I Thought I Was Peter Pan.... No. Really.

As a child, I had the most vivid imagination, which often got me into trouble. Okay. Fine. It ALWAYS got me into trouble. I was extremely gullible as well. One summer while staying with my grandparents, my grandmother had taken my brother and I to see Walt Disney's "Peter Pan". Just like always, I imagined myself to be Peter Pan and had convinced myself that I could fly because I *believed* as they had urged us to do in the animated film. And let me tell you that there probably weren't many five year old kids that took it to heart quite like I was able to do.


As soon as we got home from the movie, I went out to my grandparents garage to practice my flying, since of course, I KNEW I could fly. Without doubt. I decided my launch point would be from atop my grandmother's old wringer washing machine. It seemed to be the tallest thing out there that I could climb to the top of. Yes, I was always full of scathingly brilliant ideas. I fearlessly climbed my way to the top and with my arms held out like wings, dramatically leaping and flinging myself at once, I promptly fell face first to the cement floor like a lead brick. I wasn't nearly as upset about the blood running out of my nose as I was by the fact I had not been able to fly. But, like any other five year old, I decided it would work the second time so I climbed back to the top again, ending up with the same result. Face first. Bloody nose.


If all kids knew exactly how stoopid they are about everything, they would grow up having the worst inferiority complexes ever, right? That never seemed to daunt me in the least.


Anyway, it was then that I went running (yes, I might have been screaming) into the house with my bloody nose. My grandmother demanded to know what happened, so I told her it was my brother's fault because he didn't believe I could fly. I think that's when my family started thinking I had mental problems or had at some point been dropped on my head. Those still living probably still hold true to that belief, but they would be wrong. Unlike them, I finally grew up. Just a couple of years ago, as a matter of fact. I think this is the point my dreams about being able to fly started...