Junior stood next to her with his short pants all wrinkled and his spindly ashy legs cried out, no grease no grease, no grease for these ashen knees.
His socks were disheveled one reaching upward and one fallen for lack of elastic seemed to beckon for the rubber band he held tightly in his hand.

Rhodie and Aunt Sula’s eyes brimmed as the looked at this malnourished pair.
And a small chubby girl steeped to them with two large and glistening oranges.
The boys’ eyes were bulging at the sight of the oranges when it wasn’t even Christmas.

Leaning timidly forward he quickly grasped the orange as if it might take flight.
Aunt Mandy whispered a thank you and nudged the awestruck boy.
Thank Y’all he sputtered as they walked towards the car.
You’re welcome the happy skipping little girl replied.

I never had a cousin before and that speech stayed with him a lifetime.
As he lay now upon his bed for the last time he thought of the previous seventy-five years and he tasted the orange of that day so long ago in his minds eye upon his arrival up north.

And as he turned his head towards the window and his eyes closed.
An angel said softly.
WELCOME.