Robert Hastings

Three Grapes and a Cold Biscuit Robert Hastings

In rural Buford, Alabama, Elba Rae Van Oaks has finally had it with her longtime nemesis at the elementary school where they both teach, when what begins as a simple pot luck lunch turns into a messy brawl. Faced with termination as her only alternative, Elba Rae reluctantly consents to counseling sessions with the new staff psychologist as her mandated punishment. Three Grapes and a Cold Biscuit follows the middle-aged Elba Rae through her unsettling journey of personal disclosure and self exploration-from disgrace to triumph, while uncovering more than a few embarrassing secrets about the good people of Buford: There's Virginia Millford, wife of the town's most prominent and beloved physician, whose fondness for gin isn't at all appreciated by local law enforcement; Elba Rae's simple-minded cousin, Begina: Her seemingly endless presence as a houseguest drives Elba Rae to unspeakable deceit; And Elba Rae's husband, Fettis, whose generous carpentry skills and willingness to help his neighbors create the ripple which eventually travels all the way into the teacher's lounge and engulfs Elba Rae on a most unfortunate Thursday.