3:00 a.m.

(This photograph was sent to me by Rob, who is one of my sponsors, and that whole sponsoring me thing? You should consider it, because then you won't have to feel those horrible pangs of guilt over the poor children who don't have books to read every time I mention it.)

(Not Actually a) Sketch: That Boy

Upon looking at this picture, I am immediately reminded of my very, very first love, a boy named Tyler, who sat next to me in my kindergarten class. (Yes, I loved him even before Karac (yeah, Karac) Brown, and the boy Scott, who was my very first kiss, again, yes, at the age of 5, because I guess I figured I might as well get it out of the way early, or something.)

Anyway, Tyler was a tough kid, and even in kindergarten, we all knew he was capable of kicking all of our asses. I don't remember any real details about our, um, relationship (I guess... I was 5. It wasn't a relationship.) but I do remember thinking he was the coolest boy on the entire planet and everything he said was fascinating and wonderful. It's funny, the things that can remind you... and once reminded, what the brain is capable of conjuring. But anyway, Tyler proved something about me -- that I fell in love a little too easily, which is something I still do, by the way, but don't tell anybody, because I have a reputation as a cynic to uphold.

And the boy in the picture? He doesn't look anything like him. Not really. Maybe it was just the fact that in the e-mail that this picture was attached to, it said that he would have no problem stealing a car from Gary Busey, and my guess is that Tyler, at least in his 5-year-old incarnation, wouldn't either.