To live to see fifty was a wish she was beginning to dare to have. My name is Delphie and I'm fifty years old. Count em. Start at one and count em. One Delphie, two Delphie, three Delphie. Before she had reached forty her only wish was that the world would be kind to her daughter Cassandra, or "Cassie" as some people called her. Now a second wish was beginning to creep up on her, and she was afraid that wishing to see fifty might make God turn his back on the first wish about her daughter. "Make up your mind about them wishes, Delphie, I ain't got all day and you ain't got but one wish coming to you."

-Edward P. Jones, The Known World

Photo From: Nirrimi