This is an I-Heart podcast.

This is Lee Habib, and this is our American stories,

and we tell stories about everything here on this show.

And our favorite stories are our listener's stories.

They're your stories.

Our next story comes to us from Paul.

In Minneapolis, Minnesota, Paul moved our listeners with his story, Wilbur and the Empty Nestor,

and a baby boomers battle with insanity and fitness.

We asked him if he had any more.

Here he is with a story simply titled Moose Prayer.

Have you ever seen a moose?

I have.

They're big, strong, powerful, and athletic.

Have you ever wanted to be a moose?

I did.

I lived with a moose all throughout my childhood, growing up in Bloomington, Minnesota,

the middle child of a cluster of eight devout Catholic kids.

I have three older brothers, one older sister, two younger brothers, and one younger sister.

I grew up idolizing my older siblings.

What I wouldn't have given to be as cool as them.

Such was the thought of this impressionable little brother.

It was Tom, the firstborn, five years my senior, that I most wanted to emulate.

...