Slake's limbo

There are a number of books I read growing up that have had a profound impact on my life. For some people, they cite some literature they read when they were in high school, maybe some classic novel, or a series of books by a single author; My adventures and imagination stems from the "Just for Boys" series of books in the Weekly Reader Books series published by Charles Schriber's Sons. My grandparents got me some subscription as a Christmas gift at least one year, and I still have a lot of those books.

One book that I identified with heavily was "Slake's Limbo," a story of a teenager who was basically a target of bullying and who escaped into the subway labyrinth of his modern-day city. It was a fantasy I played with as a kid, running away from my troubles and being able to survive on my own. There were a number of parallels in the book that mirrored my life, so I figured maybe I could do it... if I lived in a place with a subway. Little did I know that L.A. actually did have subways! ;-)

Basically, the idea of independence resonated with me from that book, and so I still carry it to this day.

Recent NYC events prompted me to get it out again. Sometimes real life imitates art - not precisely, mind you, but the events of this story about Francisco Hernandez Jr. with Asperger's sure make me think of the book. Social anxiety, surviving in the subway, scavenging, etc.

I'll be loaning the book to Kel shortly, in exchange for her snowboarding book. Oh boy! Colorado's a month away!