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making a mental note to stick to baked goods.
    An older man with a distinguished air and large brown eyes met them at the door.  Lila remembered the pastor from the funeral, but she'd met so many people, she couldn't recall his name.  He said good morning to Gladys and Ada, who had their hands full, then stuck a long-fingered hand out toward Lila.  She tucked a loaf of bread under one arm and shook his hand.
    “Lila, you remember Pastor Lucas,” Ada said. 
    Pastor Lucas gave her a kind smile.  “How have you been, Lila.  I've been thinking about you.”
    “I'm okay, thank you.  Aunt Ada's been good to me.”
    “ I'm sure she has.  You'll eat well there, for sure.”  He grinned at Ada.  “I'm glad you're still in town.  I hoped you'd stay with us awhile.”
    “ Why is that?”  He seemed so genuine, Lila had to ask.
    “ I was curious to see how like your father you would be.”  The twinkle in his eye did not go unnoticed by Lila.
“You'll have to let me know,” Lila said.  “We'll be at service on Sunday.”
    “ I'll hold you to that,” he answered in a pleasant tone.
    The ladies shuffled through the door and proceeded to the large room at the back of the church, then placed their offerings on one of the long tables lined up at the front of the room.  Lila's eyes scanned the collection of frosted cupcakes, brownies, breads, multi-colored afghans, jewelry, and other hand-crafted items.  The purple hat was even more shocking close up.  The bird's beady black eyes stared at her in an accusing way. 
    There were several pieces of paper as well, and she squinted to read the handwritten words:  one free haircut and style at Goldie's Locks; lawn mowing services for a month; two Sunday dinners; one Saturday handyman.  She smiled, curious who the handyman was, and wondering how much he could accomplish at the old house in one Saturday.  He probably wouldn't get past the front porch.
    The women turned around, and spotted a group of open folding chairs.  It took several minutes to reach them, however.  Lila smiled and nodded until her head spun as the ladies introduced her to one neighbor after another on the way to their seats.
    They sat down, Ada next to the aisle, Gladys beside her, and then Lila.  Gladys craned her neck, peering around the woman in front of her.  “I told you we should have come earlier.  We're four rows back.  I hope we don't miss the good stuff.”
    Ada wrinkled her lips.  “I'm sorry, but I just had my hair fixed yesterday, and Goldie really did a number on it this time.  It took me forever to get it under control.  Anyway, we can see just fine.”
    The items on the tables kept piling up as the rows of chairs behind them filled in.  Betsy Barker slid into the empty chair beside Lila, wearing an orange, off-the-shoulder blouse.  Gladys and Ada eyed her, brows raised. 
    “ Here are your paddles, ladies.”  Betsy handed each of them a numbered paddle.  She waved hers up and down with enthusiasm.  “Just practicing.  Susan Walters outbid me last year on a Brazilian wax and mani-pedi package.  I'm not going to let that happen again.”  She glared across the aisle at a blonde woman a good twenty years younger than herself.
    Matilda walked in, her face obscured by an arrangement of gorgeous peonies.  Leona followed with one of her hand-painted sweat shirts.  They placed their items on a table and found two empty seats behind Lila and Gladys.
    The excited chatter lowered to a hum, then a whisper as a grinning older man in a crisply ironed shirt and blue jeans spoke into a microphone.  His voice was deep, his inflection that of a showman's.  “Testing.  Welcome ladies and gents.”
    Betsy grinned.  “That's my Eddie.  He's been doing this for years.”
    “We appreciate all of you who have come out today for our annual auction, and for the marvelous contributions.”  Eddie gestured to the tables.  “As you know, the proceeds will go toward church