Audio: "Cruel Summer"

Summer is almost here, making this the perfect time to share a brand new recording of “Cruel Summer.”Having trudged through the college application process twice with my own kids—and having helped a few others since—I can’t overstate the pressure put on high school seniors to craft a tear-jerking application essay.This story pokes fun at the whole inane system and the lengths parents will go to in order to guarantee their child admission into a top-tier college.So yes, this is satire. And yet… when I posted a reel for the story on Instagram, I received HUNDREDS of comments and messages from real-life teens BEGGING for me to bring them on my next 10-mile, water-free march across the salt flats of Death Valley.Enjoy.-----For access to all my stories, visit SilverCordStories.com.And buy THE SILVER CORD, now on sale:The Silver Cord on AmazonThe Silver Cord on Barnes & NobleThe Silver Cord on Bookshop.org Get full access to SILVER CORD STORIES at www.silvercordstories.com/subscribe