Under the Spell

I was raised a spelling geek, consumed from a very young age with word derivations, spelling-bee protocol and other tricks of the trade. It came in handy in the eighth grade, when I won a ten-inch black-and-white television for taking second place in the Colorado-Wyoming bee; it was handed to me by the Rocky's Dusty Saunders himself after a seven-hour overtime spelldown. What were they thinking, anyway, giving a TV to an eighth-grader? Not that I minded. In those days, it was quite a coup, but that's another story.

Whatever the case, I'm still a closet spelling fiend, not completely ruined by watching too much television as a kid, and will be cheering at today's Tattered Cover Spelling Bee in Skyline Park, 16th and Arapahoe streets. A benefit for the Learning Source, featuring celebrity judges and competition between corporate teams, it's a little lunch-hour brain food for anyone afflicted as I am. Behold the spellers in the park from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.; spectators watch for free. For details, visit www.coloradoliteracy.org or call 303-922-4683.
Fri., May 16, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., 2008