Bitter in the Mouth

Linda begins her narrative with her relationship with her great-uncle, Baby Harper, her “first love” at seven years old (3); she tells the reader that “a family narrative should begin with love” (4). She then states some basic facts about herself: Her name is Linda; she grew up in Boiling Springs, North Carolina, where her best friend was named Kelly; her parents were Thomas and DeAnne; and she now lives in New York City (4). However, she explains that “once these cards have been thrown down, there are bound to be distorting overlaps” (4).

Linda’s grandmother Iris, Baby Harper’s older sister, died on February 14th, 1987, and the fact that “she had never told a lie” had kept the family together (4). There had been several false starts prior to that. On her deathbed, Iris had told Linda, “What I know about you, little girl, would break you in two,” to which she responded “Bitch” and was made to leave the room (5). A month after Iris passed, Linda cried in her grief, realizing that if she had stayed longer, her grandmother might have had more to say to her and revealed secrets which Linda needed to know.