On Reading

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Theric used to drive his fourth-grade teacher Mr C crazy with his reading in class: reading, reading, reading, always reading. To hear Theric’s parents tell it, what put Mr C into hystherics was that he could never catch Theric not paying attention. Theric would be 15 minutes deep into The Hardy Boys of Reptiles Do the Strangest Things and Mr C would ask him a question and Theric would give the right answer.

Theric’s wife would sure like it if this were still true.

Somehow, as he grew, Theric’s manner of reading changed, and now when he reads, he can’t follow along in class at the same time. Let’s just assume that’s because the classes are more stimulating, shall we?

For a completely opposite story, around the same age, Theric’s parents left him home alone, and asked his aunt Bats to check on him while they were out. She called. And called. The phone rang. And rang. Nothing.

Aunt Bats drove over and knocked on the front door.

Nothing.

She looked through the front window.

There sat Theric, reading a book.

She tapped on the window.

Nothing.

She came in through the back door to check on a couple other things while she was there.

Theric never knew.

This is another channel of readering that Theric can no longer access.

When Theric was a kid, he would never interrupt his reading till he reached the end of a chapter. Now, when life intrudes, Theric can stop mid sentence. He is an adult. He can prioritize.

Ah, to be a child.