Hatchlings: fantasy and sci fi tales

Arcs and Lines: contemporary

Some people would have called Jody underprivileged. She came from a big family, and dad had only a meager income.

But home was warm and happy, and the large yard welcomed myriads of neighborhood children after school, on weekends, and all through summer vacation. Jody often joined the rambunctious throng in games and races.

But alas, poor Jody was klutzy and uncoordinated. She came in last in every race. Often she retreated to books where she could vicariously thrill in the life of a hero, witty and brave and nimble.

A confirmed bookworm, was Jody -- the seeds of geekiness already appearing...

* * *

When Jody tired of reading and the yard was uncharacteristically lacking in other children, she turned to an empty oil barrel for diversion. Some of the kids liked to turn it on its side and roll it around the yard. Jody saw a better use. Through much trial and error, she learned to walk on the barrel.

The 55-gallon drum was ringed by a reinforcing ridge a third of the way from each end. Jody learned that if she walked on the right third, the barrel's path would curve ever so slightly to the right. Walking on the left third made it veer to the left.

Engineer-in-the-making Jody spent hours balancing on the barrel, tracing paths through the backyard in great gentle arcs. Walking forward veering to the right then walking backward veering to the left, over and over, she could even turn the barrel 180 degrees.

She wasn't fast and she wasn't strong, she couldn't catch a ball and she most definitely threw like a girl -- but Jody had balance and an eye for geometry.

* * *

The next summer Jody's family took a long road trip to visit grandparents. Halfway along the route, they made a rest stop in a small rural town on the very day of the local Old West Pioneer festival. There were games and races for children in the town park.

When Jody saw the sign for a barrel race, she perked up and begged her parents to stay long enough for the event. She entered the race along with half a dozen local youngsters.

The race organizer called out, "Ready, set, go!"

Jody took a running start, leaped up onto the barrel -- the same size as the one at home -- and set it rolling forward by nimbly walking backwards on the curved surface. In moments she reached the finish line. She hopped down and turned around.

All the other contestants were still at the start line, jumping up on their barrels and promptly falling off again.

For the first and only time in her life, clumsy nerd Jody won a race. And all it took was one simple, straight-line path.

Based on a true story; some details embroidered.