Cleoutus anddry weather
by Ren Summerlin

"Man, it shore is dry ain't it, Ren?" I heard my long time friend say. "If we could just git a good shower I thank the electric fence box might git back to workin'. Got to have a good ground, or it just ain't gone do what it sposed to.

I could not agree more with him. The drought continues as well as the smoke. The air and ground are dry.

"What about that smoke, Ren? Don't it bother you none?"

I told him that it was bothersome and that I wished and prayed for a rain along with a great many other people.

"That smoke got so bad one day last week, I brought Queennie Jr. into the house. Breathing that smoke could really mess up a good hound dog's nose. The Ole Lady weren't too much on the idee, but it just had to be done. Got strong feelin's fer that dog," Cleoutus added.

Then as if a second thought came by, he went on to say, "Ren, reckon they will call off them Chicken Races in Bay Georgia on account of the dry? You know some o them chickens can make sparks fly, and, well, if the grass catches on fire and the wind is a blowin,' thar might just be a big far in Bay."

I assured Cleoutus that the chicken races would go on June 9 as planned and told him that it was to be at the fire department, so all would be okay .

He gave me a look as if to say that he had confidence in that. He rubbed his dog on the head and looked off into the distance for a brief time and said, "I shore got a big place in my heart fer them boys that are tryin' to farm some. Them that's got irrigation have to keep a waterin' or what's been done is wasted."

I agreed with him. I supposed we were thinking of the same thing.

He fired up his truck and as he was leaving he told me, "Bridge Creek iss so low that the ole lady had to fish several holes to git a mess o creek bream. But she goes about two times a week. Brang you a mess, or you can come eat with us. See you later."

He left, and my mind came back to the need for rain, and while I was talking with God, I thanked Him for a friend like Cleoutus.