Shhh, Grown Folks Is Talking

Book excerpt: I am “Mom” because of my nurturing parents -- My Grandparents, Leroy and Roberta. I wanted my children to realize that I didn’t start life at 40. The knowledge of how to fairly delegate chores and to regulate video game usage did not happen by osmosis. For my sake and theirs, my children needed to know their family history. So, why not begin with me. As a kid and a teenager, I marveled at how Grandma and Grandpa, although not “proper” English speakers, had a way of explaining things. So, any words from their lips were right and true. Nestled comfortably beneath the sofa, I relished every word. From my world view, as a child, there existed two categories: Grandma and Grandpa and then everybody else. Learn how I fought my way through adolescence, the pains of fitting in and cynicism, with the help and love of my grandparents and some well-organized mischief.