Alice was an easy character to create. That name is the name of my grandmother and her mother, is my middle name and my grandmother daughter’s as well.
She has been gone for over 35 years now but I remember her energy and smile as if she is still here. She was a bling master, before bling was a word. Her glasses were always linked to a cord around her neck that was made of pearls or something glittery. She was stylish but practical, pants were her clothing of choice while other women of her age wore dresses. She mostly wore flats, and had a holder for her cigarettes. She smelled of Oil of Olay. She was magical with African Violets, but was always trying something new. Once year she grew Venus fly traps. She drove a honking big Chevrolet Impala back when cars actually had steel in them, but it actually was for her protection. She was only about 80 pounds.
To me, she represents all that is joy because she was a source of inspiration and happiness that I didn’t have in many other parts of my life. In retrospect, as I got older I realized how much she was responsible for who I am today. I call it the happy gene and when I think about all my family and extended family members who have that gene and who maybe hasn’t developed it as big as it can get, I am grateful I got that gene.
When I thought about the “saviour” for Charlotte in my story, the name Alice was my first choice. Now the Alice in my story isn’t much like my grandmother physically, but her street sense and joy is. I wanted Charlotte to be exposed to someone that could she her another way. And if you read the story, you will see just how.
