Garden City smelled like cattle. I had no knowledge of or respect for the Wild West that predated our settling there, but instead spent my days swimming in the world's largest concrete-free municipal swimming pool, frequenting the Lee Richardson Zoo, playing little league baseball and trading baseball cards with my friends. Many of those cards were stolen from me. I remember my first BMX bike, a blue GT Pro Performer, which was stolen. I also remember my first scooter, a sparkly gold number with foam tires, which was also stolen, though my brother and I found the culprits and got it back. That was my first fight. I had a pet rabbit named Cadbury and while I was playing in a third grade soccer game during recess, I was kicked in the stomach by a boy named Robert. The result was my first I.V. My first internal bleeding. And, ultimately, partial kidney failure. I later found out that he spent much of his early 20s in jail. Serves him right. We moved to Onaga, Kansas when I was ten years old. My father was a preacher and my mother was a teacher. My favorite baseball player was still Andy Van Slyke, even though he had been traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 1st, 1987. My favorite album was Purple Rain by the artist known at that time as Prince. My favorite stuffed animal was a bear named Max.