A HOUSE CALLED CARMEN

“ALL HOUSES SHOULD HAVE A NAME,” MA SAID. THE NAME OF HER HOUSE WAS CARNEN. Though most people used the street address, Ma and I knew the true name of the house.

“Is it a secret, then, Ma?”I’d ask.

“No, my girl,” Ma would answer. “People just don’t use house names. Plus, the postman would get confused.”

There was no sign on the house other than the weathered number 4 next to the front door.

For the first five years of my life, I lived at Carmen with