Part 1: Chapter 2 Summary and Analysis

While Essie Mae's mother works at the cafy, Essie Mae is in charge of caring for her younger sister and brother. Their house is located near a swamp and snakes often come up out of the swamp to the house. Their mother decides that it is not safe for the children to be home alone, and her brother Ed comes to look after them. One day Ed takes them to his house. Essie Mae is dying to see where Ed lives and to visit her Grandma Winnie. She is also anxious to see Ed's younger brothers, Sam and Walter, whom she has never met before. When two young white boys come running up to great her, Essie Mae is shocked to discover that her mother has white siblings. She is unable to understand how such a thing could happen...