Bebe grew up in small town USA. In a town a lot like Oxford, Mississippi, that only had residents numbering in the thousands amidst the rolling wooded hills of northern Mississippi, and had a nationally ranked university a lot like Ole' Miss. Her daddy, connected with many financial and business interests, was a "friend" of the university, and as such had aspirations for his lovely daughter to attend there some day.

As the story goes, and I won't bore you with excessive details, Bebe grew up in a picture perfect picket fence life and the grass always seemed green in her yard. Well, I am sure you need a few details more than just that. Generally, she was a bubbly, in-your-face, bright eyed, little girl. And that was up all the way through to High School. She always was seen with the popular boys and really only joined sports, like track & field, because there were boys around. Really, nobody could remember ever seeing her alone, as she was always with someone. As a note, she wasn't the Prom queen though, her best friend, Ruby, was. And she was delighted just the same. She, and everybody, always remembers Ruby Bucklebee's ear to ear smile.

As the high school years passed, her daddy got busy, so much so it seemed she only saw him for the holidays, and by the time she graduated it had already become the norm. She couldn't remember the last weekend he was home. At any rate, he wasn't a drunk, but wasn't around much. None of the Ganesvoort kids were ever beaten. Luckily, Bebe had many friends as she learned life's lessons through the teenage years. The polite southern atmosphere was great for raising children. But as she slowly started following her father by being absent from home more and more, she hung out at her friends, sometimes for dinner, until it was time for bed. Which relieved her mother, as she always showed up not too late, and gave her a peck on the cheek, "nite mum", and slipped herself off to bed each night.

Pretty average and dull sounding, I know, this same or similar story could be told by thousands of teenagers growing up in the central US (maybe south central!). On the other hand, at the end of her being a high school student, many of her teachers began to wonder how she managed to graduate at all. Some talked and began to rumor that her fathers connections helped up her grade point a bit. Academically, Bebe hadn't performed at all, as far as the teachers could tell from the tests she handed in. Really, it was her secret, she would never tell.

Ultimately, every story has an ending. Some classmates endeared Bebe so much, she seemed to shine as a bright guiding star to them in their somewhat impoverished worlds, in backwoods Mississippi. You don't need to be an astronomer to know every star doesn't shine forever. Unfortunately, and sadly, in one picturesque southern spring Saturday morning with the dew still dripping from the leaves, and the sunlight just beginning to pierce like rays through the top canopy of the thick Mississippi woods, ... the silent hand of reality pulled the plug.

***
Howdy, ma'am...i don't suppose you could tell us the whereabouts of Bebe?

The old lady in the rocking chair on the front porch stops suddenly,...and squints inquisitively to the handsome young fellow in the business suit and blurts, and commands for a reply.

Ya'all with the FBI...or somethin' ?

Seth laughs,

Oh no ma'am, no no! We're here with the graduating committee for our class, if you have a minute to chat we thought you might be able to help us a little.

Oooh lordy, come on up you young fellers, all I have any more is time. Say, any ya'all parched for some sun tea?

Well, yeess, surely ma'am, that's muh favorite...Oh my apologies I'm Seth and this here is muh friend Bill.

Ooh why lord yess, I know you boys, ever since you yungins used ta run all over this place...HA! ...oh my word... would one ya'all care to help me a bit, I forgot muh cane inside....oh nevermind, could one of ya'all go to my ice box and fetch the tea so's I don't hafta get outta this wretched chair...

Bill sprites up and rambles up the porch stairs, "Oh yes ma'am, I'll take care of it....I think I 'member where you keep the glasses...so's I'll just pour us all a bit..."

Well, so kindly and gentlemanly of you sir, he-he! Oh you boys growed up soo good, your mamas so proud of ya'all, I bet! Now what was it that you came callin this fine mornin'--instead a bein' with ya'alls families?

No problem at all, Grammy Hawkins, you know, if it wasn't for your fine compnee, the only reason we would stop is for your famous fine sun tea.

Aw Bill...sorry Grammy Hawkins, sometimes Bill forgets his manners.

All of them chuckle really because they know the topic isn't going to be so happy, and it was odd that again it was a beautiful spring morning just like it was once before instead of being dreary and rainy like you thought it should be. The screen door softly slams shut, with Bill and three full glasses of ice tea in hand. Seth, politely asks again, to get the conversation going...

Well, ma'am, you know, we don't wanna know anything embarassing, we just...well 'cuz your such good friends with the Ganesvoorts and all....

Yes, yes, I know what your gettin at...very gallant of you not bringin up old pain in their face, I know, but boys, there ain't much ya'all don't already know that I cant done tell ya.

Well, we don't even know why she left!, quips Bill.

Bill, quit bein' disrespectful, 'pologies ma'am.

The old lady grows a sorrowful scowl on her face, only embellished by the years of wrinkles in her skin.

You yungins, and I'm gettin so old, it don't hurt none for me to talk about that time not so long ago for me. Oh yes, us old maids sees and hears. We let bad feelings lie when need be....but I suppose theres a time for everthing.

..well, yes...eh-hem...

Now don't interupt me none....lets see, I might could speculate why. You see, tha misses, always comes over to check on me, cuz she's such an awful fine sweetie at heart.

That fateful day...Biillll....is the day poor Bebe growed up in all at once, and that taint no fair to a yungin. Now sittin here, I ain't gonna start no rumors.

Yes, ma'am.

But, I aint never...and livin so close here, I aint never heared no yellin come from that house never...sept one day...Matter fact!! day just like today...oh lord 'member it so well, nearly fell of muh chair and had a heart attack! So calm and peaceful and the like...the next all hellfire...boom!

Everyone quietly sips their tea for a moment.

I was soo scarrt....I was standin up right by tha railing where you sittin right now Bill. Yes I was tremblin with all kinds of fear...I swore to God himself I would never repeat the meanness that exploded that still burnt my ears today ...from such kind people. Dont wanna 'member it none neither...cuz there I was frozen in total fear, I swear, Lord, I swear, I aint never trembled like that and stayed put for so long..not good on a soul.

All the rucus died down as fast as it rose, when Bebe screamed you aint been here, you don't know me, was what she said...and looord, with the mister limpin out the front door, his head hung so low, with papers...he was grippin papers like in .... in his fist next to his chest....whallump, the mister slumped into the porch swing....it didnt swing none tho...and his head buried in one hand, I 'member that so vividly cuz I could still hear the missus softly whimpering inside....and the poor girl upstairs, you could hear the door slam once

Bill gulps, wide eyed.

There wernt no batterin goin on in those few mooments...and it wernt cuz tha missus said so....Nope, thats right...Bebe, herself came visited the next day...all cleaned up like she always was...sept she was not so sprite like always...'member she just sat in that porch swing over yonder, just sorta day-dreamin...without any daydream in mind, if you know what I mean...just a long blank stare....and she wernt touched none neither, none I could see...but we both sat quietly for a spell, which was ok by me, i aint had no complaints for her...then she just she walked over gave me a big hug and said bye grammy.....wasn't till much later, I realized it was for good....sooo sad, wishd Ida known it was fo good-byes, I woulda sent her off with somethin, ya know.

Yes, ma'am...the three sat for a moment and sipped their tea as grammy collected her thoughts once more.

But...come to recollect...the misses one time, was over once, and we was talkin like always she does 'bout this an that...but this time, suddenly she laughs and cries at all at once...and I exclaimed child, you ok?...oh dear some years ago, not too many, a few I suppose...I recollect she had a letter gripped tightly in her right had,...lord she was tore up...tears an gigglin at the same time...scarrt me fright to see it, lest of all happenin to her.

Again Bill quips in quickly, "what a letter from Bebe? May we see it? Does she still have it?"

Bill !! this is the reason we didnt go over to the Ganesvoorts directly...cuz your so damned....excitable....really grammy my appologies...can you continue what about that letter, if you can recall...

No, no, no, no, it wernt no letter from Bebe...

Bill stands up horrified, "Oh lord sumpin bads happend!!!"

Bill for the last time, quit bein so dramtic...LORD....sorry grammy, didnt mean to take the lords name in vain, please go on...

Its ok child, your hearts in the right place...both ya'all...no see the letter was from the misseses brother from some big city in texas...Houston or Dallas or ...oo dont 'member right. Anyhow, that was Bebe's uncle, and he said he was makin sure she was ok...but he broke a promise to her by writin the letter...oh sumpin 'bout she was so ashamed and couldn't return...and that was the only letter since...so yes sir, you boys graduated just 5, 6 years ago...and that letter was some time halfway between, yes sir, it was.

They say time heals all...thats all I have left is time...you know...surely all is forgiven, or suppose you might think...but you can never...nope can never say till it happens...no sir

Well, thats great Seth, she's in Texas somewhere lets get the address...

No, we're not going next door, I told you already, especially about this, no need to bring up bad feelings just about our class reunion...alright.

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