called.”
“Did you see he followed us all the way?” June asked.
“ I did, hen.”
“ It’s a lucky sign. That’s what Annie said.”
“A good omen it is, for our new life,” Cathy agreed.
The family was disoriented. They didn’t know whether they felt tired or awake. The drone of the plane, combined with the long hours of travel finally caught up with the MacDonalds. Eventually, one by one, sleep came to each member of the family.
Jimmy’s voice woke the family. “Girls, quick look,” he said pointing out his window. Sun spilled through clouds that encircled the top peaks of a grand bridge. There it was…The Golden Gate Bridge! They were almost at their new home in San Francisco.
The girls rushed over to join their father at the window. Jimmy started singing the song he taught them on the b us ride to the Glasgow Airport. “San Francisco, open your Golden Gates.”
Cathy joined the others looking at the spectacular view. She stared, captivated by the sight of the bridge.
* * * * *
Chapter 8
EUREKA! SAN FRANCISCO
AFTER THEIR LONG, twenty-four hour journey, the MacDonald family restlessly awaited Sandy Jordon’s arrival to drive them to their new home in San Francisco.
“ Don’t worry. He’ll be here soon,” Jimmy told his exhausted family after he hung up the phone. He moved a few steps away and lit up his last remaining cigarette.
Slumped down on a large, battered suitcase, Annie and Mary leaned against each other and discussed what kind of candy they ’d find in San Francisco. Annie listed her favorite sweets, then Mary hers.
“ I’m going to get a whole bag of Bazooka bubble gum and that candy the plane lady gave me, Peppermint Patty,” Mary said, nodding with finality.
“ Soon you’ll be Peppermint Fatty eating all that stuff!” Maggie said teasingly.
“Shut up, you stupid pig!” Mary yelled, springing up and ready for a fistfight.
“ Girls!” their father boomed at them.
Maggie sat with June on the sidewalk with a pad of paper and crayons strewn across a suitcase. June chose the crayons and instructed her older sister as to which colors to use on each figure in the imaginary family that Maggie was drawing.
“ No, Maggie, put this color here,” June said pointing outside the lines.
“ No. You’ve got to stay in the lines,” her sister said. “That’s the right way.”
June frowned at her, frustrated her sister wouldn’t do what she instructed.
Jimmy took another drag on his cigarette and snuck a sideways glance at his wife. Her face was drawn and pale. She was rubbing her temples, trying to ease her headache.
An hour after they arrived, a big blue car drove up to the curb in front of where the MacDonalds waited. Sandy jumped out.
“ Jimmy! Cathy! Girls! Hello!” he grinned with outstretched arms.
Elated to see him, everyone jumped up to greet their host. Jimmy grabbed his friend ’s hand.
“Oh man, is it good to see you ,” he said, pumping Sandy’s hand up and down, enthusiastically.
At forty-eight, Sandy looked just as boyish as ever, except that he was rounder and his face a deeper shade of red. “It’s a bloody long trip, isn’t it?” he asked.
The family muttered an agreement. They were more intent on getting the luggage into the car and getting on their way than in having a conversation.
“Here girls, give me those bags.” Sandy opened a large, empty trunk at the back of his car.
Cathy hurriedly helped the girls put their small , carry-on bags into the car’s trunk. “Goodness sakes, Sandy! Look at the size of this boot! ” she exclaimed. “It’s big enough to house a bunch of tinkers.”
“ Everything’s big in America, even the boot or as the Yanks call it, a trunk,” said Sandy with his infectious, jolly laugh. Soon the mood of the tired travelers lightened.
“ Well it’s a lovely car, Sandy.” She handed him the last of the smaller bags.
“ It’s a Chevrolet Bel Air,” he beamed. “I bought it new. It’s
“Did you see he followed us all the way?” June asked.
“ I did, hen.”
“ It’s a lucky sign. That’s what Annie said.”
“A good omen it is, for our new life,” Cathy agreed.
The family was disoriented. They didn’t know whether they felt tired or awake. The drone of the plane, combined with the long hours of travel finally caught up with the MacDonalds. Eventually, one by one, sleep came to each member of the family.
Jimmy’s voice woke the family. “Girls, quick look,” he said pointing out his window. Sun spilled through clouds that encircled the top peaks of a grand bridge. There it was…The Golden Gate Bridge! They were almost at their new home in San Francisco.
The girls rushed over to join their father at the window. Jimmy started singing the song he taught them on the b us ride to the Glasgow Airport. “San Francisco, open your Golden Gates.”
Cathy joined the others looking at the spectacular view. She stared, captivated by the sight of the bridge.
* * * * *
Chapter 8
EUREKA! SAN FRANCISCO
AFTER THEIR LONG, twenty-four hour journey, the MacDonald family restlessly awaited Sandy Jordon’s arrival to drive them to their new home in San Francisco.
“ Don’t worry. He’ll be here soon,” Jimmy told his exhausted family after he hung up the phone. He moved a few steps away and lit up his last remaining cigarette.
Slumped down on a large, battered suitcase, Annie and Mary leaned against each other and discussed what kind of candy they ’d find in San Francisco. Annie listed her favorite sweets, then Mary hers.
“ I’m going to get a whole bag of Bazooka bubble gum and that candy the plane lady gave me, Peppermint Patty,” Mary said, nodding with finality.
“ Soon you’ll be Peppermint Fatty eating all that stuff!” Maggie said teasingly.
“Shut up, you stupid pig!” Mary yelled, springing up and ready for a fistfight.
“ Girls!” their father boomed at them.
Maggie sat with June on the sidewalk with a pad of paper and crayons strewn across a suitcase. June chose the crayons and instructed her older sister as to which colors to use on each figure in the imaginary family that Maggie was drawing.
“ No, Maggie, put this color here,” June said pointing outside the lines.
“ No. You’ve got to stay in the lines,” her sister said. “That’s the right way.”
June frowned at her, frustrated her sister wouldn’t do what she instructed.
Jimmy took another drag on his cigarette and snuck a sideways glance at his wife. Her face was drawn and pale. She was rubbing her temples, trying to ease her headache.
An hour after they arrived, a big blue car drove up to the curb in front of where the MacDonalds waited. Sandy jumped out.
“ Jimmy! Cathy! Girls! Hello!” he grinned with outstretched arms.
Elated to see him, everyone jumped up to greet their host. Jimmy grabbed his friend ’s hand.
“Oh man, is it good to see you ,” he said, pumping Sandy’s hand up and down, enthusiastically.
At forty-eight, Sandy looked just as boyish as ever, except that he was rounder and his face a deeper shade of red. “It’s a bloody long trip, isn’t it?” he asked.
The family muttered an agreement. They were more intent on getting the luggage into the car and getting on their way than in having a conversation.
“Here girls, give me those bags.” Sandy opened a large, empty trunk at the back of his car.
Cathy hurriedly helped the girls put their small , carry-on bags into the car’s trunk. “Goodness sakes, Sandy! Look at the size of this boot! ” she exclaimed. “It’s big enough to house a bunch of tinkers.”
“ Everything’s big in America, even the boot or as the Yanks call it, a trunk,” said Sandy with his infectious, jolly laugh. Soon the mood of the tired travelers lightened.
“ Well it’s a lovely car, Sandy.” She handed him the last of the smaller bags.
“ It’s a Chevrolet Bel Air,” he beamed. “I bought it new. It’s
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