On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

When King is in second grade, the family moves to Stratford, Connecticut, and he falls “stone in love with” a teenage girl next door (29). The family’s apartment is near “the jungle,” a forested area with a junk yard on one side and train tracks running through (30). He spends time with Dave there.

One day, King needs to use the bathroom while in the jungle. Dave encourages him to do his business in the woods, rather than walking home. King does so, “carefully wiping my ass with a big handful of shiny green leaves” that turn out to be poison ivy (31). King is completely covered in the rash and has to take lukewarm starch baths for the next six weeks.

Dave and King implement the former’s “potentially lethal school science project” (31). Dave wants to create a “Super Duper Electromagnet” (32) that will pick up huge pieces of metal like cars or train compartments. Dave creates one using a metal spike, magnet, copper, and the power from a wall socket.

Dave rigs up a lamp with the device and asks King to plug it in. When he does so, all the power in their apartment building and the building next door goes out.