Dear Lily,

I remember Philip looking surprised by the fact that I wanted to hear his story.

“Hmmm…where do I begin? With my parents I suppose. My mom is white and my dad is black. They’re both from Philadelphia. According to my mother, my father was the most handsome man she had ever seen and that he was the most gentle, kindest man she had ever met.”

Now I know where you get it from, I thought, but of course didn’t say.

“They married in Philadelphia, they didn’t have a wedding or anything. My mom, who WAS Catholic, has taught me to pray at home and believe in Jesus Crist our Savior. My dad WAS Baptist and she said they prayed together anyway. They were excommunicated from their r...

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