BARRY LYNDON

Line goes out the door and into the yard and down Hiram Street and people wait in their cars with the AC on and smoke and when I ask them what they're doing they say we're waitin it out and I say well OK alright. Walk in the house and there are Demy's three sisters all seemingly same age smelling heavily of rosewater perfume and weighed down in jewelry and sipping Asti Spumante from Stryrofoam cups. He would've wanted us to do this, Avery says, pointing to the dusty Spumante magnum resting in a painter's bucket of ice. Ima hands me a Styrofoam cup of Spumante and leads me into the den and there's a walnut dinner table buckling with china and silver and tea services.

There's University of Georgia memoribilia. There's three or four pipe caddies and large glass containers of pipe tobacco. Stacks of smut pulp paperback. Stacks of coffee table smut. Three books alone on Bettie Page. The Irving Klaw photos. Open one and there's Bettie bound and gagged. Ima grabs my hand and closes the book. Honey, please. Just cause Demy loved his ladies doesn't mean we have to look at them. Candelabras and candles and plaques celebrating journalism awards won while at papers in Macon and Albany and Athens. There are no less than 10 typewriters for sale. Extra ribbons. Reams of paper. Avery walks into the den with the last of the Spumante. Tops my cup off.

Demosthenes "Demy" Eckerd Paxton III went on to his eternal reward this past Sunday. He is survived by brothers William Tell "W.T." Paxton, and Knox Dale Paxton; sisters Avery, Ima, and Imogene Paxton. Demy was born in Hazelhurst Georgia to Cap and Cola Paxton in 1929. He worked his father's hog farm while he attended Branley High School in Broxton and then studied literature and classics at the University of Georgia. He gradutated cum laude from the Univeristy of Georgia Journalism school and worked as a reporter at The Albany Herald, The Athens Banner-Herald, and The Macon Telegraph. He later served as publisher of the Huber Times-Picayune in Alma County where he settled with his wife of 50 years, Willa Mae, who passed away in 1980. Demy was active in local social circles and a member of Civitan and the local Lion's Club. He served as a Deacon at Abel Baptist Church in Hueytown. Demy was known for his love of Georgia football and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Just about perfect, Avery says still holding the newsprint. She holds it out far in front of her face like it's art. Y'all did fine job with this obituary, she says. Lord that picture makes him look so handsome. I point to the table at a stuffed cat. Avery smiles. That's Barry. Barry Lyndon. Demy loved that cat. So much he had him stuffed. Guess it's time to open the doors. I'm not drunk enough to do this. Too bad we don't have more wine.

Imogene come into the room with sterling silver platter of tea sandwiches. Wonder Bread squares with heavy mayonnaise and mashed banana. She offers me one and I taste it and it's like heavy glue under the teeth. Avery and Ima scarf them down. Bracelets tinkling. There's not a word in the room and the sun is laying through the window and catching in the crystal from the candelabras and prisms of light swim the walls in spasms of green and violet. Ima pulls a small silver flask out of her purse and sips from it and passes it to Avery who sips from it and passes it to Imogene who sips from it and hands it to me. Old Grand Dad, she says. Demy's favorite. To Demy, I say, and sip from the flask.