Georgia Bottoms by Mark Childress Read Free Book Online Page A

their tax money going for fire hydrants for shiftless blacks who used their food stamps to buy Doritos at Hull’s Market. Georgia didn’t think it was anybody’s business what people bought with their food stamps. She was glad there were people like Krystal to fight these things on her behalf.
    Rhonda went off on her errand. Krystal and Georgia caught up on each other’s news. Georgia told about her confrontation with Brenda Hendrix, and Eugene’s startling decision to stay with her.
    “You didn’t honestly think he would leave her?” said Krystal. “Damn, George. A preacher, married, four little girls—how much more unavailable can a man be?”
    “That’s not the point. I don’t even want him! The point is, he chose her. Over me. Now, why did he do that? Am I losing my charms? Tell me the truth.”
    Krystal rolled her eyes. “Please. You’ve got entirely too many charms for your own good. Listen to me—Eugene is a man. Automatically that makes him an idiot. And you know that wife of his pushes him around like a baby stroller. Anyway, you’re gonna be seeing his face in the pulpit every Sunday from now on, so you’d better just get over it.”
    Georgia couldn’t help a little smile. “Maybe not.”
    “What does that mean?” Krystal tilted her head. “Georgia. What did you do?”
    Even when she confessed, Krystal didn’t quite believe her. She couldn’t believe Little Mama could make one phone call and have Eugene assigned to a rural circuit in southeast Arkansas, or that Georgia would be so bold as to dial up the movers and pretend to be Brenda. “I swear to God, Georgia, is there anything you wouldn’t do?”
    Georgia smirked. “Don’t cross me, hear?”
    After much clucking and shaking her head, Krystal began to describe her adventures at the Mayors’ League meeting in Atlanta. “There was this girl mayor from Kentucky, Louise Massengill—”
    “Like the douche?” Georgia snickered.
    “
You’re
the douche! God, are you juvenile!” Krystal leaned across the desk to deliver a fake smack on the arm. “Anyway she was a nice gal, so pretty and smart… We wound up in that revolving bar, you know, the top of the Peachtree Plaza? Lord, we must have had about fifty of them revolving margaritas. Turns out girl mayors have more in common than you might think. Next thing I know, Louise goes, ‘Come on, hon, let’s go out and get some fresh air,’ so I said hell why not, and we—”
    “I can’t believe you can drive by yourself in that Atlanta traffic,” said Georgia. Sometimes you had to stop Krystal from telling more than she meant to.
    Krystal registered the interruption with a little downward smile. “Nothing to it, as long as you stay in your lane.” She shook her head and changed the subject. “Hey, shouldn’t you be getting into a panic about now? Two days till D-day, you’re supposed to be freaking out.”
    “Oh no,” Georgia said. “Everything’s under control.” She ticked off all the food she’d already made. “If I wasn’t sitting here waiting on my alkie brother to finish his meeting, I’d be home making Chow Mein Noodle Cookies instead of falling behinder every minute.”
    “They’re called ‘haystacks.’ I guess you’re too ignorant to know that,” said Krystal.
    Georgia laughed. “Haystacks! Well, that does sound appetizing. Here, have a bite of some hay!”
    Krystal said, “I’m bringing those blue-cheese tea biscuits whether you want me to or not. They are absolutely the best thing I ever put in my mouth—”
    “Since Billy Satterfield?” Georgia finished. That joke went back to high school. It still made them laugh.
    “Oh Georgia, you are a big ol’ mess,” Krystal said. “Let me back to my stupid spreadsheet. You want me to come by tonight and help you cook?”
    Georgia pondered. “I could really use you more tomorrow—to set the tables, do your arrangements? You’re so good with the flowers and linens and all.”
    Krystal smiled. “Why,