I'm Major Jackson and this is the slowdown.

And this is the slowdown. down.

One of my strangest experiences as a kid,

one of my strangest experiences as a kid involved in arts and crafts instructor at a summer camp.

Let's call her Laura. I enjoyed her morning classes and put in more effort than the other kids. At nine years old, I was

deep into lanyard-making and gluing macaroni on paper plates. Laura took a special interest in me. She

over praised my log cabin made out of popsicle sticks. We ate lunch a couple of

times in her classroom.

What did we talk about? I do not recall.

But Laura was one of my favorite counselors that year.

Laughable now, she supported my wish not to sing,

Take Me Out to the ball game in the talent show.

We developed a bond.

On the last day of camp she recommended some books to read. We hugged and said our goodbyes. I thought it would be for the last time. Then one day in September my mom told me that I was going to spend the weekend with my summer counselor. The camp had been a religious camp which gave my mother

comfort in my being with this stranger. Apparently Laura phoned my mother to say,

it would be good for me to occasionally get out of my dangerous neighborhood

with all of its challenges for a kid of my talent and gifts.

When she arrived, Laura showed up with her husband.

Let's call him Keith.

We went to the King of Prussia Mall, then ate at a restaurant my family could not afford.

I learned they didn't have any children of their own, but wanted a child.

The following day we ran errands, went to an arcade, and then to the movies.

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