OUR GREAT-UNCLE SHELTON ONCE SAID, “You will never see a U-Haul following a hearse.” He likes to tell the story of his father, widowed late in life, marrying a widow who had her own grown children. They built a big fine house together, and to avoid bad feelings between the families they had a deal: When one spouse dies, the survivor will write a check to the step-children for half the value of the house. It was a good marriage, all the kids agreed, good for the dad, good for the wife. And when the wife died, Shelton’s dad wrote a check after the funeral and handed it over to his eldest stepdaughter. “I thank you,” she said, and everybody went on their way.

how you do it, Wednesday night, and never reciprocating, which burned Shelton. He knew she was being used. knew she was being used but was glad for the company. Now she’s home from the hospital, Wednesday comes around, and the Smiths call. They’re getting Long John Silver’s and coming over. No, Mavis says, I’m just not up to it. They come anyway, and Mavis gives them $40 for the meal, plus $9 for the arthritis cream they brought for her. Shelton, visiting—he lives just down the street—sees it all. He leaves, comes back later, loads all the hush puppies into the Long John Silver’s box and hangs it on the back door. Then he takes the fish leftovers and feeds them to the cats, enjoying the thought of the Smiths getting home and discovering they have only cold hush puppies.