Franklin Jefferson lets his friends and family know what is going on in their lives by way of an email.
Dated: Friday, October 10, 2003~
Subject: Letter To My Family and Friends
Dear One And All:
Hullo, hullo! This is Franklin Paul Jefferson speaking; hope this finds you all well or happy!
Things with my wife and new baby boy couldn't be better. Tomorrow little Stefan Paul Franklin William Jefferson will be one whole month old; he sure is getting big! He now weighs 15 pounds; he eats better than M'Kaya or I do at times! LOL He is a little butterball! (Takes after his old man, hunh?? LOL) M'Kaya is having a flare-up with her MS; she fell yesterday afternoon while getting out of the truck, but other than a few scrapes and bruises, she is otherwise unhurt. Scared the hell out of me, though! She is a bit on the sore side, but she isn't hurting TOO badly; but I am making her stay in, and I am making her use the wheelchair instead of her crutches. Her crutches are rather bent out of shape from when she fell, and I don't think they will last much longer. May have to break down and get her a brand new pair of forearm crutches. The ones she has now are in really sad shape. (It's a wonder she didn't bust her crutches...let alone, HERSELF!...when she fell! Really scared the HELL outta' me!~)
I am still working hard at Jonas Bronck, and (DRUMROLL, PLZ)...I got another RAISE! I am now making $15 per hour; I got a TWO DOLLAR raise! I am SO happy! Life is indeed good for us here in New Yawk!
Our beloved Yankees won yesterday; sure hope they make it to the World Series! That would be GREAT! We have been watching the games, and boy, have they been EXCITING! WOW! M'Kaya is a HUGE Yankees fan, and she has been having a total blast since the Yanks made the playoff berth!
Mama El: Howz things in Hotlanta? Are you still taking your meds like Dr. Potter wants you to? You KNOW I am gonna' worry about you....I AM your favorite boy, you know! LOL Tell Cootie, Goober, Tank, and the rest of the guys at Georgia Tech hi if you hear from any of them, and let them know I still think of them from time to time! Also, tell Rosie, Grace, Geo, and Impy hi; tell them their cuzz is doing great in New Yawk City! Do they know about little Stefan yet? Boy, they gonna' be surprised when they find out that old Franklin Paul Jefferson is a DADDIE!!!
Has the weather cooled off any, Mama El? I know the hot weather is hard on your heart and breathing; sure hope you get relief from the heat soon! (It should have already gotten cooler by now by the time you get this, it IS October, you know...)
And Louisiana: Have you heard anything on your book yet? Are you an AUTHOR! AUTHOR! yet, or are you still waiting to hear from a publisher about your book? How are your kids doing, and how is Bill? How are your folks doing, also? Are you still working hard? (DUH!! DUMB question; you ALWAYS work hard, at home OR at work! You NEVER stay still!) Hope this finds the kids well and happy; don't need them being sick, hunh? Tell J-Man and Romaine hello! (I KNOW Ronee' HATES it when I call her "Romaine", but she is as sweet as Romaine Lettuce! That is why I call her that! Is she still drinking up all the rootbeer? Tell her to be careful, or she'll end up being as fat as ol' Frankie here! LOL)
Tell Pastor Bilkey he owes me one on the Dallas/Phoenix game; Phoenix lost! (I know he was rooting for the Cardinals to win; but Dallas kinda' whupped butt with them! Even injured ol' Emmitt's shoulder! That's what he gets for wimping out on Dallas and going to Phoenix! Can you say REVENGE OF THE 'BOYS here, folks??) LOL
I STILL haven't heard from Buters or Roberto; I SWEAR they must have moved off the planet! Tell them they owe me a NOVEL instead of a letter; I am WAITING to hear from them, and if I don't, I just may put styrofoam bubbles in their HUMMER as a Hallowe'en prank. I WILL be in town near Hallowe'en, so tell M'buti and ROBERTO to WATCH their butts!~AND their HUMMER!! I am getting MAD at them!
My HUMMER is still HUMMING along; but it SURE is HELL trying to find DECENT parking for a vehicle MY size! SHEESH!~I already had an accident; stupid cab backed into my HUMMER, and the one taillight is damaged. Am still waiting on the insurance adjuster for the damage report; it was the other guy's fault. Damn fool didn't speak English, and I think he must have been confused on his directions because I was yelling at him to stop backing up, and he plows his ass right into my HUMMER! Oh, was I MAD! Stupid ASSHOLE! Now my HUMMER has a DING in it, and I am ROYALLY HACKED!! Stupid New York City streets AREN'T made for HUMMERS!
Well, M'Kaya is awake; hear her calling for me. She needs help to the bathroom. I also have to check in on Junior; he's been asleep for about two hours; think it's high time I wake him up, to make sure he isn't in a COMA or something!
Until later, take care; will write again when I have the time!
God bless!
Love, Franklin Paul Jefferson from New York City.
And don't forget about ME! (That's from M'Kaya, and also Stefan!)
Let this coming of age story of a boy named Bean take you back to a simple time. Set in a small southern town in the 1960's, encircled by a river and gleaming white cotton fields.
