Be in control of your piece, Jo. The minute it takes control of you, you’re dead,” Willie would tell me.

“Well, I don't know, Lina. But let's just say I've met a lot of dead people.”

“Look at you, locked and loaded, like Mae West of the Motor City.”

“Somehow I had to turn the salted peanuts in the cigar box into petits fours.”

“November 20. Andrius's birthday. I had counted the days carefully. I wished him…”