The Lego Car
It was March of 1980 and I was staring at the ceiling of the reconstructed, Metropolitan Theater at the Plaza Lawton. I was wearing a white shirt and a tie—the first time I ever wore one (or maybe during my First Communion?). I was embarking on a new journey into the life of an adolescent. I remember not wanting to have a photo of me and my grade school teacher taken at the time but later on, that image would serve as a “happiness anchor” to a time when one only thought about getting out of the house and being with playmates and wondering what’s for dinner. But a boy must turn into a man and that seemed to have taken a while. It was not until I was in my 30s that I realized what adulthood was, being a husband and a father and all. That day at the “Met”, I had a toy with me—a vehicle made out of Lego components. I loved that little sucker and I had taken it with me as I climbed up the stage and took my diploma. I remember the person who gave that to me. His name was, “Nelson...