One of my early childhood memories is the pre-dawn roar of lions in Chile’s Santiago Zoo. It marked me for a life of adventure. My first fear had been of the moon. It terrified me when it rose out of the darkness. My second fear was growing up and having to get a job. At least this last fear showed hints of intelligent life inside my head.
I grew up speaking Russian and Spanish. I listened to everything and stored it for future use. My parents called me the Sponge. When they didn’t want me to know what they were saying, they spoke in French. It took them some time to conclude I had learned more...
