“Now, Earl, doncha go actin’ the fool”, Bubba said.

“Wouldn’t neither be no actin’ ”, Daryl commented.

“Wud ya meanin’ thet thar ta be a meanin’ ?”, Earl asked.

“Ah means thet you be a natural like fool. Ya don’ need to act none”, Daryl told him. Daryl liked Earl well enough. He just didn’t think Earl was too bright. No one did so that was no surprise. Most folks just let Earl slide by with no comment. Not Daryl. Daryl enjoyed baiting Earl.

“Ah’s a natral fool? Thet whet ya sayin’?”, earl huffed.

“Ah says et an’ then ya go on an’ proves it”, Daryl responded.

Bubba knew where this was headed and decided to let it. He was bored. this had been going on since they were all kids. Earl never learned, never. Of course, Daryl said that also proved Earl was stupid.

“Yea!? How’d Ah go an’ prove et? Huh? How?”

“Thar. Ya done proved et agin”, Daryl baited Earl.

“Daryl, ya startin’ ta git on mah nerves some. Ah’s gittin’ a little tard of yor mouth, ta be honest”, Earl replied, jumping right at the bait.

Daryl wasn’t ready to reel Earl in just yet. He wanted Earl to take a drunken swing at him. Daryl would duck, Earl would miss and fall down. That was what Daryl called “havin’ a sensa humah”.

Daryl never tried baiting Bubba even though he was at least twice as smart as Bubba. The thing was, Bubba didn’t miss, ever. Then, Daryl would be the one falling down, falling down real hard. Daryl didn’t think Bubba had any sense of humor and he was right.

“Bubba, how’d ah proved Ah’s a natral fool?”, Earl asked.

“By talkin’ ta Daryl when ya be all drunked up. Fer thet matter, even iffen ya be sober.”

“Now, Earl, ya knows Ah likes ya well enuff. Et jus’ thet Ah think yer a natral fool. Et ain’t like ya wanna be thet way. Et jus’ be the way ya was borned. Thet’s all”, Daryl told Earl.

“Ya means, et be sorta like a gift?”, Earl asked. Bubba just shook his head. Sometimes Earl’s dumbness was too much for even him. Baited and hooked.

“Thar ya goes agin’”, Daryl said.