This is a true story. In my neighborhood there was a boy, Richard, who was odd. His speech was funny, and he had a cringing manner. One day on the playground, somebody told me "Richard eats baby food." Richard was probably 11 or 12 at the time.

After a while (after way too long a time) we learned that Richard was almost deaf. It was a shame that the cheap little school he went to hadn't spotted it years earlier.

If I had children or grandchildren, I would tell them this story to show them that some people say cruel and brainless things about those who are different or handicapped. I would say, "Ask yourself if that story makes any sense at all."