on his own. I wonder: What would Pop remember about this story? What was the wish that came true?
It’s late. I close the book. I turn off the flashlight. And every burning thing is off.
Nella
Day 747. Today the woman at the kiosk was staring at us, and she said if the children father was black? Roger never was black. He was charming and fun and handsome. And he loved to have fun. I really felt for him the very first time we met at the base club. We would be at the base club, the airmen club and hang out with friends have a few drinks and dance the night away. He was taken me on picnics around base by Loetzbeuren, the snacks he brought the Saltine crackers, martinis in the thermos and also a blanket so we could smooch. I wasn’t ever thinking he was a black. When he said but you cannot be pregnant, we cannot get married, and when I said why not he said cause you are white and I am not. I did not know that was a problem. So many white women were dating NCOs with brown skin, and it was normal to me. I do notthink of this thing. I did not say anything to the woman today. She is rude and I did not need give her a answer. Roger said I could not understand because Europa is not the same. He never wanted to come back to America. Is this part of why? The woman was thinking I adopted my children? What does the woman not see? Robbie, the little brown kys. He looks like Roger—around the eyes, his nose. His mouth looks like me. Rachel has the same color eyes. They are more pretty for her. Ariel looks just like them when they were babys. More hair. They are my natural children. And look like it.
Rachel
Lakeisha waves to the people below who’ve come to see the Starlight Holiday Parade. We are on the third floor at the Salvation Army Harbor Lights Center where Drew works. If you sit on the fire escape, like Lakeisha does, it’s probably one of the best spots to see the parade. I lean just a little bit out the window instead. Still, I can see the city sign over the Burnside Bridge, which is lit up in daytime during the holidays with the reindeer’s nose glowing bright red. The sun’s shining after the early morning rain and you can see the snow-covered mountain in the distance to the east. Below, people dressed in their heavy winter coats are seated on lawn chairs that line the street. The marching bands, the cheerleading squads, the floats, and the fancy decorated cars go by.
There isn’t a queen for this parade, but that’s what Lakeisha looks like she’s practicing to be, waving to the crowd below.Lakeisha could never be queen. Her glasses fog up. And she flicks her wrist too fast for the wave. She waves anyway.
“My brother’s friend. He’s as tall as that guy. That one playing the trumpet,” Lakeisha says pointing to the band crossing down Burnside.
“Where?”
“Right there,” she says and points. “If you weren’t so scary you could see him good from out here.”
“I’m not scared.”
“You ain’t coming out here.”
“So. It’s cold. I’m cold.”
Lakeisha has fog in her glasses and her breath comes out in a cloud. “Okay, scaredy cat, come on let’s get something to eat. This is tired anyway. Watching a parade from a bum house ain’t no fun.”
Lakeisha crawls back through the window from the fire escape. She uses my shoulder for balance and jumps to the floor almost knocking me down. “Come on, dang.”
“S O YOU’RE HUNGRY ,” Drew says. “Well, you’re just in time for lunch.”
“I don’t want to eat with no bums,” Lakeisha says.
“Lakeisha, you show some respect. These are men. They’re trying to make a change.”
“I think it smells good,” I say.
“It should. We’ve got a special holiday meal.”
“How come I can’t have McDonald’s?” Lakeisha asks. Drew gives her a harsh look and says, “Why don’t you follow Rachel’s lead? Show some manners.”
Lakeisha and I get in line along with the others. Not all of the men live at the center. Some still live on
It’s late. I close the book. I turn off the flashlight. And every burning thing is off.
Nella
Day 747. Today the woman at the kiosk was staring at us, and she said if the children father was black? Roger never was black. He was charming and fun and handsome. And he loved to have fun. I really felt for him the very first time we met at the base club. We would be at the base club, the airmen club and hang out with friends have a few drinks and dance the night away. He was taken me on picnics around base by Loetzbeuren, the snacks he brought the Saltine crackers, martinis in the thermos and also a blanket so we could smooch. I wasn’t ever thinking he was a black. When he said but you cannot be pregnant, we cannot get married, and when I said why not he said cause you are white and I am not. I did not know that was a problem. So many white women were dating NCOs with brown skin, and it was normal to me. I do notthink of this thing. I did not say anything to the woman today. She is rude and I did not need give her a answer. Roger said I could not understand because Europa is not the same. He never wanted to come back to America. Is this part of why? The woman was thinking I adopted my children? What does the woman not see? Robbie, the little brown kys. He looks like Roger—around the eyes, his nose. His mouth looks like me. Rachel has the same color eyes. They are more pretty for her. Ariel looks just like them when they were babys. More hair. They are my natural children. And look like it.
Rachel
Lakeisha waves to the people below who’ve come to see the Starlight Holiday Parade. We are on the third floor at the Salvation Army Harbor Lights Center where Drew works. If you sit on the fire escape, like Lakeisha does, it’s probably one of the best spots to see the parade. I lean just a little bit out the window instead. Still, I can see the city sign over the Burnside Bridge, which is lit up in daytime during the holidays with the reindeer’s nose glowing bright red. The sun’s shining after the early morning rain and you can see the snow-covered mountain in the distance to the east. Below, people dressed in their heavy winter coats are seated on lawn chairs that line the street. The marching bands, the cheerleading squads, the floats, and the fancy decorated cars go by.
There isn’t a queen for this parade, but that’s what Lakeisha looks like she’s practicing to be, waving to the crowd below.Lakeisha could never be queen. Her glasses fog up. And she flicks her wrist too fast for the wave. She waves anyway.
“My brother’s friend. He’s as tall as that guy. That one playing the trumpet,” Lakeisha says pointing to the band crossing down Burnside.
“Where?”
“Right there,” she says and points. “If you weren’t so scary you could see him good from out here.”
“I’m not scared.”
“You ain’t coming out here.”
“So. It’s cold. I’m cold.”
Lakeisha has fog in her glasses and her breath comes out in a cloud. “Okay, scaredy cat, come on let’s get something to eat. This is tired anyway. Watching a parade from a bum house ain’t no fun.”
Lakeisha crawls back through the window from the fire escape. She uses my shoulder for balance and jumps to the floor almost knocking me down. “Come on, dang.”
“S O YOU’RE HUNGRY ,” Drew says. “Well, you’re just in time for lunch.”
“I don’t want to eat with no bums,” Lakeisha says.
“Lakeisha, you show some respect. These are men. They’re trying to make a change.”
“I think it smells good,” I say.
“It should. We’ve got a special holiday meal.”
“How come I can’t have McDonald’s?” Lakeisha asks. Drew gives her a harsh look and says, “Why don’t you follow Rachel’s lead? Show some manners.”
Lakeisha and I get in line along with the others. Not all of the men live at the center. Some still live on
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