26 Comments
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Moorea Maguire's avatar

I felt the same way about fires when I was that age, LOL.

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Lani V. Cox's avatar

Public school has instilled in us fire safety forever! 😅🙏🚒

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Claudia Kollschen's avatar

Oh, Lani, this was a great new chapter! So funny, such a great read! I love your writing style! The mixture of humour, depth, sadness, mischief and adventure is remarkable. It was also a walk down memory lane for me. So much reminded me of my own childhood days. 😄

I'm so glad you've gifted us with a new chapter of Misfortune Cookie! Love it! Keep writing! 🤩

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Lani V. Cox's avatar

Thanks, Claudia! 🙏🥰 I’m grateful for your time and am glad you enjoyed it. I used to wish I had put all these chapters out sooner, but now that the world feels so far away from the analogue world, this moments feel even more startling and remarkable. Hugs! 💖

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Shondra Bowie's avatar

“objects found themselves a new home in the comfort of his pockets.” - I love this

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Lani V. Cox's avatar

YAYYYY. Thanks for reading, sharing, and noticing 😉💖🙏

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Sodak's avatar

I bet your students love you, Lani! You’re entertaining 😁

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Lani V. Cox's avatar

Thanks 😁💖🙏 We have good laughs from time to time.

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Yi Xue's avatar

Brilliantly written, Lani! So much was packed in it: childhood adventure (or mischief), just as adventurous pets, sibling shenanigans, and above all, the “Lani humor” lol

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Lani V. Cox's avatar

🙏😁Awww, thanks for that Yi. "Lani humor" is such a high compliment! 💖 as I so enjoy making folks laugh. You're the best, xo

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Sue Sutherland-Wood's avatar

To laugh or to cry - or both! This piece has it all. My favourite line (of many) is:

Children were seen, but not heard, and parents were heard, but not seen.

Profound stuff, this.

I've been hoping for another instalment of Misfortune Cookie - glad it's back in rotation! xo

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Lani V. Cox's avatar

Thanks, Sue. I'm always keen to hear what you have gleaned and picked up (no pressure! 😅) and so grateful to have you here. Hugs!

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Holly Starley's avatar

oh the landscape of children. What adventures!

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Lani V. Cox's avatar

A golden age that I took for granted ~

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Simone Senisin's avatar

I love this Lani, laughed from beginning to end ... the old tin can and string trick, among others. It isn't lost on me the shared responsibility, including your mother in a silent sort of way 😊 🤣

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Lani V. Cox's avatar

Wonderful, Simone. 😁I'm so glad you found it funny. I love making people laugh. Yes, grateful to have been part of a generation that enjoyed such a carefree childhood! 🙌

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Simone Senisin's avatar

Yes, I related to the carefree childhood very much so — and popping ants with a magnifying glass 🤣🤦🏼‍♀️

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Veronika Bond's avatar

"parents were heard, but not seen."

That sums it up so well. Hilarious! But also sad. You've obviously always had a brilliant way of coping with challenging situations, or let's say, you had the opportunity to hone this skill from an early age.

I love how, after a long series of blaming that little brother, you own up to the big 'I was the one who ended up almost burning the house down'. Phew, so glad nothing terrible happened!!

A crackling Misfortune Cookie. 🔥 🙏 💕

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Lani V. Cox's avatar

Thanks, Veronika! 💖😉It's fun to look back, especially with technology moving us faster than ever away from the analogue world. I feel blessed to have enjoyed an out-of-doors childhood, xo

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Veronika Bond's avatar

Oh yes, same here! And I feel doubly blessed to have been able to provide the same for my kids, to some extent at least. All so much harder for parents now (I mean parents who have the ability to get involved with their children's childhood.

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Lani V. Cox's avatar

Yes, it's a struggle, more so than ever, for today's parents. One of the nice things to witness here in Cambodia is children walking and riding bikes to school. In the US, I'm willing to bet this kind of trust and freedom has declined significantly.

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Sarah Best's avatar

I love the almost deadpan way that you write: "Contrary to what some folks think, not all Asians eat pets". Fantastic post, Lani. I thoroughly enjoy reading Misfortune Cookie when it drops.

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Lani V. Cox's avatar

Thanks, Sarah 🙏🙏🙏 I'm glad the humor and spirit came through. xo

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Jeffrey Streeter's avatar

"Lightly supervised" – that made me smile! Sounds like a childhood full of adventure. By the way, is that a toy fire engine (truck) in the photo? if so, how appropriate...

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Sarah Best's avatar

Haha that sounds much like periods of my childhood too!

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Lani V. Cox's avatar

Yes, it is! 😅 I noticed it, but didn’t make the connection you did. 😉😁Thanks, Jeffrey!

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