Irrepressible When I was in grade six, I was a big tough guy. You wouldn't know it by looking at me then – or even by looking at any pictures of me in high school - but I was a real badass. None of this is completely true, but I hope you'll be kind enough to respect what I honestly believed back then.

Before school started one particular morning, I was on the swings, kicking myself up higher than anyone. When I was at the highest point and I was ready to jump off, my best friend Eric walked by in front of me. I eased back on my swinging enough to say hi and for some reason I spit in his direction. It hit him right in the face and he wiped it off, cursed at me, and walked away.

I wish I could say that the wind had pushed the spit in his face, that I was aiming away from him and it was an accident. The truth is, I don't know. I hope it was, but I don't know for sure. And of all the thousands of memories I have from my childhood buried somewhere deep in a long-term memory that just won't stay buried, I remember this one, and it makes me ashamed.  ¶ 8:03 PM