in school willie pettibone handed me an article

torn from the town paper.

it said:

any person to whom an evening of hearty laughter is poison had better keep away from the community club minstrel show friday evening at the town hall. all others will be admitted for a night of fun brought to you by 22 genuine black-faced “coons.”

felt like skidding on ice as i read,

felt like twisting steel.

why can’t folks just leave me alone?

daddy says:

how alone you want to be, leanora?

you’re already nothing but a wild brown island.