8
" A woman's world has always revolved around children and other women. At least as long as I've been around, and I'm almost 60." she smoothed the sheet draped across Ellie as she talked, tucking it in around the sides of her body like a cocoon.
"Don't get me wrong," she continued. "We love our men, and the idea of a husband is a good thing. What woman wouldn't want that?"
Ellie thought of her brave, independent Aunt Nessa, teaching until she was seventy and dying in ehr sleep on a train bound for New Mexico. She'd never wanted to marry, and she was the happiest woman Ellie had ever known.
Mrs Drake put the tissue from the box on Ellie's nightstand and blew her nose. "Men need us more than we need them," she said, and then lowered her voice. "Including the doctors around here. They walk around acting like God, but you should see the panic when one of them has to buy a birthday present for his wife. They have no idea what women want."
She washed her hands in the small sink in the corner. "That's why we need our women friends. We're with each other from the beginning to the very end, and everything in between. We understand each other. It's instinctual. "
― Connie Schultz , The Daughters of Erietown
11
" Mrs. Shepherd stood at the head of the table as she delivered her annual tutorial on "foods of the world." This was Italy day, and when Mrs. Shepherd said something about the "pungent power of Mediterranean spices," Mary Dawn leaned towards Rosie and wrinkled her nose
"Your people like garlic, right?" she said.
Rosie couldn't believe she was talking to her. "Yeah," she said, sliding her elbows off the table and sitting up straighter. "For sauce, mostly."
"Uh-huh," Mary Dawn said, her voice growing louder. "My mother refuses to cook with it. Says garlic has a way of staying with you. Seeps out of your pores." She flashed an exaggerated frown of sympathy as the girls started exchanging glances. "You must be so embarrassed to smell like your mother's kitchen all the time." All of them started flapping their hands in front of their noses, pretending to wave away the stink.
Rosie stared straight ahead. I will not cry. I will not cry.
"Okay, girls," Mrs. Shepherd finally said. "Quiet down."
No defense of Rosie. No detention for them.
Why couldn't her mother cook ring around the chicken or Boston baked beans like the other mothers? Why didn't she ever use Crisco like they did in class, instead of smelly olive oil? At the sound of the bell, she dashed out of the room. "
― Connie Schultz , The Daughters of Erietown
16
" Sam looked at Dr Marino, her face burning. "I didn't need you to defend me, Carson."
He reached into the pocket of his white coat and pulled out a lollipop. "I know that, and so does everyone in this room," he said, handing it to her. "What I wanted you to know, is that you deserve to have someone stick up for you."
She looked down at the lollipop in her hand. "I prefer grape."
"As of this minute, of course you do," he said, smiling. "I'm onto you, Principal McGinty. "
― Connie Schultz , The Daughters of Erietown
