Kati is an amazing woman. Twenty years ago she was in the Peace Corps, traveling all over Africa making friends and teaching kids.
Surprise Story

author of literary fiction with a southern drawl
Kati is an amazing woman. Twenty years ago she was in the Peace Corps, traveling all over Africa making friends and teaching kids.
I'm meeting with a doctor to schedule my hysterectomy. I'm nervous, but okay. The doctor is very kind and patient and I'm grateful. All of a sudden she looks up from the computer and asks, "Do you work for cardiology?"
I met a ten year old boy who has cologne but he says he keeps it in his drawer now. I took the bait. "Why do you keep it in your drawer?" Him "Well I was dating the prettiest girl in third grade until she gave me a list of books she wanted me to [...]
At the end of the study I looked at her mom and said, "Your daughter is going to be covered in ink from under her chin to the tops of her feet by the time she's twenty."
"Kid, you're wearing me out. I'm old." "You're not old!" Disgusted look on his face. I showed him my wide streaks of gray hair to prove it.
She'd taught everything they needed to know. She'd taught them compassion and trust.
He was stressed because of some new things going on that I wasn't aware of. For some reason I told him about Curly having seizures. I have no idea why that popped up but, it did.
Thanks to sixteen years in pediatrics and all of the great kids I met- I have hope that they are more aware, more considerate, and way smarter than we give them credit for.
The next night the gift came in the form of a fireball shooting nun celebrating her retirement from St. Bernard's at Lipstick Lounge.
I met a boy. Another underage kid with some detailed, well done tattoos. He was sixteen, but big for his age. With his height and his tattoos he could easily pass for eighteen - or twenty, but when he smiled at me he looked like a little boy. A kid. He was nervous so I [...]