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It took a long time for me to recover froave you a stroke"

She sighed like she was disappointed she’d given birth to such an idiot

Exasperated, my father trumpeted, "You can’t take credit for that, boy! Your mother’s been on a blood thinner for twenty years because she’d had a minor stroke before you were born and the doctors were tryin’ to prevent another one! Sticky blood runs in her side of the family! Jesus H Christ on a crutch, what nonsense! And this is why you stayed away?"

My te back my chair "I stayed away because you loved Linc aped at me The servant silently excused himself from the room and disappeared

"Jackson Walker Boudreaux," said , horrified whisper She hite as a sheet Her eyes filled with tears "That is a terrible thing to say, and untrue!"

My father said crossly, "Well now you’ve done it Congratulations, boy You’ve made your mother cry"

He went to her, took her hand and held it, crooned soothing words to her as she wept and I looked on, convinced I was in a state of shock so severe I’d had a mental break with reality

Finally when he’d calhtened his shoulders, and let ood, son, because I’onna say this once We love you We love you noe loved you then, we’ll love you until we die You’re our son We knoeren’t perfect parents, but you were a handful Maybe we didn’t always know the right way to deal with you, but we never loved you less than your brother Never And we never blah I know you think we did"

When I blinked in shock, he nodded "That’s right I’ot my blood in your veins, you think I don’t knohat you’re thinkin’? But you’re a stubborn SOB--just like et yournoise, and he heaved a great sigh "But it wasI shouldadone soettin’ you to talk is like pullin’ teeth"

He waved a hand in the air like he wanted to dismiss that last part "Anyway The bottohter-in-law It’s tiain By the e love Bianca What a firecracker Hopefully we’ll have another grandbaby or two by this time next year"

I stared at him I stared at my mother I opened my mouth and found I had no words

"Well, look at that, Clemmy," said my father "Ha! I’ve left him speechless Score one for the old man"

I sank into the chair and put my head into my hands

The servant reappeared, set a Bloody Dixie on the table in front of ht you ain it was to the sound of hter

BLOODY DIXIE

Makes 4 servings

1 32-ounce bottle of torated horseradish (or prepared)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon hot sauce

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

dash of celery salt

dash of pepper

4 slices cooked bacon

4 ribs celery