Been digging- struck gold

It was great to spend several months in France last summer. I went  to give a paper at a conference on James Baldwin and discovered that I am secretly French. Never have I felt so at home! It was as if the real me was released.   Add my name to the list of Harlemites who found relative freedom abroad. The conference [James Baldwin: Transatlantic Commuter] was amazing!   I so enjoyed writing both the proposal and the paper (Harlem Boy and Harlem Girl in the Ivory Tower: James Baldwin as Professor) and the positive reception that it received overwhelmed me.  The conference was well planned and the participants were inspiring. Certainly the spirit of Mr. Baldwin was present.

I did not want to return to the US. Thank goodness I had the best French teacher in the world  when I was in the 9th grade at Western High School in Baltimore, Maryland. Mrs. Delores Bullock (now Cassell) taught me learn French in such a way that I have never translated. I just speak French and have done so since she taught me so many years ago. If only everyone had such a vibrant and passionate teacher! Mrs. Bullock had such a beautiful voice! She sang a lot and we had to sing as well (certainly not as well as she did).   She gave me a wonderful gift and  I have been able to share my love of the French language with my son.  Merci beaucoup, Madame! We are returning to France in June. Rather, I am going home to baguettes, wine, and the best butter cookies in the world. I sure miss Monoprix! If only I could find a job in France. . . 

I have got to let this book go, but I stumbled upon something that changed everything that I thought I knew about Harold. The book is written, but my limited resources have gotten in the way of completing it. Most days I don’t to go to work; I only want to write.  But classes must be taught and my son’s gotta eat. It has been tough juggling revising and researching, but I must stop researching (except for this very significant discovery). I only hope to honor Harold’s lifelong dedication with a book that is worthy of him. Stay tuned. Jacqueline