We were anguished by the random acts of savagery affecting our nations progeny and were creating a mile long banner of white silk, companion to a red silk world banner, to be emblazoned with the names of 8,000 kids slain in the Golden State during a ten year period. Francis Luster, who was co-chairing the endeavor, spoke of her son Kofey, shot to death the previous year. At the end of our meeting she lit a candle in memory of her child and all the others whose names would be written in black on the delicate fabric. The next morning as warm raindrops fell my housekeeper Cecelia, who had given out silk and banner blueprints the evening before, was ironing. She used the guest room for this work, a pleasant space, it sports the original 1917 paned glass windows.
Truth is indeed stranger than fiction, more prosaic too.
As improbable as it sounds I was listening to a tape of harp music that morning. Credulity is strained I know, but the fact is I began to have a hankering for angel cake. When Cecelia came upstairs for lunch I asked if we had any angel cake mix. I didn't think you liked angel food cake. I don't usually.