I was thinking of how I’ve always felt like being a different duck from the rest of my peers was at times, a curse, and at other moments, a gift to be proud of. I am so very glad that my mother saved all of my childhood school papers – like all good and proud parents whose child showed early promise in some way. And I’m also glad I scanned them into digital form – otherwise they would be very much gone.

I reread this story I wrote when I had just entered first grade – I had this whole idea for a children’s book series about two anthropomorphic dogs named Maui and Scratchy, and this was my only attempt at a storyline. My handwriting event horizon was all kinds of askew – someone should have given me a spiral with college rule lines to use.

My familiar obsessions were all somehow included – Maui driving a “Sedan” on the way to the airport to vacation in n Hawaii. While on the flight, they run into Doctor Doolittle, and then Maui asks said Doctor where he was going – (umm, duh, they are already on a flight to Hawaii!)

The only important event that seemed to transpire – Maui has a great idea, why don’t they all three share a “rent-a-car” when they get to Hawaii? Scratchy and Dr. Doolittle agree to share a rental car, and that was that! The end!

I love how that’s like more of an economics parable about sharing expenses on vacation, and little else. These were the things that mattered to my 6 year old self. Why is this so funny?