Janet was brilliant even as a child. It was us 4 older children that had to wash dishes for a week. That was great , Daddy and mother let us know we would have a month off.             How ever Janet thought of way where she would never have to be a part of choirs. She asked me to do her dishes I laughed and said no.               My brother Laverte who at that time we didn’t get along.  She called me and whispered you wanna get Laverte back?   Forgetting about the dishes , I said yes!!! She said here’s an egg he’s sitting under the window , throw it on his head. I said no ima get in trouble . She said no one will know but me. So I threw it.  She laughed and putting up one eyebrow said “ I’m telling mother” no I cried . She said will you do my week of washing dishes ? I said YES. . 

She reached out to so many.  I have to thank this site for the reminder emails.  The years and days pass by quickly.  She was gone too soon.  But somehow is not gone. I don't really believe that.  I just think we don't understand.  

I can't exactly recall how or where I first met Janet but it was definitely at a Loren Miller Bar Association Meeting, an organization of African-American lawyers mostly based in Seattle. It was the early/mid 1990s  and Janet was an associate at the large and prestigious law firm, Davis Wright Tremaine.  Janet was different, sophisticated yet earthy and sporting a 'fro when most of us black chicks were doing something else. To put it politely, Janet was not a "neat freak" -- clutter absorbed her tiny apartment back in the day.  She loved Chris Isaak and my abiding memory of her home is inextricable from his haunting songs. We hung out together a lot and then she was gone. Poof.  Somehow we reconnected briefly via email after I moved to Austin and she to Paris.  For work I traveled to Paris in the late 1990s.  We almost saw each other but didn't.  Again we lost track.  Every once in a while I'd hear a Chris Isaak song and ask myself, I wonder what ever happened to Janet McDonald?" In early 2008 I googled her, only to learn of her passing a mere few months before.  I had no idea of her life and success as a writer.  I'm so happy she found it and it found her. Janet's star will always burn bright and I'm so grateful I got to touch it.