Ventriloquism

Some childhood things are scary. I remember when I got Charlie for Christmas and imagined him coming alive at night, turning his head; that slackjaw crying out to me in the dark. Vivid as my imagination was, I never did see Charlie move. As adults, we are frightened not by things bumping in the night or zany ventriloquist dolls coming alive, but by our fading retirement accounts, increasing personal taxes and diminishing real estate values. Spooky. We cannot control the happenings around us even as much as the puppet on a string. So we should emphasize things that are within our realm of influence. As a child, that meant turning on the light. As an adult, that means living a simple but clear and meaningful life. -- coolkayaker1