I was raised in the Upper South in the 1940s and mom’s cousin Aunt Caroline lived next door. Aunt Caroline was also the principal of the elementary school. One early winter day, I had refused to do my workbook for my teacher and thought I gotten away with it scot free.
After school, Auntie Caroline gave me a ride home in her black ’41 Oldsmobile. When we arrived, Auntie said: “Philip, I want you to come in the house.” She had just purchased a new Hudson black seal fur coat and the fur felt oh so good as my cheek brushed up against it.