New Book Excerpt: DORM RATS, A Neighborlee, Ohio book

Back to the story: The fourth member of the party was Mrs. Grendel. I am not lying. Honestly, who would keep the last name of Grendel in the land where Beowulf made his stand? She said the building needed to have more security measures installed, to keep children from sneaking in and playing where they were likely to get hurt. The fifth member of the group was more interested in what Pop was working on at the plastic-sheeted table, wearing white gloves and goggles and a surgical mask. He never did give his name, but hurried over to the table and muttered about the ceiling being ready to fall down on them. They might as well give in to the inevitable and tear the place down and build a parking lot, and who gave a royal fig about historical preservation anyway?

So that proved what Pop said, that everyone interprets and explains unexplainable things based on their own beliefs and experiences.

Where was I with this story? Oh, right. The day before the incident of almost falling through the ceiling. Meeting Emma and Jake Crowder, future parents of Pete.

Emma stood up when we approached. "You have got to be Lanie and Harry."

"Why do we have to be?" Harry said.

Yeah, that was my brother, the literalist. Between learning a second language in less than a year, and being so proud of his parents who were writers, and his big sister who was on the school newspaper staff, Harry liked playing with words. He also got a kick out of the reactions of everybody when he played word games, especially when he went very strict with the literal meaning of the words. Kind of funny that he didn't go into writing, but chose a profession where he works with his hands, and I might add, is very good at it.