I try to take a run most every morning. It's good exercise and its time-efficient, two qualities that are especially appealing. I needed to make a bank deposit so I ran a bit further than usual to the local bank's ATM.

On the way to the cash machine, I passed by a giant dryer box that someone had discarded on a street corner. After thinking that whomever tossed it was total littering shmuck, I was reminded of the fun that my brother and I used to have with giant boxes like that. Like most kids of 30 years ago, we'd create pretend forts, caves and castles. We'd even sit inside giant boxes and try to ride them down steep hills -- not such a hot idea if the ground was wet. Great adventures for little or no money.

I think a lot of imagination play is missing from kids' lives these days. I feel great pride when my daughter and I can spend an hour or two creating adventures with her Barbies, Lincoln Logs (remember those?) and Polly Pocket dolls. Quite often, she'd prefer to make up an adventure over watching a DVD or playing a video game. As I ran home from the bank, I wondered how many of the kids today are missing out on the simple pleasures of using their imaginations.

As I got closer to the corner where I had seen the box, I could see that it was now gone. I looked further up the street to see two young boys awkwardly dragging it home. As I ran along, I could see one of the boys helping to put the box over the other boy and then helping him navigate as he walked along, looking like a little cardboard robot. That went on for awhile and then the second boy climbed underneath the box to join his friend. They both maneuvered their way along like an awkward four-legged cardboard creature.

As I veered off to head home, I wondered what kind of cool adventures they'd have with the box. It was nice to know that imagination is alive and well, walking home inside a cardboard box.
TREVOR KIMBALL IMAGINATION CHILDHOOD BOX EXERCISE ACTOR