On the Fringes I do not pretend to be white, and there are those who would quickly disabuse me of such a pretense. I do not pretend to be black, my ancestral skin long ago lightened to more acceptable hues. But, my world view was formed by the neighborhood children throwing rocks at my grandfather, by their white parents boycotting all of us for welcoming dark-skinned guests, by the black girls who beat me up at camp because of my heritage. My life’s journey takes me from one state to another, never staying long enough to plant roots. While I may sometimes find myself welcome for a bit among an organization or small group, at best I fit in awkwardly. I’ve never belonged anywhere, and I probably never will. ~ F.I. Goldhaber
127 Fredericksburg Literary & Art Review Volume 3, Issue 1