Child Prodigy

My Uncle Rick just called with the funniest news I've heard in a long time. Yes, Mom, Rick called here to talk to me. I thought it was strange, too. Until I heard the reason why.

Apparently he was cleaning out his desk at AG Edwards in Thomasville where he works as a stockbroker, and he came across something someone brought to him a few years ago. Something that he thought might be of interest to me. A story, fully illustrated, entitled "The Murder of John Thomas: A Jennifer McBride Mystery". And the author? You guessed it... a 4th grade Miriam Terry. Yes, the lady who brought it in was no other than Mrs. Payne, my former elementary school teacher. Actually, in the year that I had her, she was Ms. Neil and then Mrs. Payne. And when my sister, Beth, had her two years before, she had been Mrs. Edwards. Quite confusing for a sheltered child like me. Anyway.

The funniest part about this story is that John Thomas, the victim in this tragic book, is my uncle. My very much alive uncle. My mom's brother. And Rick's, too. Rick said that there was even a detailed illustration of my Uncle John, lying on the ground, with a knife stuck in his chest. And, after stumbling upon this sight, apparently Jennifer McBride, the detective and heroine (of obviously more than one story, according to the subtitle), "screamed but no sound came out." Who knew that I was so talented to create such poetry, even at the tender age of 9? I must've been really mad at John. Poor, murdered, John.

Rick's holding the book for me to pick up when I'm in Thomasville next week. He promised he wouldn't give it to my parents before because he knows, as well as I do, that they'll keep it for themselves. Like those paintings I did that are up on the wall in our den. My grandfather offered me good money for those, but Mom says they're not for sale. You'd think she'd painted them herself.

On a completely different topic, I just had lunch with my coolest friend, Gina. I'm not worried a bit about offending any of you blog girls with that statement because those of you who know Gina know that she's unbeatable in that regard. Undeniably so. It was her adorably short, curly hair that inspired me to cut mine a couple of years ago. She teaches 6th and 7th grade at a Catholic School in Washington DC. LOVE her.

I'm attaching two pictures below from our lunch because, apparently, I'm a picture freak of late. Excuse the blurriness of the first; I thought it was too cute not to post anyway!