Flying

My grandfather’s tombstone has a plane etched into the granite. Just a little east of his grave, I visited into the birthplace of Amelia Earhart. I have no idea if my grandfather had any special feelings about Amelia Earhart, who, after all, lived only a brief time in Atchison, Kansas. She was a pilot, like […]

PJ

I did not expect PJ to actually bring a shrunken head into my classroom during my planning period. When he told me to touch the shrunken head, of course I had to. I did not want to, but he showed such devil-may-care affability that I would not be shown up. He had brought the head […]

Indians

The state of Kansas tried to instill some pride in me. I learned our state bird was the meadowlark. I learned our state motto was, “Per aspera ad astra,” to the stars through difficulties. I believed myself to be from somewhere embarrassingly provincial, on land stolen from people more pathetic than we were, although that […]

Mercy

There was a sign in front of the hospital that said: “The quality of mercy is not strained. It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed: it blesseth him that gives and him that takes.” I used to drive by it every day. It was in front […]