I Grew Up on the Island of Misfit Toys
"Do you know what's wrong with him?"
My mother kept asking.
Doctor after doctor.
One said lazy.
Another said retarded.
The dentist she worked for had a different idea.
"Maybe it's his hearing."
In second grade, I got my first hearing aid.
My hair was a little longer than most boys.
Not because I liked long hair.
Because I wanted to hide the hearing aid.
Every Christmas, we watched Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
There was an island.
A train with square wheels.
A spotted elephant.
A water pistol that shot jelly.
A bird that swam instead of flying.
And Charlie-in-the-Box.
Not Jack.
Charlie.
The toys started singing.
They didn't want to stay there.
Neither did I.
I grew up on the Island of Misfit Toys.