My 10 year old grandson Bob has recently started sending emails, and it’s disconcerting, because he writes EXACTLY like his soon to be 36 year old father.
In fact, it’s difficult to tell them apart.
Both of them write extremely terse messages: usually one sentence, with fewer than 10 words in total.
Bob’s handwriting is abominable (part of the odd wiring in his head), but his typed sentences are very adult: his spelling and grammar are usually flawless, and his syntax is excellent.
No doubt this is the result of his being a voracious reader, a good habit his parents have encouraged through the years.
Bob doesn’t aspire to be a writer professionally, at least he hasn’t said so yet, but if he does, it’s valuable for him to pile up as many new experiences as possible.
For example, this week, he started a new school. He was nervous but had a very positive attitude about it, and I’ve been meaning to tell him that this is good stuff, fodder for future creative endeavors, as it were.
It’s a Studs Terkel thing, reminds me of when Peter took a job as a food vendor in Downtown Crossing. He gathered enough material about the comings and goings in that part of the city to write a small novel, although he never had time to do it.
Back to work.