“Mommy.”

“Yes, Ann?”

“Where do babies come from—and don’t say storks; that’s impossible.”

“Well…they come from woman like Mommy.”

“How.”

“Uhm, your Daddy and I…express our love in a way that produces children.”

“Then why am I the only one?”

“Huh?”

“If you and Daddy love each other sooo much, then why am I the only one?”

“Because we don’t need anymore kids right now…and we can’t have any.”...

“Yeah, I’m trying, move out of the way so I can blow his head off with my sniper rifle. Ohhh, take that you Russian terrorist piece of sh”

“HENRY!”

Startled by his mother’s presence, Henry pulls off his headset to apologize for cussing. “Sorry mom, these Russian commies keep coming and coming. Just trying to keep America safe.”

“That’s nice dear. Listen, there’s something I want to talk to y...

“Mama, I heard somefink in your room last night”

“Um, what did you hear honey?”

“Banging”

“Oh”

“Yes. Lots of it.”

“Really?”

“You must have been having lots of fun”

“Was I now?”

“Yes, I also heard that sound a while before sissy came”

“D-Did you now?”

“Yep, so I was wondering how babies are made?”

“Ask your father”

*five minutes later*

“Mary, did you hear what our son was talking about...

“Tatiana told me how babies are made.” My 10 year old daughter Emily proclaims one day as I am preparing dinner. My stomach lurches, but I try to remain casual.

“Oh yeah?” I ask, “what did she say?”

Emily scrunches up here nose in distaste, and the gesture reminds of her as a small toddler, refusing to eat the green beans on her plate. Her face relaxes again and the moment is gone. I marvel at ho...

“What’s dat?”

“It says here it is a century plant. It blooms once every one hundred years or so. Then it dies. That’s that’s sad.”

“Why?”

“Well…plants make flowers to attract bees so they can make baby plants. Look how tall the flower is. They had to open the ceiling in the atrium so it can grow. It’s so pretty too?”

“I guess. But why?”

“Here let me wipe your nose. Now why what? Why do things die?...

“We’re talking about WHAT!?” My mother smiled happily. “I think you’re old enough now, and I don’t have to do it alone. I bought a book!” She held it up. “It’s Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, and Sexual Health.” Mom sat down in the rocking chair. I exhaled deeply. “Oh dear.” I sat down on the stool next to Mom. She started, “We already talked about where babies DON’T come from,...

Eleven years before the arrest of Jason Strange.

A nine-year old Jason played with his red and orange puppets happily. Jason loved to play with his puppets, because in a way, they let out another side to him. This was a highly energetic side, a side that is enthusiastic, funny, and happy! He wouldn’t trade it for anything.

The door to his room slowly opened. Jason looked up. It was his mother,...

Some of us may be bright

without a care in the world

pretending it will never be night

I prefer to trudge through the vast land

never letting myself be comfortable

maybe its my fault that i have never let anybody be everything i planned

i simply don’t want anyone to capture my heart

i don’t want that pain living with me

never letting me have a new start

this is simply how i live close to free...

How hard would it be to capture

Someone’s whole heart

And to have it without disaster

To know them so completely

The vastness of their thoughts

And to never have to act discretely

And to never have to hide the brightness

Behind your deepest smiles and laughs

To get past the first step of politeness...

I wrote a little note on my phone to remind myself that I needed to have this conversation with my mom. All the kids at school were doing it and I almost did it. It freaked me out, I was scared, shaking, and shivering. Something about seeing a private part made me fearful and I needed to know why.

“Hey, mom can I ask you something,” I said looking at the window playing with my fingers, and turni...