CHAPTERI

As Cynthia Connelly sat on her patio sipping her morning coffee and enjoying an unseasonably cool fall breeze, she reflected on all the events which brought her back to the Gulf Coast almost ten years ago. Mobile was known as the city by the Bay, had the greatest seafood in the world in her opinion, breathtaking azalea trails, and was the birthplace of Mardi Gras. But for Cynthia it was home, her grandmother had often said, “You can come home when there is no other place to go.” After some very difficult moments, Cynthia realized her grandmother was right, because there may come a time when life hits you so hard that you find it difficult to breathe, and familiar surroundings is the only thing able to provide you with some sense of clarity. When Cynthia found herself in such a position, and in desperate need of clarity, there was only one choice for her; it was time to come home.

Cynthia’s childhood was not perfect, but it was good, and her grandmother did the best she could to provide her with a comfortable and stable home. They lived in an area of the city known as Happy Hill, which honestly did not live up to its idyllic name. It was a community of housing projects made out of cement blocks, which were extremely hot in the summer and cold in the winter. Even though their apartment was tiny, Cynthia remembered it was always clean and filled with freshly cooked food every day. Her grandmother was known for her famous teacakes, which were the centerpiece of their many tea parties, but served with coffee instead of tea. Cynthia smiled, what wonderful memories. She didn’t know it then, but those special moments spent with her grandmother would become the memories she would hold on to for a lifetime.

Cynthia felt safe inside those four cement walls. However, once she stepped outside, she was reminded, it was also a community filled with drugs and violence. Someone was always getting shot, and the police were constantly patrolling the area looking to make a drug arrest. In spite of all this, Cynthia’s immediate surroundings were like a safe haven. Everyone knew each other, looked out for each other, and the adults had no problem making sure all the kids were well behaved, at least in their presence anyway. All of this offered a sense of comfort to the neighborhood kids as they played outside, with the understanding everyone would return home before the evening streetlights came on. Cynthia smiled at the thought of her friends racing home when the lights started popping on, knowing someone would be the butt of all the jokes the next day because he or she didn’t make it, and had to pay the price. It was easy for Cynthia because she never ventured pass her self-imposed safety zone, which was no more than a five-block area from her apartment. Growing up in such an environment Cynthia was determined to provide better days for herself and her grandmother.

Cynthia’s grandmother raised her to be independent, to get a good education, and work hard; she wanted to make sure Cynthia had a better life than she did. Cynthia believed her grandmother was the reason, she had such a strong work ethic, she had instilled in her the drive to be successful. Indeed, that shy young girl from a drug and crime infested housing project, had completed college, and gone on to make quite a name for herself in advertising. Her dear grandmother was gone but she had often tol