The party didn't start until Hope Marie Carlton got there. Hope brings it with her, you see. Mostly legs and ramrod straight, she strode through the crowd greeting people with a laugh and a hug, like a salesman or a politician, though she had nothing to sell and wasn't up for any office. It's as though she has trouble finding a reason not to be happy and wants to spread the word.
"I'm always out to have fun," she admits. "When people say, 'Hope, you always look as if you're having a good time,' I say, 'Yeah, I go everywhere with myself.' "
When you finally talk privately with her, you find she's no Pollyanna, just determined not to let anything get her down.
"I mean, it's the way the cards fall, isn't it? It's as if I'm in the middle of a game right now and I don't know what's going to happen next, which is exciting and very scary.
"I ran computers for a while and I almost ripped my hair out. I couldn't stand it. I'd go crazy sitting there looking at that screen ...
