Kerry Says

When I was in my third year of high school (and certain I new decidedly more than everyone else) I created a series of short stories featuring a character named Bo-Red.

For the record I did not create the character itself. A friend of mine (who also new more than everyone else) created him during a particularly uninspiring English class because she was beyond bored, she was Bo-Red (clever huh?).

He was a stick man with one arm and a huge head who could only be conjured with a red BIC pen by slightly caustic 16-year-olds who felt their time was wasted listening to the words of their elders.

He was conjured a lot.

But it was I who gave him a back story, made him a super hero, created him a woman to love and a nemesis.

In one particularly memorable story, Bo-Red saved Harry Connick Jr. from a lifetime of Vegas sideshow acts after he was tricked into signing a contract by the evil Black Jack (clever huh? Vegas… Black Jack…. Get it? It’s CLEVER).

This one stands out to me because it’s the one I actually submitted for grading in an arrogant and childish fit of “you’re so out of touch old man you won’t even get I’m being (what I think is) Ironic” pique. Earned me an A.

(Channeling arrogance and childishness is a key step in the creative process. Discuss.)

Anyhoo, I mercifully grew up a bit, realized how little I actually knew and school began to interest me again. Bo-Red was relegated to the back passageways of my memory.

But several frustrating days of server shutdowns, invalid pathways and multiple corrupted file copies have left me unable to do anything remotely productive at work. I’m feeling irritated, unfairly put upon, and about five years old.

And ol’ Bo is glowing in my mind’s eye.

Will he make his grand return today? Will the next chapter of his life unfold?

Find me a red BIC pen and we’ll find out.