Cormac McCarthy: All the Pretty

Cole. John Grady Cole. The reverend extended his hand and they shook, the reverend thoughtful. Cole, he said. We may of had a Cole. I’d hate to say we hadnt. Have you had your supper? No sir. Darlin maybe Mr Cole would like to take supper with us. You like chicken and dumplins Mr Cole? Yessir I do. I been partial to em all my life. Well you’re fixin to get more partial cause my wife makes the best you ever ate. They ate in the kitchen. She said: We just eat in the kitchen now that there’s just the two of us. He didnt ask who was missing. The reverend waited for her to be seated and then he bowed his head and blessed the food and the table and the people sitting at it. He went on at some length and blessed everything all the way up to the country and then he blessed some other countries as well and he spoke about war and famine and the missions and other problems in the world with particular reference to Russia and the jews and cannibalism and he asked it all in Christ’s name amen and raised up and reached for the cornbread.

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