breakfast at home, and spent the rest of the morning working on her own agenda, which was usually domestic, but along with which there were also details involved in the operation of the after-hours lounge at the Dolomite, where she sang with her own pickup combos from time to time.
Sometimes she also went along with him on his afternoon trip out to the Plum to keep in touch with Flee Mosely, but the only time she took her combo out there to play was on special occasions during the mid- and late-summer picnic and barbecue season, mainly for afternoon sessions that did not conflict with her after-hours schedule at the Dolomite.
So here he is, Giles Cunningham said as we settled into our chairs and I picked up the menu. And look who he brought along with him this time. It’s just like the Bossman Himself said when he called us from Ohio to let us know that he could use you to fill in for Shag Phillips. He said, This kid may be just a beginner but he’s already pretty much free of clinkers both personwise and musicwise.
And when I said, Meet Miss You-Know-Who, Hortense Hightower said, Miss Who-Else-But. Hi, sweetie. I hear you’re already beyond the main part of getting settled in on your own. But any more help you need for getting around picking up stuff or whatever, don’t hesitate to call me. Don’t worry about interrupting my schedule. And don’t wait until you need something. After all, I’m always available for another one of those sprees-of-the-moment girlie shopping trips, whether downtown or out of town to Montgomery, Atlanta, or Birmingham.
And when Eunice said, I promise, Giles Cunningham said, There you go. What did I tell you? How the hell the boss lady going to miss out on somebody you pick out for a wife? They got your scholarship record up there on the campus, but she’s got your number. And like I say, she don’t miss. No doubt about it.
Then she said, old Deke Whatley and Red Gilmore were the ones who knew that you were the one up there on the campus. And whenever this fella’s name came up, even when he left the Bossman and the band to stick around out there in Hollywood, they’d always say, He’ll be back through here.
