And, “Mornin’,” said the younger man.
The water slowly dried on their faces. They came to the stove and warmed their hands at it.
The girl kept to her work. Once she set the baby down and tied her braids together in back with a string, and the two braids jerked and swung as she worked. She set tin cups on a big packing box, set tin plates and knives and forks out. Then she scooped bacon from the deep grease and laid it on a tin platter, and the bacon cricked and rustled as it grew crisp. She opened the rusty oven door and took out a square pan full of big high biscuits.
When the smell of the biscuits struck the air both of the men inhaled deeply. The younger said, “Kee-rist!” softly.
Now the older man said to Tom, “Had your breakfast?”
“Well, no, I ain’t. But my folks is over there. They ain’t up.
Need the sleep.”
“Well, set down with us, then. We got plenty—thank God!”
“Why, thank ya,” Tom said. “Smells so darn good I couldn’ say no.”
“Don’t she?” the younger man asked. “Ever smell anything so good in ya life?” They marched to the packing box and squatted around it.