Harold and the Purple Crayon

When I was a kid there was one book that I carried around with me and felt a real spiritual connection with - Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson first published in 1955. Its the story of Harold a brave resourceful little guy in his jammies who recreates his world and fantasies with is omnicient purple crayon. One of the websites summed it up this way and I am in total agreement...

This is what best represents my concept of creativity, innovation, and the continual fascination with finding new things out about a very odd world and the people who live in it.

Like Harold I never really could seem to sleep where I was left when I was little. In fact my mother would often find my crib empty and me curled up on the floormat in the bathroom. As I got older I would build a nightly tent out of my blankets. With my flashlight and litte transistor radio I would entertain myself until I eventually fell asleep. As an adult I still need to read something and listen to talk radio before I can fall asleep. And how can you NOT love a little bald guy in jammies who likes NINE different kind of pies...one of which you KNOW is HUCKLEBERRY.