"Out front, talking to a neighbor," said Joe.
Dad deposited the melons on the sink and set the jug of milk in the refrigerator. "Neighbor? Wonder who'd stop out front, and not drive right into the yard...?"
He walked through the house to the front room, and peered out through the curtains. Then he came back.
"Ain't no neighbor," he said. "Somebody in a Mercury."
Joe jumped and Pearl dropped her spoon.
"Here, let me get you another spoon," said Dad. "Floor's pretty dirty—we had thrashers here yesterday...."
The sound of footsteps on the back porch preceded the opening of the screen door. Pearl and Joe turned and stared.
"Why, Joe," said Pearl's mother. "You up already? You could have stayed in bed a couple more hours, and got your sleep out." She walked up to him, took his face in her hands, and kissed him. Then she turned. "Dad, you found some ripe melons!" she exclaimed. "How lovely. I'll fix them right now, and we'll have them before I fix the pancakes."
Joe looked at Pearl, then sat down at a chair. "I'm starved," he said. "Those pancakes sound real good."