Vera Cleaver

“He’s seen those lights up on the ridge a hundred times if he’s seen them once but still can’t get it through his head they might be natural. Caused by electricity in the air or something like that. He says they’re ghosts looking for each other. Well, I don’t think he’ll see much of them tonight. Fall is the best time for that.”
“Kiser has got a lot of romance in him,” observed Gaither. His expression was steady and intense.
I said, “I never noticed. I guess a man could do worse than be a lover of ghosts. What are you doing?”
“Taking off my shoes and socks.”
“What for? Gaither, I don’t want you to help me mop tonight.”
“Why? It wouldn’t be the first time. Where’s that mop I brought you?”
“I don’t know. It’s out on the back stoop. Gaither, I don’t WANT you to help me with my cleaning. It makes us look like we’re . . . Gaither!”
Gaither was not listening. He had gone for the mop.”
― Vera Cleaver, Trial Valley

“I said that I had never experienced a love-pinch and on a wave of amusement Kiser said, “Then you got that to look forward to. I don’t know, though. That Yancey fella don’t look very playful to me and Gaither’s not a very forward boy so maybe you’ll just have to skip that part of your life.”
― Vera Cleaver, Trial Valley