When I release a book I never know its future. It could wait on the shelf for years for someone to pick up and read. Someone could spill a pitcher of ice tea and ruin its pages. Someone else could smear suntan lotion on the cover. Or someone could read it and uncover just the right gem to brighten their day.
That last one happened this past week when I met with members of two families featured in one of my latest book, Ernestine Shade's memoir, With God and My Mother's Prayers. Back in the 1930's, Ernestine's parents worked at Dula Hospital in Lenoir, North Carolina. This was during the depression, so for both parents to be working was remarkable. Unfortunately, her father had a heart attack at work one December day, not too long before Christmas. His death changed Ernestine and her mother's lives, and but for the grace of God and Dr. Dula, would have devastated their small family.
Thanks to this doctor, her mother was able to save her house from those people who falsely claimed her father owed them money. Because of his kindness Ernestine and her mother had a more secure future.
Dr. Dula had a son, Fred, that was born after Ernestine went away to college. He grew up not far from where she grew up. In reality, however, they were raised in two completely different universes. After all, this was the segregated south, although by the time he was in high school, North Carolina had gone through school desegregation. Turns out, one of his good friends was Ernestine's first cousin. That's just one of many coincidences.
He grew up, left Lenoir, became a doctor, and married. She grew up, became a teacher, married and moved to Los Angeles. Neither knew the other existed.
One of the delightful twists in Ernestine's life story was the finding of her long lost childhood boyfriend. She had not seen him for sixty-five years when they reconnected after their spouses passed away. They talked long distance coast to coast, met up at a church homecoming, and three months later married.
His story was so similar to hers, I still shake my head in disbelief. He married his high school sweetheart late in life after both of them had earlier marriages and careers. His story was on the front page of our local newspaper, the NewsTopic.
I knew the minute I read it I had to connect these two people. We arranged a visit, working around covid restrictions. His sister joined us, as did her husband. I sat back this past week and let the magic happen. When Fred was ten years old, his father died. He told Ernestine he felt like he didn't really know his father, so she filled in the gaps with stories about her family and his. She also told the Black perspective of living in the same town as he once did. The stores she could not enter. The clothing stores that did not allow her to try on clothes. The nurturing Freedman community where Black owned businesses thrived.
Fred Dula is a descendent of Squire Dula, who in the 1800's not only had a family with his first wife, but had a second family later in life with Ernestine's great-grandmother, Harriet. In fact, Ernestine is active in the Dula reunion that Fred declares he will some day attend.
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