CCrawfordWriting

A friend of mine just said that Dora the Explorer was saying “Sniper no sniping” instead of “Swiper no swiping,” and suddenly I thought...

What if Dora’s imagined world full of animal friends and a talking backpack and map is ACTUALLY her attempt to escape a jungle in the wake of her parents being captured by some kind of gang after getting wrapped up in some shady business.

I mean, think about it...

The map could be the directions they gave her to find the safe house in the event something bad happened. 

The backpack is her “bug out bag” full of supplies.

When you have to be up before sunrise...

I grew up...

in a place where stepping outside meant dodging lizards underfoot, and I learned to step around them on the side away from the bushes, so that I wouldn’t crush them as they ran for cover.

I grew up...

in a place where having a picnic at the park meant sharing my lunch with a gang of squirrels, and probably some ducks and blackbirds.

I grew up...

in a place where ominous skies filled with pitch-black clouds wasn’t cause for concern, it was just another summer afternoon.

I grew up...

in a place where we played in the rain, as long as the lightning was more than 6 miles away, and I learned how to count the seconds between the flash and the bang to know when to go inside.

I grew up...

in a place where I never carried an umbrella, because it would probably rain, and it was easier just to get wet than to carry an umbrella with me literally everywhere.

I grew up...

in a place where every body of water has a predator that can eat you. 

I grew up...

in a place where children learn to watch for the glow of the gators’ eyes if they’re outside at night.  

I grew up...

in a place where the sun can take temperatures from 40 degrees to 90 in a matter of hours, and winter really only lasts about 2 weeks sometime in January/February.

I grew up...

in a place where the heat can literally cook an egg on the sidewalk, but rather than stay inside we hydrate and keep going.

I grew up...

in a place where the apocalypse becomes a real possibility for about 5 months out of the year (it’s called Hurricane season), but we don’t leave unless we have to, because this is our home.

I grew up...

in a place where nature is all around, and wild, and the people rise to meet the challenge.

I grew up...

Normal person 1: Maybe it got out when you opened the door and you didn't see it.

Normal person 2: Are you sure the cat didn't get it?

Normal person 1: We'll keep an eye out for it. Hope you find it!

Me to writer friends: My bird went missing from the porch.

Writer friend 1: I wonder if your bird is having a good time in Wonderland.

Writer friend 2: It either stepped through a looking glass or fell down a rabbit hole.

Me: Well, there is a *small* possibility the cat got it, or it got outside, but there's no sign of a struggle or anything and I didn't see it fly past me.

you listened to me sing my heart-song

and instead of asking me to be quiet