Covering the business of education and training

     “It’s 7:25am and here is some news from Cincinnati’s East Side. Cleopus Jenkins, Sr. was shot to death while working in his shop yesterday evening,” the WKRC radio announcer said. My brothers and sisters and a few classmates were in the school van on the way to school. It was my mother’s turn to drive the van that morning and we had almost arrived at school. I didn’t normally listen to the radio news, but the name that was mentioned caught my attention. Cleo Jenkins Jr. was one of the best friends I had among our tiny school’s population.

    “Mom, do you think that guy they mentioned on the radio is any relation to Cleo, Jr.?” I questioned.

    “Nah. I’m sure there’s no connection,” she replied. Her voice wasn’t convincing, but I believed her nonetheless, just because she was my mom.

    She was wrong.