Status Updates From Women Who Live in Coffee Shops

Spirit Women p136-148. Can the spirits help heal Tonia from the pain of having helped deliver the baby of her boyfriend's wife?

One of These Days I'm Gonna Go Home p101-119. Peggy is inspired by her minister to adopt a child from Mexico. "Peggy had her orphan, Emma had her family, and Buzzard had his war front. Peggy could have never figured this for the abundant life."
Bread and Water p120-135 Impressionable Gabriela, 17, is smitten with Raul, a young man working with her father. "The weather changed almost as fast as the human heart..

The Plight of Patrick Polanski p. 71-86
Friendship overcomes barriers of race, gender & age, but not the suspicions of family. Was Patrick a pervert?

Mismatched Julian p. 87-100
Julian's physical deformities are matched with good-hearted attributes.

In the title story, Andrea, a waitress at Sal's Diner on Van Buren, is the founder of The League of Women Who Live in Coffee Shops according to her daughter. The women don't actually live there but use it as a hang out, refuge and support system. When Sal gets into trouble the women help him. In "Homage" Brenda helps an attorney's clients when she is asked to be a translator.

"Vicki's Thirteen" -- Moms, daughters, and yelling. In this story Vicki seems to be more perceptive and have a more mature, though naive, view of life.

Powerful second story, "Devil I the tree," combines death of a child (at Harmon Park), the aftermath, and coming of age.

Finished the first story, "Benny," about Maria, an 8-year-old who meets her father for the first time she can remember, learning that he is/was a piano player. She and her Mom live near Van Buren & 7th.