Leaving Home
By Garrison Keillor
(sense a theme?)
Garrison Keillor is funny. In that understated, monotone, perfectly serious kind of way. He's able to tell an absolutely ridiculous story with an absolute straight face. Or at least that's how I imagine his face to be, because I've actually only heard him on Prairie Home Companion on public radio. He grew up in Minnesota and has done many radio shows and books based on the abundance of stories there - either lived or told. In his stories, I recognize characters from my growing up and I recognize my Grandpa as the storyteller.
I'm currently reading "Leaving Home," a collection of short stories from the first dozen or so years of his radio show. I'd like to share a few snipits with you.
Some quotes
"Life is complicated and not for the timid. It's an experience that whenit's done, it will take us a while to get over it."
"Barbara came up on Friday with her two-year-old and took all three of them [the two-year-old, a four-year-old, and a five-year-old] to her friend Ruthie's house to visit. Ruthie has three of her own. Her three and Barbara's three sniffed each other for a moment and then two cats made the mistake of coming around the corner of the house into the backyard. The cats realized it was a mistake and backed away saying, Uh, sorry, didn't know you were here. We'll come back later. But the kids grabbed them, hauled them indoors, got them dressed and into a doll buggy, two little cat children. The cats went limp, waiting for a chance to break out, which they did--two cats in full regalia, one up the tree, one on the garage roof, trying to remove their clothes, five children in pursuit, and the two-year-old investigating the back porch."
"Selective ignorance, a cornerstone of child rearing. You don't put kids under surveillance: it might frighten you. Parents shoudl sit tall in the saddle adn look upon their troops with a noble and benevolent and extremely nearsighted gaze."
(sense a theme?)
Garrison Keillor is funny. In that understated, monotone, perfectly serious kind of way. He's able to tell an absolutely ridiculous story with an absolute straight face. Or at least that's how I imagine his face to be, because I've actually only heard him on Prairie Home Companion on public radio. He grew up in Minnesota and has done many radio shows and books based on the abundance of stories there - either lived or told. In his stories, I recognize characters from my growing up and I recognize my Grandpa as the storyteller.
I'm currently reading "Leaving Home," a collection of short stories from the first dozen or so years of his radio show. I'd like to share a few snipits with you.
Some quotes
"Life is complicated and not for the timid. It's an experience that whenit's done, it will take us a while to get over it."
"Barbara came up on Friday with her two-year-old and took all three of them [the two-year-old, a four-year-old, and a five-year-old] to her friend Ruthie's house to visit. Ruthie has three of her own. Her three and Barbara's three sniffed each other for a moment and then two cats made the mistake of coming around the corner of the house into the backyard. The cats realized it was a mistake and backed away saying, Uh, sorry, didn't know you were here. We'll come back later. But the kids grabbed them, hauled them indoors, got them dressed and into a doll buggy, two little cat children. The cats went limp, waiting for a chance to break out, which they did--two cats in full regalia, one up the tree, one on the garage roof, trying to remove their clothes, five children in pursuit, and the two-year-old investigating the back porch."
"Selective ignorance, a cornerstone of child rearing. You don't put kids under surveillance: it might frighten you. Parents shoudl sit tall in the saddle adn look upon their troops with a noble and benevolent and extremely nearsighted gaze."
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