Probably an hour into the movie, right after the murder of Frank Bennett, Big George tells Idgie that Smokey Lonesome left town. When Smokey returns (probably a year or more later) he comes into the cafe' and everyone greets him. Sipsey, behind the counter, says "Hey Smokey." I don't think that a black woman in rural Alabama in the 1930s or 40s would call any white man by his first name, especially in front of others. She always referred to Idgie and Ruth as "Miss", and they were dear friends of hers. Near the end of the movie, when they flashed back to the murder, Sipsey says "you're a good man, Mr. Smokey" and in that scene only Idgie and Big George were present.