Practically Perfect

How One Childhood Joke Got Out of Hand

Image by Rudy and Peter Skitterians from Pixabay

“If you don’t bring home straight-As, we’ll send you to Siberia.”

Go ahead — laugh. Most people do when my parents trot out the story. Outright guffaws that anyone — even an innocent youngster — might take such an empty threat seriously. Indulgent laughter at hearing the tale for the five hundredth time. Or nervous giggles in response to…