Divorcing My Friends

My family has always loved going to the zoo. When the kids were young, we would break up long drives by leaving early, routing to a zoo somewhere in the midpoint of the trip, and then wearing them out watching animals so they would sleep for the remainder of the drive. It always seemed to work. The only problem with this practice was that our trips were usually in the summer and the afternoon car always had a rather pungent odor after we toddled around in the sun.

There were trips when we took more pictures and videos at the amusement stops than we actually did when we arrived at our destination because the kids love animals so much. One often sees odd behavior and sometimes a dalliance or two that must be explained to an inquisitive child. Of course, I relished these opportunities and gave it my creative best. From me they learned the finer points of turtle wrestling and why an elephant can have two trunks.

Once in a while, a golden moment happens and you notice that your child is sitting in front of something that is fairly comical. SNAP – picture that! Read More

I Didn’t Recognize Her

“Hello, Mr. Myers,” she said with a beautiful smile.

Startled, I replied in kind. She stood before me in anticipation while I watched the sun peak through her golden hair. Searching for something to say, I told her that I liked her dress.

“Thank you. When we went to the store, I made sure it had some yellow in it,” she beamed as she twirled slightly to let the flow of the dress boast its color.

“Kylie would love that,” I answered.

“I thought so, too. Well, I’ll see you later,” she said as she bounded off toward her friends.

I watched her rush off until she was engulfed in a sea of young women all flaunting perfectly-styled hair, manicured nails, and the prettiest dresses their closets could produce. The boys – awkward in their ties – stood off to the side bucking horns, pretending not to be fascinated with their more delicate classmates. At fourteen, I could see the beginnings of the magnetic pull that they would deny as long as possible then succumb to as if they ever had a choice. Read More