How I became a storyteller

My love for stories began early on in life. My mother says she lost me in the supermarket when I was three years old. Frantically she looked for me to no avail. No one seemed to have seen a chubby girl with two high ponytails. Even the security guard assured her that no little girl had walked out the doors, not on his watch!

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This was a parent's worst nightmare. After a while, my mother spied two plumb little legs stretching out from a clothing rack full of dresses. Those were her daughter's legs! With mixed emotions and relief, my mom walked towards the dresses that served as curtains.

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As she approached, she heard a little voice. Who is my daughter talking to? My mom wondered, as she uncovered what was behind. To her surprise, there I was, reading a children's book aloud. I was enthralled by it…perhaps because it was upside down!

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Since then, my favorite gifts were books, and my mom knew how to surprise me with them. Between you and me, she thought it was the best way to keep me from sneaking around!