Makes Me Wanna Holler

Bampoose was McCall’s grandmother. She was the rock that held his family together. She worked as a domestic for affluent white families. McCall states that all she did for her entire life was work and suffer. 

Lenora Alvin was McCall’s mother. She remarried and raised McCall and his siblings with his stepfather. She was loving and caring. She didn’t give up on any of her children, regardless of how bad their troubles were, and worked to guide them in the right direction. She wasn’t outwardly affectionate and didn’t discuss important life matters with her children. Consequently, they matured ignorant to many of life’s realities, and suffered the consequences.

Bonnie Alvin was McCall’s stepfather. McCall considers Bonnie his real father because he raised him. McCall’s birth father was absent for most of his life. Bonnie was in the Navy until he retired and worked at the shipyard. He was raised on a farm, had a strong work ethic, and could do almost anything with his hands. He tried to instill his work ethic in his children, but none were receptive. He butted heads with McCall throughout his youth, but as an adult, McCall realized the value of the lessons his stepfather tried to teach him, and their relationship repaired. He wasn’t outwardly affectionate and didn’t discuss important life matters with his children.

Elizabeth Miller, or Liz, was McCall’s first love. She was a teenage model from downtown Portsmouth. McCall and Liz were homecoming king and queen, and they had a child together, just after their high school graduation. Their relationship was rocky and they never married. Liz eventually moved to California with their son, Monroe. 

Monroe is McCall’s child with Elizabeth Miller. Monroe moved to California with Liz and her new husband at 9 years old. He visited McCall during the summer and lived with McCall for a period in high school. Monroe graduated high school and enrolled in college.

Debbie was McCall’s second wife. He never loved her. She became pregnant with his child before he moved to Atlanta, so he took her with him. In Atlanta, they had a second child together and subsequently married. Their relationship was contentious, and McCall was suspicious of her. They engaged in a bitter divorce that left McCall in debt, and eventually in jail.

Scobie-D, or Scobe, was the toughest guy in Cavalier Manor. The boys, including McCall, wanted to be Scobie-D. He was the first to start using guns. Scobe got away with everything he did. Later in life, Scobe found out he was terminally ill. Jealous that his wife might move on, he murdered her and then committed suicide.

Plaz was older than McCall. He and some friends gang-raped McCall’s first girlfriend, Denise Wilson, just before she was to lose her virginity to McCall. Later, Plaz harassed Liz, so McCall shot him in the chest. Plaz was eventually imprisoned on a life sentence.

Shell Shock was one of McCall’s closest childhood friends. He and McCall were a successful stick-up team in high school. After watching the movie Superfly, Shell Shock began dealing drugs. He was successful, but eventually stopped and went to work at the shipyard. 

Mo Battle, or Mo, was a junkie that taught McCall chess at Norfolk jail. Mo also taught McCall valuable life lessons that guided his life in prison and after.

Jim was a leader in Southampton Penitentiary. He was serving a life sentence and obtained education during his time. Jim taught McCall to be a strong, intelligent, proud black man and encouraged him to question Christianity. Jim was released on parole before McCall, but they kept in touch throughout their lives.