Jonah Gookin

Age 6, First Grade, Sensitive boy.

Jonah wants a dog for Christmas more than anything else in the whole wide world. He will explain to you how important dogs are. He knows which types of dogs are best. He has books on dogs. Magazines on dogs. And pictures of dogs. And he knows that "dog" spelled backwards is "god." Dan tried to get Jonah a dog last June. Neil was the dog's name, a sort of weird Dalmatian mix. But though Neil was a nice dog (rescued from the pound), he really didn't like very short people, Jonah and Jeremiah included. So Neil had to return to the pound. Since then, Jonah has been pining and pining relentlessly for a dog. "Daddy, why do you hate dogs," he asks. "Jonah, I told you that we can't talk about dogs until you're 8-years-old." "But aren't we talking about dogs now?"

"I threw up on the bus today. On the way home from school. But then I remembered that it's against the rules to throw up on the bus. So I swallowed it."

Jonah's favorite house slippers: Max and Thomas.
What sort of a kid names his slippers, huh? Is that sensitive or what?

Getting an autograph from that bear guy in Disneyworld, 9/00
You know, if it's in one of those costumes, you have to get an autograph and a picture.
Signature: "Sweaty Guy in the Bear-with-a-dumb-red-hat suit."

Jonah desperately wants to learn how to play the piano.
He's actually playing the song that's written there. Sandy taught it to him in about an
hour.

Making the first snowman of the season, November '00.

The Interview Daddy. Okay. Hello Jonah. Jonah. Hello. (Plays with R2D2; makes various R2D2 noises.) Daddy. Is there anything you want for Christmas? Jonah. What? I want an R2 like this one. And. Um. A rocketship. Daddy. What kind of rocket ship? Jonah. Any kind. Like one on a truck. Daddy. Is there one on a truck... Jonah. Yeah, there is. At Toys-R-Us. There is. They do. Daddy. Is there anything you want to tell people about what you've done this past year? Jonah. No. Daddy. Like where you've been. Or school. Or your friends. Or what you like to play with? Jonah. Mmm. What I really like to play with is a dog. Daddy. A dog. Jonah. Yeah. What does that say? Daddy. Yeah. Jonah. That says "yeah"? Daddy. Yeah. Try not to touch the screen. Jonah. When can I have a toy like this (R2D2)? Daddy. Umm. We'll just have to ask Santa. Jonah. Santa? But you're going to get me one. Daddy. How's that? Jonah. Well, wherever you bought this one. Where did you bought this one? Did this come with anything? Does this have sides to this? How do these come out? Daddy. Here. (So much for that interview.)