My Favorite Jim Lehrer Story

My Favorite Jim Lehrer Story

My favorite story that Lehrer told in I Bought a Bus is his pinball story at the beginning of the book.  When he was twelve years old, his dad gave him a nickel to play the pinball machine at the arcade while his dad got a coffee.  Lehrer was playing really well and kept getting new balls.  Eventually, he heard “Mother Nature’s call” and had to go to the bathroom.  However, he really didn’t want to stop and go to the bathroom because if he left, he would lose the game.  Soon he had to go so badly that he decided to relieve himself just a little bit.  Unfortunately, what was meant to be just a little trickle became Niagara Falls.  His dad got mad at him and told him to go clean himself up.  Lehrer felt really embarrassed.  I found this story so interesting because you wouldn’t think a famous reporter would actually do that as a child, so it is really funny to hear about such an embarrassing moment about him.