Another Pink Book!

Chapter 1

Friday, 6:05 AM

It was early but I could tell it was going to be a bright October morning. My phone rang: an ill omen for 6:05 AM. The caller ID registered another ill omen: the caller was my sister, Katie Lee.

"Hello?"

"You remember Neecy Clemons, don't you?"

"Good morning, Katie Lee."

"Anyway, when she told me about the Presbyterians defaulting, I had to act. I would've called you yesterday right after it happened, but there was a sale—I was shopping, you know—and you will not BELIEVE the boots I bought!"

"Which Presbyterians?"

"Neecy's church group—Ladies Who Lunch. You know, they wear the big hats."

"I didn't know Neecy went to church."

"Did I wake you up?"

"I'm having coffee."

"Good. I know you like to sleep in. I suppose Lazy-Bones is still in the bed."

"Ben has taken the dog for a walk."

"Ben never walks Sam!"

"My leg is bothering me. The one I broke."

"I didn't realize it still hurts after all this time."

"Arthritis."

"Well, color me surprised! Old Lazy Ben, doing something nice!"

Katie Lee was rather hard on my husband, Ben. She declares that he is lazy, although he got up at 4:30 am for decades so he could exercise before beginning his job at 6:30. I'm still reaping the rewards of those work-out sessions: Ben is a fine figure of a man even if he has been retired a few years now. He is still strong and vigorous but has no sense of humor, which is a necessary quality for dealing with Katie Lee.

"Which Presbyterian Church does Neecy attend?" It was hard to talk to Katie Lee on the telephone in the best of times: she tended to start the conversation in the middle. I hadn't had much coffee yet, so I wasn't exactly on my game.

"That one over in Tullahoma. Or is it Winchester? Estill Springs? Do they have a Presbyterian church in Estill Springs?"

"I have no idea." I rifled in the cabinet for some aspirin. Talking to Katie Lee often gave me a headache.

"Or maybe it's Methodist. And maybe it's Manchester."

"This has been a lovely talk, Katie Lee." I popped two aspirin in my mouth and mumbled around them. "If that's all, I've gotta go." I took a drink of coffee to wash them down, but it was too hot. I choked and sputtered.

"You drank your coffee when it was too hot, didn't you Lou? Probably popping pills. I worry about you sometimes."

"Aspirin." I coughed.

Katie Lee sighed. "Lou, it's SO hard to talk to you. You still haven't told me what you think!"

"About what?"

"About what Neecy said about the Presbyterians defaulting. Or maybe they were Methodists. Definitely not Baptist or Catholic—I have nothing against any faith, though, Lou. You know I'm Ecumenical."

"Of course. And I'm surprised about the Presbyterians." I still had no idea what the topic was, but I thought it best to go along.

"They might be Methodist—I can't picture Neecy as Catholic, can you?"

"What has Neecy's religion got to do with..."

"It has everything to do with it! It is HER church group! Do you think it's a good idea?"