One Foot Off the Gutter (2010)
One Foot Off the Gutter
“Patsy stood by her living room window with her children fingering the curtains and watching the vehicle buckle up to the curb. Wisps of fog were clinging to the houses along Twenty-first Street. Samoan women were talking by the Whirl-o-mat, which had opened up for the morning’s business.
“Malcolm. Celeste. Your grandparents are here. I want you to be on your best behavior,” Patsy instructed the kids.
“He’s not my granddaddy,” Malcolm offered.
“What did you say?” Patsy snapped. “I told you not to talk that way anymore. What did I tell you? Your attitude is bad. Now go on and play.”
The kids ran into the bathroom and shut the door. Patsy heard the toilet flushing, then a loud laugh.
“Hey, you guys! Come out of the bathroom. Your grandparents will need to use the john after their trip.”
The kids didn’t answer her. Patsy didn’t know whether to go downstairs and greet her mom and dad, or stay upstairs and wait for them. She felt dim and not quite sure of what she looked like to herself.
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