Even though the occasion of Bobo and Inez’s marriage preceeded my birth by a few days, Mother has told me the story so often, I feel I was there. Bobo showed up with his bride just hours after they married. No doubt, he was proud of her. He was twenty-seven; she, fifteen and visibly pregnant. Now, he’d be arrested. Quite a buxom lass, she was lovely. Mother was surprised they’d dropped by for a social call so soon after the wedding, since she’d only met Bobo once. She learned a lot in the next few minutes, as Bobo announced they’d be spending the next few days. “We just run off. Inez’s mama was pretty hot ’bout the baby. I reckon she’ll let me fix up Granny Ada’s old house on her place once she finds out we married. I can pull some boards off that ol’ barn o’ hearn ‘n it ain’t gonna cost her nuthin but a few nails and some wire to cover the winders. We jist need a place to stay till we git ‘er cooled off. She ain’t gonna let this here gran’baby do without.”

Daddy was fine with that. They had plenty of room.  There was a sofa in the living room not spoken for. Mother’s baby might not come for a few days. Phyllis still slept in their room in the baby bed. Bobo and Inez got the fold-out couch in the minute living room. The tiny three-room house was cozy. Since Mother was overdue to give birth, I don’t think the sounds of noisy sex coming from hers and Daddy’s bedroom were likely to have disturbed the guests, considering her feelings, at the time. From what Mother said, Bobo and Inez probably couldn’t have heard anything over the enthusiastic noises in honeymoon suite. The walls were like paper. Bobo and Inez seemed very happy in their marriage.

Mother dreaded facing them the morning after. Daddy had gone to work out the back door to give them privacy. When they came out to breakfast, Bobo laughed and said, “Inez looked and looked, but she can’t find her buzzeer(hick for brassiere). Ha! Ha! Ha! Where’d y’all hide it?”

Mother was mortified he even thought they was might have been sneaking around anywhere the cavorting newlweds. “I don’t know anything about it. I know Bill never moved. Once he goes to sleep, he’s dead to the world. I’ll help Inez hunt it.” They tore the living room up, moving all the furniture. The search was fruitless. Inez went braless for the next two or three days, years ahead of the trend. Years later, when the living room was remodeled, the impressive brassiere was found between the walls. Apparently, a lecherous rat had paid them a visit during the night.

to be continued………