How New Friends Can Help Us Keep Our Writing Fresh

My daughter's best friend is Natalie. Natalie's parents moved here from South America nine years ago.

I always enjoy going to their house. I think it's because I'm so aware how different we are. We have lots of similarities, too, but I feel like such a gringo when I visit there.

The Spanish I know came from Sesame Street in the early 1970s. They speak excellent English.

I'm always in a tearing hurry when I arrive there—I'm either there for two minutes because I'm on my way to...