Bright Ideas

Monday was my 67th birthday. I remember my 7th birthday. The dining room table was surrounded by friends: Kaye, my age, her brother Gary, I always had a crush on Gary; he was two years older than we, another Gary (Cassidy), his younger brother, Steve something, he lived in the house next to ours, a girl who lived up the hill, Sue Biggerstaff, and my uncle Donnie! Gary Cassidy’s father was CEO of the $.05 and $.10 store. That’s where the kids bought Christmas presents.

I remember one year my brother bought me the largest bottle of Evening in Paris the store sold. It was horrible cologne and I k...