The River and Me

Makena and Maritza

As the three drive to the community center, Bud asks Gran E questions about the swimming hole she used to swim in. Gran E explains that originally, Native Americans lived there. But when she was growing up it was a Black neighborhood. Maybe soon they can all have an adventure and try to find it.

The Riverfront Community Center is a big, modern building overlooking the Anacostia River and Anacostia Park. Its lobby is dominated by a mural of people biking, dancing, and playing music along the water. Gran E hustles everyone past it, since she and Bud need to drop off donated vegetables at the food pantry. Evette stops at the reception desk to hand over the sunflowers she and Gran E grew, then heads down a corridor to find a vase.

The room at the end of the corridor is stacked with craft supplies, one wall glowing with colored glass. Evette finds a vase and arranges the sunflowers in it. A girl in a soccer uniform with long hair, Maritza, comes in and admires them. Evette explains they’re Mexican sunflowers, and Maritza smiles, saying her grandparents are from Mexico. Well, technically her mom is from Bolivia, but her dad’s parents are from Mexico.

On the walk back to the lobby, they pass a display of yarn and string art. The girls stop to admire it, and Evette recognizes another girl standing there. Makena, from Instagram, has long black twists. Makena recognizes Evette, too. Makena points to Evette’s shoes and asks where they came from. Evette explains that she thrifts and upcycles instead of buying new, and both girls are instantly won over.

The three girls bond over knitting, upcycling, and styling clothes and accessories. By the time they’re ready to leave, they decide to exchange numbers so they can go thrift shopping sometime together.

As Evette, Bud, and Gran E head back to their car, Evette feels lighter knowing she’s made two new friends.