594. Norks and Noogly

When I was a young child, the parents in our neighborhood (mothers only, back then) organized a “story hour” – a time when most parents could shop, do housework, or take it easy while one parent read stories to the neighborhood children. It was a good idea. I looked forward to it, and I’m sure…

As a young child, I brought home a poem I’d written for my mother for Valentine’s Day. She was so moved by it. I didn’t tell her that whoever had written my spelling book had also written that poem. I told her I’d made it up. I wanted her to know just how special she…

I understand why children want to have clubs. Ricky Eugster and I formed the Texas Rangers when we were seven. I was Jase Pearson, and he was Clay Morgan. There were a few other members from time to time. And everybody else wasn’t in the club, so we got to be “us,” and everyone else…

I’ve always loved taking tests. They’re much easier than real life, for me, because there are right and wrong answers. If you get right answers, people think you must have something going for you. What they don’t know is that what I have going for me is quite simply that I love taking tests. I’ve…

The first time I heard a teacher refer to the parents of children in her class as “my parents,” it was confusing. But I haven’t yet been able to come up with another quick phrase a teacher can use to describe that group of adults. Like all groups, it’s composed of individuals, and most generalizations…

James Barrie may have been having a flash of insight when he thought of the name for Neverland. It was a place where you could experience eternal carefree youth. Those of you who really remember your youth must remember that it was never carefree. Let’s go back and look. Not back to infancy; that would…