Being Clem LESA CLINE-RANSOME LESA Holiday House NEW YORK
For Linda and Bill Cline My first teachers and tormentors Agitators and allies My big sister and brother My best friends
ONE There’s 2,341 miles from Chicago to the San Francisco Bay And even if you happened to catch a ride in one of those 44 Silver Streak Pontiacs with the shiny front grilles that look like big ole teeth smiling back at you and drove as fast as the wind it’d still take you about a week to get there 2,341 miles is a lot of miles But it ain’t so far when an explo sion that happens in San Francisco California lands right smack dab in your lap here in Chicago I was sleeping good when that explosion happened I heard loud knocking on the front door and Momma’s tired voice asking Who’s that I sat up in my bed knowing there was no way company could be knocking on our door before Momma even called us in for breakfast And then I heard her slippers scrap ing toward the door Just as soon as Momma unhooked the chain and undid the bolt all I heard after that was the screaming Soft spoken is how most folks describe my momma She speaks her mind don’t hold back on the truth but she’s just as quiet as can be Before that night I never so much as heard her raise her voice let alone scream but there she 1
