I Claimed Myself And Remade My Life.

And While It Is True That I Got The Best Woman In The World, I Don't Think Love Saves You.

My Heart Broke All Over Again. I Wanted My Life Back, My Mama, But I Knew I Would Never Have That. The Child I Had Been Was Gone With The Child She Had Been. We Were New People, And We Didn't Know Each Other Anymore. I Shook My Head Desperately.

Gravy Is The Simplest, Tastiest, Most Memory-laden Dish I Know How To Make: A Little Flour, Salt And Pepper, Crispy Bits Of Whatever Meat Anchored The Meal, A Couple Of Cups Of Water Or Milk And Slow Stirring To Break Up Lumps.

I Wanted Her To To Go On Talking And Understand Without Me Saying Anything. I Wanted Her To Love Me Enough To Leave Him, To Pack Us Up And Take Us Away From Him, To Kill Him If Need Be. (107)

Hunger Makes You Restless. You Dream About Food - Not Just Any Food, But Perfect Food, The Best Food, Magical Meals, Famous And Awe-inspiring, The One Piece Of Meat, The Exact Taste Of Buttery Corn, Tomatoes So Ripe They Split And Sweeten The Air, Beans So Crisp They Snap Between The Teeth, Gravy Like Mother's Milk Singing To Your Bloodstream.