Bailey's tag
Chapter 1 begins with Maya explaining how she and her brother, Bailey, were sent to live with her paternal grandmother and uncle in rural Stamps, Arkansas. Maya and Bailey were very young at the time, probably around four and five years old. Maya briefly describes how her father, Bailey Sr., put she and her brother on a train going from Long Beach, California to Stamps with a note pinned to Bailey's jacket. The note gave the name of their grandmother, Ms. Annie Henderson, and their final destination along with some brief instructions for the conductor. Maya does not talk much about her father or how traumatic this situation must have been for her and Bailey. I imagine that Bailey Sr. was sad to see them go but felt what he was doing was best for them. The following note is an expansion of the details given by Maya and takes into consideration Bailey Sr.'s side of the story.