contents - Gallatin School of Individualized Study - New York ...

ernice reynoldsbernice reynolds Gaining Perspective112A Wider Viewwhen I first came to America, I was employed by a 93-year-old woman.She was a lover of cats. She took care of many cats, and when one diedshe would bury it in her backyard. One early evening I looked through the windowand saw gravestones. There was one gravestone carved with the name “Apple-Head.” That gravestone seemed to resemble one for a human. I was scared. Iasked her about it and she said, “Many girls have worked here and asked the samequestion. But don’t worry, my dear; it is only a cat’s grave.”There was a special cat by the name of Christopher. When he died, thewoman cremated his body. She kept the ashes in a shiny golden box, which wasa pleasure to look at. “Christopher” was engraved on the box. Before retiring tobed at night, my employer would wrap the box in a paper towel and “pray” to it.In the morning she would display deeper affection by kissing the box.My job continued for many months, until I had to return to my homeland.I shared my weird experience with my family, and they thought it was funny. Thisremains an experience that I will not forget. It did not change me much, but itopened my eyes to a wider view of people’s habits.Bernice Reynolds was born in Jamaica and has lived the last seven years in New York.She would like to thank her tutor, Mateusz Buras, and the literacy advisor, StephanieBouffard, at the Brooklyn Public Library’s Coney Island Learning Center. BerniceReynolds writes, “When I first came to New York, I was surprised by how fast peoplewalk on the street, going about their business. I was surprised by how complicated thesubway was.” Her story reflects on an unusual aspect of her first job in the United States.