Memories of School Days, Work Days, Play Days

capturing the wild, messy days of growing up in Mobile, Alabama, in the late ’70s and early ’80s. At Lad and Lassie preschool, young Chad revels in the chaos of wooden playhouses, a pedal-powered merry-go-round, and Joy, a towering kindergartener who ruled the playground like a lighthouse among ants. His antics—popping caps under his nails, coloring blue leaves to irk Mrs. McDonald, or pocketing a Fonzie button only to toss it in guilt—brim with kid-sized rebellion. Square dancing in gingham, dodging hornets, and playing “Smear the Queer” at recess defined his early years, alongside betrayals by his snitchy friend Tracy. At Dodge Elementary, Chad struts as a Safety Patrol hero, busting bathroom spies and pondering cryptic tile patterns. Pop culture—Atari, MASH, VHS tapes—mingles with neighborhood wars, rickety longboards, and tales of a spooky barn. Chad’s voice, warm and cheeky, turns these scraps of childhood into a vivid, heartfelt romp.