My kids don't know Jack

which is why they keep turning the poster of Mr. Kerouac (which sits on the floor) towards the wall.

"He's scary," my daughter said. "His eyes follow you around the room."

There's a quotation at the bottom: "The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace things, but burn like fabulous roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars . . ."

"He's the one who's mad," my other daughter said. "His eyes are all dark and his hair isn't even combed."

I laughed as I set the framed poster back the way I originally had it, though I'll pass through the room at another time and find Jack again facing the wall.

I'll give them some time. Maybe one day, they'll understand that it's cool to be all "jacked" up.