Beginnings

Beginnings

“James Randel Williams what did you do!”

James froze. It didn’t work.

“James,” Mom said, “I’m waiting…”

“For what?” James asked.

“For you to tell me how this happened…” she waved her hand over the mess on the kitchen floor.

“Oh. What happened?”

“Are you telling me you don’t know anything about it?”

“I just came in to get some milk…”

“We don’t keep milk in the cupboard…”

“I was looking for my lucky glass…”

“And you didn’t notice the mess on the floor?”

“Well, I came in from the dining room because I was looking out the window to see if there were any squirrels. When I got here, I just stopped looking out the window and started looking in the cupboard.”

“To get a glass…”

“Well, not a glass, glass. I was looking for my lucky glass.”

“Your lucky glass?”

“You know, the one you gave me for my birthday. It’s my lucky glass because it can’t break and I always like what I drink out of it…”

“So, you didn’t notice cereal all over the floor…”

“I would have, after I got my glass and went to the refrigerator! But you walked in and asked me what happened…”

“So, how do you think the cereal got spilled all over the floor?”

“Maybe a burglar?”

“A burglar who was hungry?”

“I’m sure they get hungry…”

“Well, I’m sure this is a story you’re telling me hoping you won’t get in trouble.”

“Did it work?”

“No, but here’s your trouble. Clean this up and then go write down exactly what you just told me.”

“What? Why?”

“Because I think it will help you. First to remind you not to try this again, and second, it was kinda funny.”

James published his first book when he was twenty-six.