“My name is Cornelia. I had an uncle named Cornelius who died when he was ten and my mother named me after him.
I am waiting on the bus. People in Mobile say to be a true Mobilian you have to be born under an azalea bush but I was born in the shadow of the Cathedral, so that makes me a really true Mobilian. I am helping raise my great grandbabies. I have 11 of them and 32 direct descendants. Some of the great grandbabies are coming over tonight and we are going to have popcorn and juice and watch a movie. I have been a Jehovah’s witness for 50 years. I like talking to people and helping them have a brighter future. Talking to strangers makes you realize we are all one family. You have family and friends, but when you connect with strangers it pulls you out of yourself and you don’t worry about the nitpicky little problems.
My first grandchild died after two days, and my brother, my only sibling, took his own life. He was 28. His girlfriend had gotten pregnant and had an abortion and told him over the phone that she ended the pregnancy. He had always wanted a child and put a bullet through his own head. My little brother. I was ten years older and he was like a child to me. When I came home from school I would take care of him. It has taken me over twenty years to get over those two deaths. You have to look to the future and I believe in a life after this. What doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger.”
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