Proud Papa

As enjoyable as the RAGAD reading was, it wasn't the single most gratifying part of my weekend. So if you'll be so kind, please indulge me while I pass along a Proud Papa moment.

When Julie and I went into the city on Saturday night for the reading, we left our six-year-old daughter Maddie with her Aunt Heidi and her cousin Landon, who also live in Joliet. We got back to Joliet around 11 p.m. and went to pick up Maddie. Heidi let us in, and back in Landon's bedroom we found Maddie and Landon both sitting on his bed, Landon's eyes glued to a Pixar DVD while Maddie scribbled intently in a Hello Kitty journal which, we learned, she had gotten that evening at McDonald's. We asked her what she was doing, and she said she was writing a book. (Actually, she writes little books all the time, but this time she was particularly intent on doing so.) We finally convinced her to go home, and we said our goodbyes and proceeded to our car. Maddie climbed in the back seat, buckled herself in and continued writing, even in the pitch blackness. When we got home she found the nearest chair, sat down and continued writing, even though it was hours past her bedtime and she was exhausted from her very long day. I finally convinced her to go to bed. Then the next morning she got up, returned to that same chair, and continued writing until the book was finished.

Although I have not yet read the book, it appears to be graphic novel of sorts, titled Hello Kitty Worlds & Fields. Regardless of the literary merits of the book (which I'm certain is precociously endearing), I can't begin to describe how proud I am to witness her devotion and focus in creating it. I'm sure she would have stayed up all night to finish writing her book had I not talked her into going to bed, showing much more writerly diligence than I've ever practiced myself. Though I had inklings of such before, now I'm convinced we have another writer in the family, and I couldn't be happier with this coming to pass.

We now return you to my regularly scheduled crabby cynicism.