Papa never said much of anything to me about anything, except the farm. I couldn't recall ever having a "talk" with him about anything related to sex.

"No, Mama."

"Pity," she said. "Fathers are supposed to talk to their sons about such things, as mothers are supposed to talk to their daughters. But I never had a daughter. Your father shirked his duty, which was not right."

She patted me on the knee.

"Your father, I am sad to say, has shirked that, and other duties."

She got a faraway look in her eye and was quiet. I wasn't sure what to say.

"What do you mean, Mama?"

Mama looked...