`I Can't Write'

"IT'S due on Friday and I don't know what to do. I can't write!" Kurt was walking home with his friend Lavina.

"What's such a big deal about writing two pages?" she asked.

"Easy for you to say. You're good at writing. English is my worst subject but if I get a bad grade I'll be in big trouble."

They reached Lavina's house first. "Come on in and have a snack," she said. "My mom made a cake last night."

Lavina flopped her books on the kitchen table and got them each a piece of cake and a glass of milk. "The first thing you do is decide what you want to write about," she said. "I'm writing about my dog. What about those things you are always making?"

"Telescopes? Oh, sure, how exciting would it be to write about them?"

"You'd be surprised. And it's something you know about!"

"I definitely know all about telescopes. Writing about them is what I can't do."

"Tell me how it's done. I don't know."

"The most important thing is the optics. You have to decide whether you're making a refractor or a reflector."

"Huh? What do those words mean, Mr. Scientist?" Lavina opened her notebook and started taking notes.

"A refracting telescope uses a lens," Kurt said. "A reflector uses a mirror. After you have decided what kind, then you find a place to buy the lens or mirror. Go to a government surplus store, or you may have to order one from a catalog or the Internet."

Lavina kept asking questions and making notes on what Kurt said. She watched his expression. He was lost in talking about what he loved. Soon he was explaining about the focusing length of the lens and the angle of reflection and the angle of incidence. He took out a pencil and piece of paper from his pocket and drew a diagram.

"You need a tube. It can just be cardboard and you have to have a tripod to mount it on."

"Did you make your own tripod?"

"Sure did and I saved a lot of money. I made a really strong one out of exhaust tubing."

"How weird."

"Or you can use a heavy camera tripod" Kurt glanced at Lavina's notes but went on. "Then you mount your tube on it and paint it all white."

"Why white?"

"It's easy to see at night when you are looking at the stars and planets." Kurt looked at Lavina like he was seeing her for the first time. "What are you doing?"

"I don't know all this so I am taking notes on what you say."

"You don't have to do that, I can help you make a telescope if you want. It's fun."

"Here are the notes for your paper." Lavina shoved her notebook at Kurt. "You can put that drawing in it too."

"My paper? I was having a nice time and then you had to mention that." Kurt started reading Lavina's notes. He looked up with amazement. "You think this could be my report?"

"Sure, just finish some sentences and fill in the details I didn't catch. See, you \o7can\f7 write if you focus on what you are interested in."

A big smile spread over Kurt's face.

"I said all that? I guess I can write -- at least about what I like. Lavina, I am definitely going to make a telescope for you. You are some friend!"

This story will be on The Times' website at latimes.com/kids.