Do you remember the very first movie that really scared you as a kid?

Oh, for me, it was Bambi.

I know, I know, a Disney classic, right?

But that scene where Bambi's mother dies, I mean, I was not ready for that.

Were you?

I mean, I remember clutching my popcorn, eyes wide, feeling like the

world was suddenly a lot more uncertain than I'd realized. I know. I mean, it's traumatic, right? I mean,

looking back, it's clear why that moment hit me so hard. I mean, up until then, the only thing I'd ever

seen was G-rated, right? Talking animals, silly songs, guaranteed happy endings. But Bambi,

that was like a crash course in reality TV for preschoolers.

Suddenly, it wasn't all about sharing your toys.

It was about surviving the forest.

My word.

Yes, I'm still working through it.

And don't even get me started on the Wizard of Oz.

Mercy, goodness.

I still, to this day, have those images in my head from when I was eight, maybe nine years old.

I was at my Aunt Carolyn's house when she was showing it.

Oh, my word.

Yeah, sure, sure, sure.

Here's a story about a little girl and her cute little dog, and then, wham, a tornado, and then houses falling on people, and then flying monkeys? Bananas. I mean,

what the what? While I was too young to comprehend or even articulated then, some part of he knew I wasn't quite ready to

...