You Can’t Please Old Man Henry

I’ve been enjoying the feedback I get from Old Man Henry stories. I see most of y’all realize that everyone’s favorite grouchy old man isn’t quite as gruff as he’d like you to think but if you see him, please play along. He does so enjoy the reputation.

The other evening Paulette stopped by Mrs. Mamie Lee’s on her way in from Monroe. Mrs. Mamie hadn’t been feeling so well and Paulette wanted to check in on her and see if she had any errand she needed her to run.

Old Man Henry met Paulette at the screen door. “She’s in the kitchen cooking my supper,” he said. “Stay and eat with us.”

“Oh, I couldn’t,” Paulette told him as they walked back to the kitchen. “My husband will be expecting something on the stove when he gets in from the field.”

Mrs. Mamie Lee was glad to see Paulette. She said no, that she didn’t need anything she could think of right off, but then she insisted that Paulette sit down at the table and at least have a cup of coffee with them. “We’re having breakfast for supper,” she said from the stove. “We like to do that from time to time.” Paulette agreed that they liked to do that occasionally, too.

Mrs. Mamie kept talking while she served up her husband’s plate. “I guess it’s a good thing I do feel better,” she said. “You sure can’t get any sympathy out of this old goat here.” She set Mr. Henry’s plate down in front of him with a bang. “There you go, Old Man, two eggs just like you ordered, one scrambled and one fried.”

Mr. Henry winked at Paulette and slapped the table. “I swannee, old woman!” he grumbled. “Leave it to you to scramble the wrong one.”