At one O'Clock, Miss Celia comes in the kitchen and says she's ready for her first cooking lesson. She settles on a stool. She's wearing a tight red sweater and a red skirt and enough makeup to scare a hooker. Kathryn Stockett More Quotes by Kathryn Stockett More Quotes From Kathryn Stockett I'm pretty sure I can say that no one in my family ever asked Demetrie what it felt like to be black in Mississippi, working for our white family. It never occurred to us to ask. It was everyday life. It wasn't something people felt compelled to examine. I have wished, for many years, that I'd been old enough and thoughtful enough to ask Demetrie that question. She died when I was sixteen. I've spent years imagining what her answer would be. And that is why I wrote this book. Kathryn Stockett thoughtful book years Lord, I never seen blue hair on a black woman before or since. Leroy say you look like a cracker from outer space. Kathryn Stockett space hair blue They say it's like true love, good help. You only get one in a lifetime. Kathryn Stockett lifetime helping I don't know what to say to her. All I know is, I ain't saying it. And I know she ain't saying what she want a say either and it's a strange thing happening here cause nobody saying nothing and we still managing to have us a conversation Kathryn Stockett saying-nothing causes want It's already 95 degrees outside. Mississippi got the most unorganized weather in the nation. Kathryn Stockett mississippi degrees weather The day your child says she hates you, and every child will go through the phase, it kicks like a foot in the stomach. Kathryn Stockett hate feet children Got to be the worst place in the world, inside a oven. You in here, you either cleaning or you getting cooked. Kathryn Stockett ovens cleaning world And you call yourself a Christian,' were Hilly's words to me and I thought, God. When did I ever do that? Kathryn Stockett christian What a dichotomy. What conflicting ideas that we love and embrace these women, and entrust them to raise our children and to feed us and to bathe us, but we keep something as silly as a bathroom separate. Kathryn Stockett women love children ideas But certainly in my grandmother's time - and when I was growing up, yeah, Demetrie's bathroom was on the side of the house, it was a separate door. Still, to this day, I've never been in that room. Kathryn Stockett door never day time When Demetrie got sick, we knew it was our responsibility to take care of her and pay her medical bills. And we embraced that. But the tricky part is, like so many families in the South, we also expected her to use a separate bathroom, to use separate utensils. Kathryn Stockett medical care sick responsibility Your white uniform as a black domestic was your ticket anywhere in town. Kathryn Stockett uniform your black white I'm a Southerner - I never take satisfaction in touching a nerve. I guess if I'm forced to find a good side, I'm glad that people are talking about an issue that hasn't really been discussed all that much. I'm glad that people are talking about it from the black perspective and the white perspective. Kathryn Stockett good perspective black people As I wrote, I found that Aibileen had some things to say that really weren't in her character. She was older, soft-spoken, and she started showing some attitude. Kathryn Stockett say things attitude character On the one hand I wonder, Was this really my story to tell? On the other hand, I just wanted the story to be told. But the truth is that I didn't think anybody was going to read it. Kathryn Stockett story think truth-is truth Demetrie came to wait on my grandmother in 1955 and stayed for 32 years. It was common, in Mississippi, to have a black domestic cleaning the kitchen, cooking the meals, looking after the white children. Kathryn Stockett looking black cooking children That white uniform was her 'pass' to get into white places with us - the grocery store, the state fair, the movies. Even though this was the 70s and the segregation laws had changed, the 'rules' had not. Kathryn Stockett uniform rules movies white When I grew older and awkward, when my parents divorced and life had gone all to hell, Demetrie stood me at the wardrobe mirror and told me over and over, 'You are beautiful. You are smart. You are important.' It was an incredible gift to give a child who thinks nothing of herself. Kathryn Stockett mirror me beautiful life I sit in my little office and I feel like I've got all my readers staring at me. Kathryn Stockett sit feel me staring The first book you write because of the way it makes you feel. The second one you can't help but wonder how it's going to make the reader feel. Kathryn Stockett feel you book way
