By Jim Schneegold
Buffalo, NY – Three years ago, my seven year old niece, Michelle, and I were sitting by her pool when I decided to do some writing. "What are you doing, Uncle Jim?"
"I'm writing a little story," I said.
"Is this one about me?"
"Not this one but maybe next time."
With a resigned sigh she said, "Oh you always say that, Uncle Jim. You never write a story about me."
"Want me to write you a story?" Michelle said.
"What would you like to write about?"
"I dunno - what do you think?"
"Tell me about your day yesterday, morning to night."
She sat quietly for over 20 minutes writing a few lines, looking to the sky for a second, and then continuing. When she was finished she handed me her paper and I proceeded to read about her day at her girlfriend's house and the ride back home. She finished with the words, THE END.
A few months ago I called my brother, and Michelle (now 10) answered the phone. "Uncle Jim. I'm going to write you a story about my social life."
"Your social life!" I chuckled. "Wow, that sounds pretty interesting. I can't wait to read it." A month went by and the next time I saw Michelle I asked her where my story was.
"What story?" she asked.
"About your social life, silly."
"Oh yeah, I forgot."
The next week my phone rang. "Hi Uncle Jim. I finished my story. What's your fax number?"
"Fax number!" I laughed to myself. "You want to fax me the story?" I repeated. I gave her my work fax and told her I'd read it first thing in the morning. She replied, "OK, but I have to go to school by 8:30 so, like, I'll call you at 7:50 exactly to see if you got it, OK?"
The next morning arrived and her faxed story, unfortunately, was too light to read. Turns out she wrote some of it in her favorite pink pencil. Her mom resent a clearer version and I told Michelle I would call her that night. When the new fax arrived it took me four readings to fully understand the magic of her words. You see, when the front and back of the page were full she continued writing in the margins. When that was full it continued on the top of the back sheet and finished in the upper left corner. She wrote about getting a call from her secret agent who sent her on an assignment (so secret she couldn't even tell her parents) to save a cat by a fire with a woman nearby. After receiving her secret map to the cat, she rescued it and made it home just in time for bed. I loved the story. Her imagination was priceless and the fact she wrote it for me made it very special. I called Michelle that night. "Michelle? That was a great story."
"Do you think it's a good enough story to put in the paper?" she asked.
"Well I know for sure it's good enough to put in my binder with all my special letters and papers."
"It is?"
I told her how she could go on future adventures with calls from her secret agent. "What do you think about that?"
And without missing a beat she said, "Well I'm pretty tired, Uncle Jim. I'm going to be pretty busy so I don't know when I can write the next story because I have homework every night and practice after school the next few weeks so I don't know."
"That's OK - I loved your story and thank you - I'll keep it forever."
"You will?" she said.
Although someday I hope Michelle will love writing like I do, I wanted to share with all of you that a cat was saved and is sleeping safely tonight - all because my ten year old niece, Michelle Schneegold's imagination told me so.
And when I get done reading this story for all of you, I'm going to go to her house and tell her I have a story for her to read - and when she asks, "Is the story about me?" I can say with a proud smile, "YES IT IS!"
THE END.
Listener-Commentator Jim Schneegold is a local writer whose was published in "A Sixth Bowl of Chicken Soup for the Soul."