Alison's perspective on the Reed family, circa 1996

I was going through some boxes for my mom yesterday and I happened across this masterpiece written by myself. It's typewritten and I present it to you in its pure form, with all forgotten words, misspellings that make me wince and my 9 or 10-year-old tell-it-like-it-is attitude:

What Makes My Family Special

This is a boring project. Our sub is making us do this when you can do anything we want. I don't feel very good.

Bye. 

Well you half to do a page and a half. I might as well do this anyway. My dad is really special because he is my hero. My mom is special because we are very good freinds. We like each other alot. My little brother Neil is special because he sticks up for me to my other little brother (Shawn). We always play together even if when my mom does not want us to. Shawn is special because he is cute, he also can be really nice and he can really be mean too. He sometimes can bug me till I explode. Annie is special because she sticks to me like glue. Usally when I go to school my room is clean and neat. When I get home, my room is totally messy! Rachel is special because she usally only lets me, my mom, my dad and my cousin Ashley. My whole family is special because the they love me! I love them too!


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Believe me, there are LOADS of papers like this my parents saved. Oh boy. If you beg me, I just might share them, too.