Ira.

As a forest ranger, Tyson can be plucked up in the event there is a forest fire where the standing bunch of firefighters are not enough to tame the flames. For the four+ years Tyson has been a ranger I think he's wished for the day he would be called upon. His day did finally arrive and for two weeks he was in southern Oregon working 12 to 16-hour days and usually working during the night while the rest of us slept. One would think that sleeping on a gymnasium floor and never having the luxury of a shower for fourteen days straight would be enough to take the shine off of an experience he'd been looking forward to for years. Nope. Tyson thought it was great. All of it. He said he learned a lot and worked really hard. I know he's glad to be home, but I also know that he's glad he was able to experience being a firefighter even for just a short couple of weeks. Doesn't every little boy at some point wish he could be a firefighter when he grows up? Well for Tyson, he can give that little box a Check.


During the Tyson hiatus, I had tickets for us to see Ira Glass at Benaroya Hall. I slipped into a pair of heels and with a smear of lipstick I headed downtown by myself. After selling my extra ticket to a nice lady on the street, I settled into my seat and felt my stomach smile as the sound of Ira's voice left the stage and filled every corner of the hall. I've listened to This American Life on Saturday mornings while sipping coffee and munching on brunch prepared more often than not by Tyson. I've folded laundry and cleaned my condo to its archives streaming from my computer on random days when its not scheduled on the radio. I've been en route to a party and become gripped by a story that by the time I've parked and sat in my car so that I can absolutely hear how the story ends, I am eventually thirty-five minutes late to the party.


Ira Glass's voice is iconic. He makes me laugh. He makes me think of things in different ways and wonder about the lives of all kinds of people all across this place we call America. We all have stories to tell.

Here is the story that made me sit in my car. It is the second segment in the link, and unfortunately you have to listen for a few minutes to get to it. Click the link, then click on "Stream Episode":
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/289/go-ask-your-father

It will be well worth your time. I promise.