Emphasis Preaching Journal

Growing up in my neighborhood meant that you learned from your leaders who to like and who not to like. The old lady with the Spitz dog was visited regularly on Halloween with tricks. Pete, owner of the shoeshine shop, was a friend who allowed his place to be used as a hangout where we drank pop, read comic books, and even smoked an occasional cigarette. But the woman to fear the most was the strange lady who lived in a house painted bright red and blue. In her house there were hundreds of cats, we were told.