““Well, if it ain’t Mr. Rogers. What are you doing here?” I walked to Marlene and kissed her cheek. “You’re not trying to hit on my woman, are you?” Grouper waved me off and grumbled something. “It’s Sunday,” Marlene said. “We play checkers and watch TV. But there’s no football on today.” “I was in the neighborhood, so thought I’d stop in and check on things.” Grouper tried to play off his visit as casual. “He turns on my television every week before we play. I don’t really like football, but we play checkers, too, so I don’t say anything.” “Is that so? The old bastard even comes in on his day off, huh?” “That’s not nice. He’s not a bastard. He’s just old and moves sort of slow. And a little hard of hearing, too.””
