Where I’m From #16By Vanessa KingInspired George Ella LyonI am from chlorine.From Speedo and Tyr.I am from the stuccoed ranch on Estero and the poorly-placed box past the gate, too-green grass,parchment skies, the blast of an oven every time you open the front door. But, hey, it’s a dry heat.I’m from manicured palms and white-trunked orange, humming with bees my brother wasdesperate to avoid. We were warned not to eat the fruit—it was bitter, collected for marmalade,but I don’t know if that was true. At the bus stop, we chucked them into the street for Kyle todrive over.I’m from tension left undiffused and awkward hugs.From Van and Esther.I’m from the pokey little puppies and reading well past that one last chapter before bed.From “if Mer calls after 8, don’t pick up” and “Do you know what an alcoholic is?”I’m from “male and female, God created them; male and female, we ordain them”, and BishopShahan’s insistence that same sex marriages should receive the blessing of the church. We blessboats, after all. Love is more sacred than a boat. And the outcry that followed. The “anguish” ofthat chaplain from Luke, and gentleman in the black stetson, who rose, took a long draw on hisO2, and declared, “Frankly, I’ve always been more concerned by those who concern themselveswith the way other people make love.”I’m from Litchfield Park, a desert rat and an Air Force brat, hearty peasant stock, and Cyngs,buckeyes at Christmas “Move the plate—she’s had plenty” and Caesar salad year-roundFrom the chance encounter that kept Grandaddy out of Korea— “if I hadn’t caught that bus, I’dhave been another poor sonnofabitch in a body bag.”The contributions to the war effort that kept Grandpa King assembling airplanes instead of onone to fight.What survived the fire—even if my cat didn’t— a lone VHS tucked away in Paris, and the box ofphotos under the bed, assembled into albums and distributed to all four of us before we cameunbound.Where to find Vanessa:Website: https://www.vanessalking.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vanessaleighkingWhere to find Alyson:Website: https://www.alysonshelton.comSubstack: https://whereimfrom.substack.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/byalysonshelton/ 

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