Camille received her Ph.D. in physics from Fordham University, New York City. She is currently on the faculty of Golden Gate University, San Francisco and teaches writing throughout the Bay Area. Camille is Past President and a member of NorCal Mystery Writers of America, NorCal Sisters in Crime, and the California Writers Club. Camille has published over 20 novels and many short stories and nonfiction articles. For more about her and her works, please visit her website: http://www.minichino.com/index.html
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Franklin Delano Roosevelt lived down the street from us in Revere, Massachusetts. He was the best friend our family had. Or so I thought growing up in the early 1940s.
"Roosevelt gave me this job," my father would say,
tapping a small brown envelope of cash, his week's wages.
"If it weren't for Roosevelt and the WPA, you wouldn't
be getting new shoes for school," my mother would remind me.
I pictured a benevolent Mr. Roosevelt driving the old truck
that picked up my father and his cronies, day laborers, from the corner of our
street, taking them to the construction site of the day. I imagined the WPA,
whoever they were, helping my mother shop for my school clothes.
My parents, as well as our neighbors and friends, were
acutely aware of House Speaker Tip O'Neill's All politics is local. My father's (metal) social security card was
a prized possession.
It seemed to me that every year was an election year, every
election important to us. My mother especially was always campaigning, urging
people to sign this or that petition, to vote, vote, vote. Our front window was
never without a sign, RUSSO FOR MAYOR, AVALLONE
FOR COUNCIL, SIEGEL FOR SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT.
And it all came together on the Fourth of July. Independence
Day and Voting Day were the biggest holidays in our lives, competing with
Thanksgiving and Christmas, but better because there was no back-breaking food
prep or lugging a tree up the stairs. My father died on July 4, 1981—I've
always felt that he timed it that way, going up with the glorious fireworks on
Revere Beach.
Following politics, debating issues, voting, are still a
priority for me. Being invited to contribute a story to LOW DOWN DIRTY VOTE has been a highlight of my year. Thanks to
Mysti Berry and the grand array of colleagues in this anthology! And thanks,
Ann Parker, for giving the Independence Day slot to me!
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