All Names and Details Changed, Of Course

Recently I was leading a kindergarten small boys' group therapy session, and a child, Shawn, was talking about some family issues regarding his grandmother. I interrupted Shawn to ask what his grandmother's name was so that we could follow the story better. He said "Irene." He continued his story, and I interjected a question using his grandmother's name (Irene). He turned to the other boys and looked them over, narrowing his eyes, and said with his adorable six year old lisp, "Which one of you PUNKS told the agency [meaning me, the social worker] my grandmother's name?" Another boy in the group, Michael, giggled and said, "Shawn, YOU just told her your grandma's name." Shawn got a big bashful smile on his face, and said, "Oh, yeah..." I said, "Good listening, Michael!"

Book Review: "Goat" by Brad Land

This is an excellent memoir about fraternity hazing. Only it's about more than that. It's about Brad's experience in high school being assaulted after he gives two young men a ride home from a party in his car. He's beat up and left for dead, with his car stolen. He recovers but is traumatized and has a variety of physical problems afterwards due to the beating. This is an excellent description of the "before" and "after" self that becomes evident with a trauma.

Brad has a hyper religious mother, an uninvolved father, and a brother who he worships. He lives in a small, suburban town. He goes to Clemson to join his brother for college and decides to join his brother's fraternity. This second two-thirds of the book is not as appealing to me. It's about the hazing he goes thru, and it's too sickening to read (though I read it). However, Brad is a great writer, with a unique style, and also a likable person. He's very "Holden Caulfield," evoking loneliness and a sad humor.

I'm glad I read this book, and I liked it a lot. Brad's writing talent is inspiring. I'd love to know the reactions from Clemson about this popular true story. One person dies during the course of the hazing.