Ellen Foster

Ellen stays with Julia, the art teacher, and her husband, Roy, until spring. Ellen is amazed by their life. Roy does housework; they spend Sundays drawing and reading comics; and Julia tells her to run around and go with the flow. Ellen remarks, “I had no idea people could live like that” (47). When Julia mentions that she and Roy moved south from the northeast to raise a family, Ellen briefly hopes they mean her. Working in their organic garden with Julia and Roy reminds Ellen of the season her mother was well, and she taught Ellen how to weed and pick beans.

For her 11th birthday, Julia lets Ellen invite Starletta over to celebrate. Starletta is enthralled by the carpet in the house. When they go to the movies, where Starletta is the only Black person, Starletta can’t find her dollar. Ellen takes charge of the search and pats Starletta down, telling Starletta she is lucky Ellen is “not the police that will rough you up a little in the process” (51). They have a cake Roy made and Ellen opens presents. Starletta gives Ellen a pillow her mama made, and Ellen repeatedly instructs her to tell her mother thank you.