An excerpt from The Cooling Board

People came from the next town over to Regal City, Louisiana when they heard that Mrs. LuluBell Darling Devereaux was on her deathbed. News traveled fast in the quaint little towns and before they knew it, there were more visitors calling on Mrs. 'Bell than the Darling and Devereaux homes could handle.People poured in, offering their very best recipes and dishes for the family to eat. It was just common courtesy to bring food over in times like these. The Solid Rock Methodist Church (Mrs. 'Bell's home church) brought enough gumbo to feed ten families.

The neighbor next door, Mrs. Kara Lee Bonner brought her famous fried chicken over. Mr. Taylor, the neighbor just up the road, well, he couldn't cook anything, but he offered to tend to Mrs. 'Bell's award winning rose garden (and 'Bell's brother, JB quickly denied the request as nicely aspossible- for JB that is!). A steady stream of visitors came by offering constant gifts of food and prayers for the family and Mrs. 'Bell hadn't even passed away yet. The residents of Regal City weren't even sure what was ailing her.

"I heard she had a heart attack while working in her prize winning garden. Just passed out among the roses."

"Well, I heard she ate some bad crawfish. You know we had a bad harvest this year."

"No honey. I heard she caught a bad cold. You know. A chill from being down there near that river at night."

"Chere, you crazy."

"Well, that's what I heard!"

"Why won't somebody just ask JB?"

Everybody knew why nobody asked JB Darling was wrong with his sister, LuluBell.

JB was crazy.

When visitors came by, he stood watching his time piece intently.

"My sister don't need to catch your germs! Two minutes! Ya hear!" JB would say as he leaned against the door frame, counting down your visiting time. With the way JB ranted, you best be leaving Mrs. 'Bell's bedside at one minute and fifty nine seconds. With JB serving as gate keeper, and not a word uttered from Mrs. 'Bell's sisters Mamie Lee and Connie Sue, gossip was afloat in Regal City. No one knew just what was ailing Mrs. LuluBell Darling Devereaux, but it was common knowledge that the angels would soon come to carry her on Home to Glory.