Never Say Never Land
Friday nights were a very special time when I was a boy. School could be forgotten for two glorious days, and teachers’ scornful looks were behind me. I struggled through grade school and wanted nothing more than to be running barefoot outside, but Fridays were the light at the end of the long tunnel. Fridays were extra special because Mom would take us down to Video-1 to rent the latest new release on VHS, and we were allowed to stay up as long as we wanted, which never lasted much past midnight as my sisters and I would drift off on the couch or in our sleeping bags laid out on the living room floor. My younger sisters called their pile of blankets and pillows their “nests” and would go to great lengths to make them just right. Occasional bickering over territory was pretty common, as a clear view of the television was paramount. I was usually reclined on the couch or soft chair and would yell at them to stay out of the way of our glowing ...