Reminiscing

Man, I remember when I introduced Dawn and Julian to Alfredo Nambo at Big Picture. They were having an open house for 8th-graders and I really wanted them to go there. I knew Julian wouldn't last a hot minute at Richards, and I didn't think Dawn would make it much longer than her brother.

So I pulled out my naggy inner Oak Park mom and made them go up and introduce themselves to Alfredo. Not knowing how many people would be in the lottery, I wanted to make sure he knew who they were.

He said, "They seem like nice kids."

And I said, "They are nice kids."

They still are nice kids. But they're both nice kids in a heap of trouble, each in their own ways. Dawn is hanging by a thread at Big Picture for all the school she has missed with her escapades. Julian hasn't been back since he got out of jail. He didn't go to Indianapolis like we hoped. I hear he's hustling and using cocaine.

I just wish I knew how we got from there to here and how to change the trajectory.