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Dark was settling in when we arrived back home with my grandmother in tow.

We, Mama and me, had hit the long road to Eufaula to get Muggie to come have Thanksgiving dinner with us. It was dusky dark when we pulled  back in the yard. The kitchen light silhouetted my tall Uncle James standing at the door. He turned and hurried to the car.

“I’ve got bad news. William’s lost in the woods.”

While Uncle James was nervously saying Daddy got lost when they were rounding up lost cows in a backwoods area. Mama and my granny burst out crying, wringing their hands and  going around and around in little tiny circles.

The plan was for the National Guard to join the search, Uncle James said, but his words were lost in all the crying and circling.

“We’ve got to go tell Daddy that William’s lost in the woods,” Uncle James  said to me. “It’s going to upset him but he’s  got to know.”

I went along with Uncle James and left Mama and Muggie crying and going around in circles.

Pop was sitting in his recliner watching wrestling on the television.

“Daddy, I’ve got some bad news; William’s lost in the woods.

Before Uncle James could say that the search had been going on for hours and the National Guard was on the way, Pop said, “I saw William up town a while ago.”

“Daddy can’t handle it,” Uncle James said to me. Pop was hard of hearing so Uncle James said in an even louder voice, “William’s lost in the woods and it’s gotten dark. We’re getting the National Guard to help search for him.”

“William was up town a little bit ago,” Pop said.

“Daddy. William IS lost in the woods! We’ve been looking for him or hours!

Pop turned up the television. “William’s not lost. He was settin’ around at Noie’s with them old men.”

Mmmmmm? That sounded like Daddy …

We looked at each other, Uncle James and me.  Maybe Pop was right. Maybe Daddy was up town.

Uncle James was bolted out the door with me right behind him.

Mama and Muggie had turned to sobbing and moaning.

I was up the steps first. When I opened the door I heard the television going. I stood back and let Uncle James go first.

What happened when Uncle James saw Daddy sitting in his recliner eating salted peanuts and watching Perry Mason  on the TV, I will not say.

Daddy had gotten tired of looking for the cows and went home to watch Perry Mason

My grandmother fixed a fine Thanksgiving Day dinner with turkey, dressing and dumplin’s.

Pop blessed the food before us … with added thanks that the turkey didn’t get lost!