Chapter 30

There are ‘facts of life,’ and there are ‘facts of life.’ The United States of America has their ‘facts’ ... North Africa has theirs. In his North African country, when you’re bought, you stay bought or you’re dead.

When the under secretary was young ... in his village school ... he had excelled. His excellence had been noticed by ‘certain wealthy individuals’ ... and one of those individuals had taken the young man under his wing ... so to speak. Suddenly, his further education had been taken care of. He found himself in college ... the first. His village was proud. Even the headman was proud.

The young man was ‘westernized.’ Suits ... ties ... clean white shirts ... politics ... women. Ah ... the women. The farther up the political ladder he climbed, the lighter their skin.

His benefactor shared his wealth ... his women.

His son.

His son was near to the villagers age and they became not exactly friends.

The political friend understood.

He understood that some women take time to become acclimated. Some few never did ... and those few disappeared. One of the North African ‘facts of life.’

What the under secretary really wanted was to take Alice out to sea and drown her ... He wished it.

Be careful what you wish for. You might get it.

My sibling ... Jackie ... was ... dead. I participated in her death. I placed the hammer on the third step. She stumbled on it and fell to her death ... or not. When Edith transitioned back to Jackie ... she left part of Edith alive in Jackie.

Jackie is a nice girl ... now.

Mom said, “I should have killed her when she was born.”

“Jackie is a nice kid.”

That’s quite the transition.

We were living in ‘family housing.’ And Alice was ‘family.’ And older than she appeared. How much older no one said. George admitted to ‘inventing the flower car.’ Mom was our slightly older sister ... now. We were in college in Ann Arbor ... and school here ... and had been in Ellensburg. Where else? I don’t know.

Alice said, “I met a boy.” And immediately smelled of ‘hot woman.’

By day or week information about ‘the boy’ was imparted to whoever picked her up.

“He’s a transfer.”

“His parents are away ... ambassadors or something.”

“He lives with his uncle.”

“I have a date.”

After each announcement the room/car smelled of ‘hot woman.’

“I need a prom dress!”

“I needed that.”

“His uncle has a big boat.”

“I need the weekend off.”

“We’re going to Atlantic City.”