Meaty Okra

Meaty Okra is a tender coming-of-age story taking place in a small town in Georgia during the 1970s. Mallory Leak, a seven-year-old with a clever observation on the humor and pain of the raging grown-ups around her, witnesses her vivacious and mercurial mother, Nita Ann, endure a volatile, abusive relationship with her father, a man who would rather spend his money on booze and bird dogs than food for his family.

Mallory bravely opens the door to the chaotic household where she grew up with her mentally ill mother, who consistently makes poor life choices, dragging her children with her. Despite her mother’s faults, Mallory is proud of how her mother stands against racism, even when she had everything to lose in their small southern town.

To find refuge from her toxic home life, Mallory often finds solace in reading novels. She finds herself becoming lost in stories full of love and lives vicariously through the characters in her books to escape her reality. Her escape had her facing constant ridicule by her classmates, which soon became unbearable until her seventh-grade English teacher told her that those who lead a life of abuse have a choice to make: either to love or to hate.

With wisdom from her teacher, Mallory learns to finally accept herself, believing she is someone special and can rise to become anything.