June 1945
Mama’s acting funny. It’s not Sunday and she makes me and Jed put on Sunday clothes. And I have to put my paper dolls away and just sit on the Davenport and look at my picture book. And Jed has to comb his hair. Mama tucks his shirt in and he asks why and she says someone special is going to be here. And there’s a knock and she says he’s here and a man walks into the room in funny clothes. His shirt and pants are muddy color, and a hat like none I ever seen. It’s the same color too. Greeny brown. And she kisses him. The only time I ever seen her kiss a man was New Year’s Eve, they hung a thing in the doorway and my Uncle Jake standed under it and they made us all kiss him, even Gramma kissed him and my cousin Luzy who is more little than me. I’m almost five and she’s three and a
