"Puppies? Papa! Com'ere! Ned's got us some puppies!" Lemme see, Ned! Open the box! Lemme see them!"
"Ned! My Lord! What're you doing here?"
I didn't know Papa could walk so fast! He was at the front of the store before Ned could set the puppy box down.
"Mister Jodie, I done fotched you them two puppies what I promised you!" Ned lifted the lid. "See 'em, Mister Jodie! They's up good size. Both fat and pretty!"
Papa wouldn't even glance down at the puppies.
"Doctor Elton's looking for you! Did he see you coming in?"
"Naw, sir. I ain't see'd the doctor. Black Idd, he on his way to his house with Shoogie."
"Aw! For goodness sakes! You must've been coming in the front door at the same time he was going out the back! It hasn't been a minute! Lemme through the door! Maybe I can make him hear me!"
In his rush to get out on the porch, Papa stumbled into the puppy box, and almost knocked me down. Black Idd pulled me back out of his way.
"Doc! Hey, Doc! Wiley! Y'all come back!"