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Lots of kids have imaginary playmates. But our neighborhood had more than most.
For instance, Petey told his friends that his teddy bear was talking to him from his backpack. Howie was convinced that Tony, Danny’s imaginary playmate from The Shining, was now living in his hair. And my neighbor Sally had a mysterious friend named Shoe, who she told everyone lived in the tree behind her house.
Honestly, I used to be jealous of those kids. I wanted an imaginary playmate of my own, but I was stuck with all my boring, suburban friends who hung out around the cul-de-sac where I lived.
I remember going to visit Sally’s house, which was right next door, when we were both just five years old. Sally took me into the backyard and then pointed into the tree.
“That’s Shoe up there, Barr
