we sit at his feet and listen about stories about sara and pat and nollen. that is my brother, my sister, and me. we thought we were just as clever and smart and just as brave as the children in his story. he told stories vaguely familiar, but different some how because he told them his way. you see, i had no idea my grandfather was a functional illiterate and encouraged all 3 of us, his grandchildren to read. the way he encouraged me, he'd say y'all read to me what they taught you up at the schoolhouse today. i would whip out my dick and jane. see jane run. run, he endured that. he allowed me to read to him. i had no idea in other families the adults read to children. in my house, children read to the adults. imagine the confidence they gave me in my readings. i loved to read out loud. enjoyed it immensely. so i would read dick and jane all the way up to julius caesar. when i came to a word difficult, he would say work with it little sister. he wouldn't jump in and tell me. he would let me work it out so i did. i learned to jump into words. that built my co