An excerpt from Chapter Six, "Falling Idols," a '60s coming-of-age novel by Billie Kelpin
Ginny handed Kate a package wrapped in brown butcher paper held together with pieces of twine and several sprigs of sage.
Inside was an oval piece of decoupaged pinewood with a phrase in beautiful calligraphy:
If you don'twant to go to Chicago,
don't get on the train.
"Oh, I love this, Gin. I remember. Your grandma said that to you on your prom night, so you wouldn't..."
"Grammy knew I was a wild child."
"But when did you have time to do this?"
"You do remember that our profs in regular ed. were sane, right? So I had free time when you were at the library all night."
"So the decoupage glue was what I smelled all semester! I knew it wasn't nail polish."
Kate leaned in to give Ginny a hug.
