May 15th 1985 

   They're gonna execute my friend today , In around 2 hours Sweet Cookie Wilson is going to the chair , at the Mississippi women's state penitentiary . I'm writing this down on the long bus ride from Tupelo . Just wanted to record my feelings I guess , never done much writing before now .. just gonna throw it in the trash when I get off this damn bus anyhow . 

    We called her Cookie back then cause that is all she'd eat growing up . I remember her Momma would have to put the cookie jar high on a shelf to stop her getting in , but she always did somehow . We were like sister's back then in Greenwood Mississippi , our Mommas said we was like two peas in pod , always together , laughing and jokin' and sharing stuff .  I remember one time we got caught in old man Jackson's orchard behind his house , getting some of them bright red apples we loved so much . She took all the blame that day , said it was all her idea , but we both new different . She new my Daddy would be real mad at me , especially if he'd been drinkin' , which he usually was . That was Cookie , always looking out for me . 

    It all changed back in 78 though , riding home from school on that old yellow bicycle she had . No one really knows how , but she swerved off the sidewalk and got hit by Danny Radford's pickup truck . She was in a real bad way , the doctor's had to fight real hard to keep her alive . She was in that hospital for weeks , her Momma was by her bed side day and night . The whole neighbourhood was praying for her . I visited when I could , maybe twice a week . I guess God wasn't ready for her yet cause she pulled through and got better . I suppose now it might have been better if God had taken her that day . It would have saved a whole bunch of heartache .

    When Cookie eventually came out of hospital , she was a different person . She wasn't the girl she was before . I'm no doctor or scientist , but that crash did something to Cookies head , and whole way of thinkin' . She was never the same girl again , and soon lost her nickname of Sweet Cookie . Now she was always fighting , arguing and shouting at everybody she'd see . I didn't know who this girl was anymore , she'd fight with me for no reason . I just couldn't understand it .

    Then one night back in 79 , she'd gone out and got drunk with some college boy's at a frat party . On her way home , real drunk , she staggered up to Reverend Taylor's house . He was our Gospel preacher at church back in Greenwood . She banged on his door around 1am , cursing and wailing . When Reverend Taylor came to the door , demanding to know what was going on , she stuck a 4 inch kitchen knife straight into his heart .

    At the trial she confessed to the killing . Said the Reverend needed to be punished , for the times the he came round her house when her  Momma was out working , with a phoney excuse of discussing the choir  and made her do real un-Christian things . He made her scared , so scared she never told anyone , not even me ! 

    The jury found her guilty of first degree murder , despite our pleas for mercy , the judge past down the only sentence he could . 

    That was 5 years ago now . 5 years Cookies sat on death row waiting for today . When she first went inside I'd write and visit when I could , but she just wasn't the same Cookie I knew . Her letters made no sense . When I did visit , and talk of old times in Greenwood , she'd struggle to remember . Eventually she said she didn't want anymore visitors , and my letters were returned unopened . Her only request was that I was present on this day . So I've come . Her Momma having past away 2 years back , (some say of a broken heart) they  wouldn't even let her go to the funeral  . I was the only link she had to anything . I have already forgiven her for putting me through this , because she is my friend . I just pray when she sees me lookin' back at her , being strapped to that damn chair , she can remember  just one joyous thing , just one sunny afternoon ... anything ! 

    I guess I won't be in any frame of mind to do any writing on the way home .
    
    God bless you Sweet Cookie Wilson , my sister .....