Kevin Thompson-Lawrence, Kansas

This farm has been in the Thompson family ever since John Thompson moved out West in 1852. And this farm is going to my boy.

Charley was always an unusual boy. He spoke his first word at age 2 I believe. Yeah, 2. We were afraid he was suffering from that autism business that we read in one of those parenting magazines at the pediatrician's office. He would just sit there and avoid all the other children. Hang out with the adults, that's what he used to do.

At age 10 instead of playing on the playground, he would be talking to his teachers about things a 10 year old doesn't talk about. Child labor for one thing. The boy would just go on for hours discussing Africa and child labor. Even wrote a letter to the president about it. The Lawrence Gazette published the letter. It's right here. My boy is a genius.

I remember when he first discovered his mutation. We were out in the field, trying to get that damned tractor to work. I should get a new one. Maybe this year. Anyway, that damned wheel collapsed on my leg. Damn, it hurt so bad. My leg was totally smashed. You could even see the bones sticking out of it. Well, getting it off was easy, just had to roll it off- we were trying to get the wheel back on, just in case you wanted to know. Charley was panicked. He was crying.

"Daddy, daddy!! Oh my god!! Your leg is…" He touched it cautiously. Then the darndest thing happened. His eyes closed and there was this light. I swear a light came from his hand. I felt something in my leg tingle, like they were knitting back together. It was like Doris, my wife-she's in the kitchen whipping up some of her fine split pea soup if you want to stay and have some you know-was knitting them back up.

"Daddy, I think I fixed your leg. How did I do that?" He smiled and threw his arms around me. I couldn't believe it. I walked to the house and told Doris what happened. She nearly passed out.

The next day, some nice woman, a tall black woman, and a young girl with her hair in a ponytail, approached us. They said that he could heal things. They knew about my leg. Charley looked scared.

"Mutation? You're making me sound like swamp thing or something."

"No, it's not like that. You have a gift, Charley. And the Professor could help you with it."

"I don't wanna leave my daddy. Who would heal him if he gets hurt again? If I'm not there, then he could…"

"Son, if you have this gift, I say do the best you can to make sure that you use it right. It's like that shotgun I got you for your 12th birthday. If you don't use it right, you can hurt a person. So, maybe if you don't use this talent right, you can hurt someone." I looked at my boy, and he looked at me.

"Charley, I think your daddy's right. We'll be fine. I have Dr. Crawford on speed dial. And you know he always carries around that cell phone Uncle Darren bought him. Everything will be fine." Doris stood up and gave him a hug.

"I'll miss you guys so much. And…your pie!!" He blurted this out. We all laughed.

"I'm sure I can mail you some of my pie. And when we visit you, or you visit us, I'll make so much pie!!"

So, my boy is at the Xavier School for Gifted Youths. I think that's right. Doris? Yeah, thought so. And do you have some of your pie too? You've got to try it. Won the county pie cook off.

So, that's really all. My boy can heal. He wants to be a doctor now. A doctor. But he said that he will come back to Kansas and run the farm too. I'm happy that he will. Maybe he'll open a practice out here in Lawrence. I'd love that. That boy just fills me with pride. Oh, yeah, sorry Doris. Us with pride. By the way, is that soup ready? Good, wait until you try it.

Yeah, the house is quiet. But, we know that him being away will benefit him. And parents are supposed to do everything to benefit their children. Who knows, maybe Charley will do something to benefit other's children. Yup, that's what he'll do. My boy Charley.