Dad and Laura's homework

All my school years I did not do well in one particular subject. Probably all of them, but I will focus mainly on "ack" math, or in the olden days, arithmetic.

It seemed like when we got to the times tables, I just could not get it. I did fine on the ones and the fives, but all the rest, forget it. Also, any kind of word problem or number problem or division, or subtraction or multiplication or fractions or well, that about covers it. Arithmetic and Laura just did not match.

The teachers always said, "You will need to learn this because you will have to use it everyday in your life." Boy, were they wrong. But anyway, I struggled with that hated subject for 12 years. I would listen and try to catch on in class, but sat there hoping the teacher would not call on me to come to the board and work out the problem she had on the board. I would sit as still as I could behind the kid in front of me, hoping I was hidden behind him.

Almost every night I would take home the problems because I knew my Dad would be able to explain it to me so I could understand. I am sure he got tired of doing math every night, but he was so patient and long-suffering. I remember one night we were all playing Monopoly and I had to count money and I did it! I remember Dad saying, "Well, you got it, we should have started playing Monopoly a long time ago." I was really happy because Dad was happy!