
   ,,LA4]S1 ,,MUD ,,PIES1 ,,& ,,MILK
               ,,BOTTLES
              0,%>ON ,GOLD

  ,! ?+S T HAPP5 6U :5 WE >E *N D M*
6DET]M9E :AT K9D ( ADULTS WE W 2COME4
,ALL TOO (T5 ! BL * IS P]MITT$ 65GAGE 9
UNA3EPTA# 2HAVIOR 9 "S SITU,NS1 :ILE 2+
/RICTLY PROHIBIT$ F DO+ ! O!R P]FECTLY
NORMAL ?+S MO/ *N D4
  ,= P>5TS1 F9D+ ! "R MIX C 2
DI6ICULT8"PICUL>LY :5 WELL-M1N+ FRS >E
CRITICAL4 ,%>ON ,GOLD1 ! ,PRESID5T (!
,N,NAL ,F$],N (! ,BL ( ,CALI=NIA1 IS
GRATE;L T H] P>5TS FOLL[$ _! [N -MON
S5SE 9 DECID+ :AT 6P]MIT & :AT
6PROHIBIT4 ,"H IS :AT %E HAS 6SAY AB "S
( H] *ILDHOOD EXP]I;ES3
  ,MY P>5TS 7 DEVA/AT$ :5 !Y LE>N$ T _!
F/BORN * 0 BL4 ,NEI MY "M NOR MY "F KNEW
A BL P]SON1 B :AT 0 EV5 M DEVA/AT+ ?AN !
BL;S 0 ! WAY ! DOCTORS H&L$ ! SITU,N4
  ,!Y 7 K9D M5 :O DIDN'T WI% 6UPSET MY
P>5TS 0TELL+ !M _! BABY CDN'T SEE4 ,Y
MAY 2 ?9K+ T P]H ! DOCTORS DID N "K T ,I
0 BL2 &1 ( C\RSE1 Y MAY 2 "R4 ,H["E1 MY
EYES 7 CL\DY 2C ,I _H 3G5ITAL CAT>ACTS4
  ,MY "M NOTIC$ ! CL\DI;S IMMLY & 9QUIR$
AB X4 ,! DOCTORS SD T !Y WD PUT DROPS 9
MY EYES &! CL\DI;S WD G AWAY4 ,9 ^? "DS
"M & * /AY$ 9 ! HOSPITAL = S"EAL "DS1 &
EA* "D ! DOCTORS PUT DROPS 9 MY EYES &
TRI$ 6AVOID 4CUSS+ MY EYE 3DI;N ) MY "M4
  ,Z ,I H ALR SD1 ^! DOCTORS 7 K9D &
LOV+ M54 ,!Y M1NT ONLY GD = MY P>5TS1 &
!Y C]TA9LY M1NT NO H>M 6? NEWBORN BABY4
,B H["E %OCK+ & CRUEL X MAY H SEEM$ 6!
DOCTORS1 X WD H BE5 M LOV+ & K9D 6H
OP5LY 4CUSS$ ! ACTUAL 3DI;N ( MY EYES &
MY BL;S ) MY P>5TS4

  ,? EV5T TOOK PLACE FIFTY YE>S AGO1 &
      ,I WI% X 7
DI6]5T TD4 ,"S"TS X IS4 ,H["E1 "! IS /
    R1L RELUCT.E 64CUSS BL;S :5 X /RIKES
    A FAMILY4 ,! T5D5CY IS / 6BY-PASS !
    SUBJECT OR 6M9IMIZE
! SITU,N4

  ,MY "M 3CLUD$ T X WD D LL GD 6CRY OV]
! FACT T ,I 0 BL4 ,%E DECID$ ! SOON] %E
& ,DA4Y 2GAN 6D1L )! SITU,N1 ! BETT] X
WD 2 = ALL ( U4 ,"!=E1 MY P>5TS MADE A
3SCI\S DECI.N 6RAISE ME Z !Y WD H ANY
O!R *4 ,*N NE$ 6BE 5C\RAG$1 H _! 2HAVIOR
MOLD$1 & 2 4CIPL9$4 ,I 0 NO DI6]5T4
  ,"O EV5+1 :5 ,I 0 V "Y1 MY P>5TS _H
D9N] GUE/S4 ,X 0 _! CU/OM ) ME 7& LAT] )
MY SI/]7 69CLUDE ME AT ! D9N] TA# R ?AN
FE$+ ME 2FH& & EXCLUD+ ME F EAT+ )!
FAMILY &! GUE/S4 ,"M ALW SET A B1UTI;L
TA#1 & ? EV5+ 0 NO EXCEP;N4 ,I _H MY
PLACE SETT+1 -PLETE )A GLASS ( MILK4
,H["E1 ,I WANT$ "S?+ 9 ! MI4LE (! TA#4
,9/1D ( ASK+ = :AT ,I WANT$1 ,I TOOK !
*'S %ORTCUT4
  ,/&+ UP ON MY *AIR1 ,I L1N$ OV] ! TA#
6R1* :AT ,I WI%$ 6H4 ,9 ! PROCESS ,I
KNOCK$ OV] MY MILK1 SPILL+ X ALL OV] !
TA# &! FLOOR4 ,MY "M PICK$ ME UP ) "O H&
7Z ONLY A "M C D7 & SWAT-T$ ME ON ! 2H
)! O!R :ILE FIRMLY SITT+ ME BACK D[N ON
! *AIR4
  ,Z %E 2GAN CL1N+ UP ! MESS1 %E NOTIC$
T ! GUE/S 7 V QUIET4 ,X 2CAME EVID5T T
!Y 7 UPSET :5 !Y VOIC$ _! 9T5T 6L1VE 2C
MY "M _H PUNI%$ ME = SPILL+ MY MILK4 ,!Y
R1SON$ T1 2C ,I CD N SEE ! MILK1 ,I %D N
H BE5 PUN-I%$ = SPILL+ X4
  ,"M EXPLA9$ T ,I _H N SPILL$ ! MILK 2C
,I _H N SE5 X B 2C ,I _H BE5 DO+ "S?+ ,I
%D N H D"O8/&+ ON A *AIR & L1N+ OV] !
TA# 6GET :AT ,I %D H ASK$ 6H PASS$4 ,"M
TOLD H] GUE/S T1 IF ,I _H BE5 SITT+
PROP]LY AT ! TA# & _H KNOCK$ OV] ! MILK
2C ,I DID N SEE X1 NO?+ WD H BE5 SD4 ,!
MILK WD SIMPLY H BE5 CL1N$ UP4
  ,GD P>5TS DEMON/RATE _! LOVE 0T1*+ _!
*N SELFDISCIPL9E & 0EXPECT+ & PRAIS+ GD
2HAVIOR4 ,)/&+ ! CRITICISM ( WELL-M1N+
FRS & RELATIVES C 2 V H>D = P>5TS1
ESPECI,Y P>5TS ( BL *N4 ,YET L SI<T$ *N
BL "Y/]S NE$ /&>DS = SELF-4CIPL9E & GD
3DUCT1 & BAD 2HAVIOR %D N 2 EXCUS$ AWAY
0BL;S4
  ,ALL *N H DR1MS4 ,"S >E R1LI/IC & "S
>E PURE FANTASY4 ,ALM E * HAS DR1M$ ( 2+
A FIREMAN OR NURSE OR DOCTOR4 ,SCURRY+
AB ! FLOOR1 RAC+ 6AN IMAG9>Y FIRE1 GA!R+
UP ! HOOKS & LA4]S1 & PUTT+ \ A RAG+
FIRE >E ALL "P (A *'S PLAY1 & T PLAY
TRANSLATES 96GR[? & DEVELOP;T4
  ,SIMIL>LY1 *N PLAY NURSE OR DOCTOR &
CURE ! WOR/ AIL;TS )! MAGIC 3TA9$ 9 !
DOCTOR OR NURSE'S KIT4 ,? TYPE ( PLAY IS
EXPECT$ ( SI<T$ *N1 B Z SOON Z ! BL *
/>TS D[N ! HALLWAY )A TOY FIRE TRUCK1 "S
ADULT IS LIKELY 6SQUA% ! FANTASY 0! N V
SUBTLE REM9D] T1 S9CE HE OR %E IS BL1
PUTT+ \ FIRES WD 2 AN IMPOSSIBIL;Y4
  ,MY "M ?"\ T *OOS+ A TOY 0 AN
IMPORTANT "P ( E *'S $UC,N & DEVELOP;T4
,:5 ,I 0 / TOO SMALL 6R1* ! C.T]1 "M WD
PUT EA* TOY 9 MY H& = ME 6SEE S T ,I CD
*OOSE ! "O = U 6BUY4 ,:5 ,I GREW L>GE 5
6R1* ! C.T]1 ,I 9DEP5D5TLY WALK$ UP &
D[N ! AISLES 9 ! DIME /ORE & C>E;LLY
9SPECT$ EA* TOY S T ,I CD MAKE MY *OICE4
  ,_M "TS *N F9D _! [N TOYS4 ,"O "D1 :5
,I 0 AB EI<TE5 MON?S OLD1 ,I F.D A LA4]
T A PA9T] _H LEFT L1N+ AG/ ! SIDE (!
DUPLEX 9 : WE LIV$4 ,2+ A CURI\S *1 ,I
CLIMB$ /RAI<T UP X4 ,:5 MY "M 4COV]$ ":
,I WAS1 %E 0 FE>;L T1 IF %E CALL$1 %E WD
/>TLE ME4 ,ULTIMATELY %E DECID$ 6TAKE (F
H] %OES & SOCKS S T %E CD QUIETLY CLIMB
! LA4] & C>RY ME D[N 6SAFETY )\T F"R5+
ME4
  ,ANO!R "D ,I F.D AN OP5 GATE & RODE MY
TRICYCLE \ (! Y>D & 96! BIG _W4 ,I 0 F.D
BLOCKS F HOME1 HAV+ A WOND];L "T EXPLOR+
ON MY [N4
  ,MUD IS ALW A F9E & 9EXP5SIVE TOY4 ,H[
_M MUD PIES D WE ALL RECALL MAK+ Z *N &
EAT+1 TOO1 = T MATT]8 ,:5 ,I 0 A *1 ALL
MILK BOTTLES 7 GLASS1 &! EMPTY BOTTLES
L9$ ! BACK /EPS WAIT+ =! MILKMAN4 ,I A4$
6! FUN ( MAK+ MUD PIES 0TAK+ ! BOTTLES F
! /EP & C>RY+ !M 6MY \TDOOR KIT*54 ,I
?"\ X GRT FUN 6FILL "O BOTTLE ) WAT] &
P\R X F "O BOTTLE 6! NEXT4
  ,H["E1 :5 A NEI<BOR HAPP5$ 6OBS]VE ?
ACTIV;Y :ILE VISIT+ MY "M "O "D1 %E
ADMONI%$ "M = ALL[+ ME 6PLAY )! GLASS
MILK BOTTLES4 ,"M'S RESPONSE 6H]
CRITICISM 0 T1 IF ,I 7 6DROP "O (!
BOTTLES & CUT MYF1 ,I WD H1L4 ,9 ! M1N"T
,I 0 LE>N+ VALUA# LESSONS1 9CLUD+ H[
6P\R WAT] F "O BOTTLE 6ANO!R )\T SPILL+
X4
  ,9 ! E>LY #AIDJ'S *N 7 M LIKELY 6G \ &
F9D _! [N TOYS4 ,:5 WE DIDN'T H ANY?+
6D1 WE CLIMB$ TREES OR WALK$ AL;G WALLS4
,"! 7 NO TELEVI.NS OR ELECTRONIC GAMES4
,TD TOY MANUFACTUR]S LOOK = WAYS 6BUILD
:AT !Y CALL $UC,NAL TOYS T W TAKE !
PLACE (! COORD9,N WE DEVELOP$ F WALL
WALK+1 TREE CLIMB+1 &! C.T.S O!R ?+S WE
F.D 6D :5 WE 7 *N4
  ,VISUAL TOYS >E AL AN IMPORTANT "P (A
BL *'S GR[+ UP4 ,WE LIVE 9 A _W 9 : MO/
P SEE1 & X IS IMPORTANT = BL *N 6LE>N T
FACT AT AN E>LY AGE4 ,"O "T "S"O S5T ME
A MA*9E T %[$ PICTURES : 7 9 A ROLL
9SIDE ! MA*9E4 ,"! 0 A CRANK ON ! TOP :1
:5 TURN$1 *ANG$ ! PICTURE4
  ,S9CE ,I CD N SEE ! PICTURES1 AN ADULT
DESCRIB$ !M 6ME4 ,I MADE UP A /ORY AB
EA* "O & SET AB PRES5T+ PICTURE %[S 6!
SMALL] NEI<BORHOOD *N4 ,? 0 EXCELL5T
/IMUL,N 6MY IMAG9,N1 : NE$$ LL
5C\RAGE;T1 & X AL TAU<T ME M* AB PIC-
TURES4 ,H["E1 X AL TAU<T ! NEI<BORHOOD
*N T BL;S MADE NO DI6];E 6! QUAL;Y (!
PICTURE %[ &! /ORIES T W5T ) X4
  ,Z Y C SEE1 MY *ILDHOOD 0 N M* DI6]5T
F T ( O!R CURI\S *N4 ,"M & ,DA4Y N"E
2LIEV$ 9 8C'T40 ,"M 0 FOND ( SAY+ T 8,I
C'T0 N"E DID ANY?+1 B 8,I'LL TRY0 C D _M
?+S4



















