What's he up to? He loves to make movies on his camera with his friends and edit them and put it all together. The desire to get a project completed and to follow through--these are great characteristics for an adult--but friend to friend the intensity level can get a little high. Really high. Imagine a ten year old Spielberg.
I remember certain games we played at 10 and 11 that got a little too involved. Casey and I and some girls used to play court. Nobody went home until the jury gave a verdict, and just between you and me they better well have sided with Casey. Fast forward 20 years and she's prosecuting felony criminals in the Houston DA's office. No wonder we were a little high strung.
Casey and I are still friends, and hopefully Calvin's friends will sort the grain from the chaff as well.
When he is alone? He's typing out cards by hand for a card catalog of all the books in his room. He bought two catalog drawers with the cards hole-punched in the bottom at the Tipton church garage sale for a buck. He's flipping the cards over and typing the info with my Grandma Hope's old typewriter. After 53 years we had to buy a new ribbon. I sprang for it, since he bought the catalog drawers.
I know there is nature and nurture and all this research and Dr. Suzuki's ideals. But I swear, both Bill and I made card catalogs of our overstocked childhood bookshelves and we never mentioned it to Calvin. It has to be in the genes. Bill and I stare at each other and wonder how our kids could be so much like us. It's weird.
Strawberry season is almost over. Calvin's patch did better this year. Hopefully next year will be even better. Gardening requires a lot of patience. The desire to grow things might be nature and it might be nurture, but I don't think we will ever be able to sort that one out. The dirt is under his fingernails one way or another.
Calvin I know you read this--I'm proud of you--stick to the strawberries and the card catalog--noble summer endeavors. You are a great kid.
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