by Ashton Lee
Once again the room exploded with appreciative applause as Maura Beth and Councilman Sparks firmly shook hands and then briefly embraced. It appeared that a new era in Cherico had begun at long last.
Surprisingly, Chunky Badham stepped up to the mike, looking slightly comical in his elaborate Wise Man outfit. There was way too much shiny blue fabric covering him, resembling a floor-length evening gown that had not been fitted properly, and the turban atop his head looked like it might fall off any second. But he quickly got down to business with his comments.
“I just wanted to say,” he began, “that Durden Sparks, he’s always been my role model for gettin’ things done in our little town of Greater Cherico, as we like to call it. I think it’s best to know your limitations in life, and I learned early on when I got into politics that I was a follower, not a leader. That’s been Durden’s gift to me. Delegatin’ what he knew I could do best. My wife and kids’ve had security because a’ that, and I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank him publicly for it.” Polite applause immediately followed.
Apparently inspired by Chunky’s testimonial, Gopher Joe Martin—whose silvery Wise Man costume fit him way too snugly—motioned for the mike next. “As long as we’re handin’ out kudos here at Christmastime, I wanted to tell all a’ y’all about somethin’ Durden did for me and my family one time. My wife, Lydia, well, she got real sick a few years back. Woman’s troubles that I’m sure I don’t have to go into, ya know. Well, I got so in the red with it all that I couldn’t even afford the insurance deductibles. But Durden—well, he took care of ’em out of his own pocket. Lydia and I’ve never forgotten his kindness.” He gestured toward his wife out in the audience. “Raise your hand, honey. Let ’em know you’re still healthy and happy—and we’re solvent because a’ Durden. Come on now, don’t be shy. We’re among good friends here.”
Lydia Martin, a plump, middle-aged woman with helmet hair sprouting reindeer antlers, put her hand up, tentatively at first, but then waved it vigorously to the applause and buzzing of the room.
Councilman Sparks took the mike from Gopher Joe and seemed at a loss for words for what may have been a first during his lengthy political career. “Well . . . umm . . . fellas . . . you really surprised me with all that . . .”
“Don’t be embarrassed, Durden!” a voice from the crowd cried out. “I have something I’d like to say myself!”
Mamie Crumpton stepped up in her “large nutcracker” outfit and seized the mike. “The Crumpton family has long been indebted to Charles Durden Sparks. Our families go way back, and our houses are practically next to each other on Perry Street. But that’s not the point. There are things that our good councilman has done for Cherico that he never mentions because he just thinks it’s part of his job. Taking care of our little town, that is. He’s gotten streets and roads paved that were falling apart, he’s taken trips at his own expense to visit company CEOs in an effort to get them to move their plants here, and on a personal note . . .”
She paused for an awkward length of time but finally cleared her throat, heaved her chest, and resumed. “Well, the truth is—and my sister, Marydell, doesn’t even know about this—I had made some investments with a broker up in Memphis a few years ago who was—well, he was a con artist is what he was—a snake-oil salesman if there ever was one. And he was about to abscond with a huge chunk of the money our parents had left us. When I told Durden about it, he took it upon himself to go up there in person and put the fear of God in this man. To make a long story short, we got our money back. So what I’m trying to say is that come hell or high water, Durden Sparks does care about Cherico, whether they have a little money or lots of money. He’s told me more than once that he only wants to be a good steward for us, and I believe that’s what he’s tried to be to the best of his ability.” Mamie quickly handed over the mike. “And that’s all I wanted to say.”
Councilman Sparks momentarily looked stumped, managing a weak smile as the room continued to buzz. “Well . . . that was a mouthful, Mamie. I’m not sure I completely measure up. I’m no George Bailey, you know. Maybe some of you have even thought of me as Mr. Potter now and then. There have even been times lately where I’ve had a bad day or two and doubted my effectiveness.”
Mamie shook her head vigorously, wagging her finger for emphasis. “Nonsense, Durden Sparks. You’re the first person everyone looks to when there’s a crisis. They expect you to have all the answers, even if you don’t. Every town should have someone like you looking after it.”
Finally, Councilman Sparks came to his senses as his old mojo kicked in. “Well, I’m all about the legacy my father and Layton Duddney left me a long time ago, and that’s the truth. From the beginning, I’ve always been determined to make something out of Cherico one way or another. Maybe I’ve made my share of mistakes, but I’ve also learned from ’em.”
Waddell Mack chimed in, enthusiastically patting the councilman on the shoulder. “I like the way you romanced your little town to try and get Spurs ’R’ Us to locate here, and by gosh darn, you did it. So I’ll be right proud to call it my second home from here on out, or these boots I’m wearin’ tonight aren’t bright red! Oh, and I’ll plan on doin’ at least two concerts a year down here in Cherico. And I’ll donate all the proceeds to whatever project this little town needs doin’ the most. You just let me know what it is, and I’ll help you get it done. Now, how’s that for a Christmas present to all a’ you folks!?”
Out in the audience, Maura Beth was one of many who felt the spirit of the season bubbling up and spilling over. Wherever she looked, right and left, everyone returned her smile effortlessly. Why, she wondered with a certain sense of awe, couldn’t it always be like this?
Maura Beth was propped up against her pillows, catching her breath after a very satisfying session of Christmas Eve lovemaking with her Jeremy. He was content to wind down in silence as well, staring over at her affectionately. Then she grabbed a sheet of paper from her nightstand and held it in front of her face, looking virtually mesmerized.
“Now what have you got there?” Jeremy asked, inching a bit closer to her to get a glimpse.
“It’s the Christmas newsletter we received from Locke and Miss Voncille. It made quite an impression on me when it came a few days ago. I wanted to read it again before falling asleep tonight.”
Jeremy briefly reviewed its contents in his head and nodded enthusiastically. “Yep, I have to admit it sure wasn’t your ordinary newsletter full of snippets about vacations and raises at work and how much the children have grown and what good grades they got in school this year. It was pretty powerful and moving stuff there at the end, I seem to recall.”
“Would you like for me to read it out loud before we turn out the lights so Santa can come down the chimney and visit us?” The smile on her face was utterly irresistible, like that of a small child eagerly anticipating Christmas morning.
He returned her smile in kind. “Sure.”
She sat up even straighter and cleared her throat. “Okay, then. I’ll skip down to the part that really grabbed both of us:
Voncille and I wanted to share with all of you—our good friends—another essay my Pamela wrote in her journal the week before she died a few years ago. Her clarity of vision at such a time has always seemed remarkable to me. We think it especially makes sense here at Christmastime when we send out our best wishes to so many people who are reflecting upon the passage of another year and their lives in general. She wrote the following:
Like empty space that is unsullied by its contents, or water that is unaffected by the fish that swim through it, the mind of God is beyond all form. Like space, it is equally present in the objects therein. That which is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent is not vulnerable to threat or emotional upset. Thus, God is not prone to revenge, jealousy, hatred, violence, vanity, egotism, or the need for adulation or compliments. The beneficiary of worshipping is the worshipper. God is totally and absolutely complete and has no n
eeds or desires. God is not unhappy or upset if you have never heard of him or don’t believe in him.
—Pamela Alden Linwood, August 2011”
Maura Beth exhaled dramatically after she had finished. “Well, I’m not sure Pamela Linwood had all the answers—I mean, who does?—but she had obviously given life a great deal of thought to write that. I remember being so impressed with what Locke shared of hers a few weeks ago. She certainly faced her own mortality in an inspiring way. I’ve always thought of myself as an outside-the-box girl, too. I think that’s the best Christmas card I’ve ever read. It’s empowering in some way I can’t quite put my finger on.”
“I have to agree with you,” Jeremy said, snuggling up against her and lightly kissing her forehead.
Maura Beth glanced at the clock on her nightstand and made a soft purring sound. “Well, it’s midnight, sweetheart. Christmas Day is officially here. So what do you think? Shall we settle down for a long winter’s nap? Last time I looked, I don’t believe a creature was stirring.”
He chuckled, picking up on her theme. “Not even a mouse?”
“Let’s hope not.”
“You just talked me into it,” he told her, and this time they enjoyed a sweet, lingering kiss.
“Merry Christmas, sweetheart,” she said as she drew back ever so slightly. “I can’t wait to begin another year with you.”
“Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you, too, Maurie. It just keeps getting better and better for us.”
And then, with her loving, grown-up companion by her side, she turned out the light, hoping to revisit the Christmas dreams of her girlhood one more time.
Recipes from Fat Mama’s Tamales and The Twinkle, Twinkle Café
This time around, we offer a famous recipe from an actual restaurant, Fat Mama’s Tamales, in Natchez, Mississippi (www.FatMamasTamales.com), as well as another from my fictional restaurant creation, The Twinkle, Twinkle Café in Cherico, Mississippi. Both are perfect for entertaining large and small groups and well worth the try. In fact, we suggest a menu consisting of both recipes for your next party, along with wine.
Fat Mama’s Homemade Tamale Recipe
Ingredients you will need . . .
2 pounds beef
2 pounds pork
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 cup yellow onions, chopped
Salt
Black pepper
Red pepper
10 cups masa harina (corn flour)
3 cups lard or shortening
Corn husks
Making tamales is a labor of love and is time-consuming. Please keep in mind that it will require 5 to 6 hours from start to finish. So take off your instant gratification hat. The meat and masa (dough) are prepared separately, then combined to make the tamales. We suggest you invite friends and family over when making tamales so it is as much a social event as it is a good day’s work in the kitchen!
MEAT MIXTURE
Ingredients (from the above) you will need . . .
2 pounds beef
2 pounds pork
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 cup yellow onions, chopped
Salt, black pepper, red pepper to taste
Combine beef, pork, 2 tablespoons of minced garlic, 1 cup of chopped onions, and salt, black pepper, and red pepper to taste in a large pot and cover with water. Bring pot to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 3½ hours. After 3½ hours, remove pot from heat and allow to cool. Once moderately cool, remove and strain meat from liquid and shred. Be sure to keep the strained liquid for use in your masa later. Once you have shredded the meat mixture, place in refrigerator to cool.
DOUGH (MASA HARINA)
Ingredients (from the above) you will need . . .
10 cups masa harina (corn flour)
3 cups lard or shortening
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
Red pepper to taste
Seasoned water that meat was cooked in
Mix your 10 cups of masa harina, 3 cups of lard or shortening, 1 tablespoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of black pepper, and red pepper to taste in a large container. Slowly add the hot strained liquid from the meat mixture and mix thoroughly. We suggest that the masa have the same consistency as thick cornbread. Allow to cool once masa has reached desired consistency.
CORN SCHUCKS /HUSKS
Wash the corn shucks under running water, removing the corn silks, and then soak in a big pot of hot, but not boiling, water for at least 3 hours in order to soften the shuck so it is easy to handle. This step can be done while the meat is cooking. Once the shucks are pliable, you can lay them out to be filled with the dough and meat mixture. Spread the dough (masa harina) on with a knife; then spread the meat mixture over the masa. The meat mixture will be heavier and thicker than the masa mixture. Once the masa and meat are applied to the shuck, the narrow end of the shuck is folded up and the shuck is then rolled up from side to side. Tie the tamales in bundles of six with a string prior to the final step.
FINAL STEP
Once the tamales are all bundled, place them in a steam basket and cook them over water. It is important that the water is not completely steamed away at any time. Keep the steamer full of water so the tamales do not dry out. They are best served hot right out of the pot. Suggestion for libation: ice-cold beer.
—Courtesy David Gammill, Natchez, Mississippi
The Twinkle, Twinkle Café’s Baby Kale, Spinach, and Blueberry Salad
Ingredients you will need . . .
15-ounce bag or package of baby kale (do not use mature
kale)
15-ounce bag or package of baby spinach
Dried dill weed
1 11-ounce package of fresh blueberries
2 ounces Feta cheese crumbles
Balsamic vinaigrette dressing (any bottled brand)
Wash baby kale and spinach leaves; place in very large salad bowl. Sprinkle dried dill weed throughout. Wash blueberries and distribute throughout salad. Sprinkle Feta cheese throughout; drizzle dressing to taste. Toss everything together lightly, but do not bruise or crush blueberries. This recipe serves up to six. Halve ingredients, except dill weed and cheese crumbles, to serve two or three. An excellent light dinner party selection and a cool accompaniment to any hot tamales being served.
—Courtesy Marion Good, Oxford, Mississippi
A READING GROUP GUIDE
A CHERRY COLA CHRISTMAS
Ashton Lee
ABOUT THIS GUIDE
The suggested questions are included to
enhance your group’s reading of Ashton Lee’s
A Cherry Cola Christmas!
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Do you agree that the end of the year brings out the better nature of people?
2. Have you ever had an unusual experience of a spiritual nature occur around Christmastime?
3. The issue of Alzheimer’s is brought up in this novel. Has this issue affected you personally?
4. How do you feel about the character of Councilman Durden Sparks after four novels? Better? Worse? The same?
5. How do you view Maura Beth’s growth as a woman and a librarian after four novels?
6. Where do you think Cherico would be if Maura Beth had never created The Cherry Cola Book Club?
7. Discuss special events your community has created for the Christmas/Holiday season.
8. There will be at least two more novels in this series. What would you like to see happen?
9. Which character has changed the most since the debut novel, The Cherry Cola Book Club?
10. If this series is ever made into a movie or TV series, whom do you see portraying Maura Beth?
11. Has the series made you want to support your local library more?
12. Discuss other actors who might portray the rest of the cast.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously
. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
KENSINGTON BOOKS are published by
Kensington Publishing Corp.
119 West 40th Street
New York, NY 10018
Copyright © 2015 by Ashton Lee
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.
Kensington and the K logo Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off.
ISBN: 978-1-6177-3343-7
First Kensington Electronic Edition: October 2015
ISBN-13: 978-1-61773-343-7