C-O-K-E

I'm a self-confessed word nerd. The way letters join to make words that are then connected into sentences that convey thought is a source of fascination for me. I don't really remember learning to read but I vividly remember the day that the veil was lifted.

I was maybe 3 or 4 years old. I have a brother and sister respectively 10 and 9 years older than I am. It was the early 1950s, when Coke was a beverage, not an accessory. The 6.5 ounce bottles cost 5 or 10 cents apiece. A Coke was a treat, like a candy bar or cookies so my brother and sister were required to check with Mom before helping themselves. Back in the dinosaur days, when moms monitored what their children drank and ate, this was a common practice. Being a little kid I didn't drink much Coke. It was loaded with sugar and caffeine and not recommended for children. To keep me from setting up a howl my brother and sister spelled out their request. "Mom? Can we have a C-O-K-E?" If the answer was yes they went to the refrigerator and took out one of the heavy green bottles. Unaware, they were practicing the successful Sesame Street philosophy of teaching: repetition + association = comprehension.

With that word I was launched. My brother, a born teacher, understood the significance of the event and ran with it. There was no holding us back. Every object had a set of corresponding letters and I performed like a trained seal. I give him credit for encouraging me to learn, learn, learn. When I started school I was ahead in the word department. Buddy, my brother, had already taught me the alphabet and how certain combinations of letters made different sounds. I was ready to read and impatiently sailed through the Dick, Jane, Sally, and Spot series.

Fortunately, my family puts a high value on literacy. We were expected to read, for instruction and for pleasure. My parents modeled the behavior by reading to relax before going to sleep at night. Like good children we copied the behavior. I remember begging for 5 more minutes with the light on to finish a page or a chapter. It's such a habit that I feel funny if I go to sleep without reading at least a couple of pages. I don't go anywhere without a book. Words are my connection with the universe.