Hi, I'm Lavar Burton, and this is Lavar Burton.

In every episode, I hand-pirton reads. In every episode I hand pick a different piece of short fiction and I read it to you.

The only thing these stories have in common is that I love them and I hope you will

too. Every once in a while I read a story that activates every part of my soul.

A story that motivates me that fuels me. This y'all is one of those stories. It's about parenting and race and violence and the pain of being unable to protect your child

from a violent world. The world wasn't ready for you is the titular story from Justin C. Key's debut story collection.

Now, Justin is a practicing psychiatrist as well as a writer and let me tell you he is one writer to watch.

He has my full attention.

The story is set in a future where an alien mothership floats alongside Earth.

The Kepler's, those aliens, are an

interstellar race with incredible abilities.

They have minds that can interface in surprising ways with technology,

skin that changes color with their moods, the gift of telepathy.

Their telepathy is called yumcho.

It's a Latin word that means joining, and usually refers to the joining of hands.

In this case, however, it's about the joining of minds and it's made possible

by the close bonds that Kepler's able to create in their relationships.

Our protagonist is a widowed black man, a father who is raising his half Kepler'seplin's son trying to keep him safe and happy and healthy

in a world that treats him like a second-class citizen and worse.

Please check out the content. citizen and worse.

Please check out the content advisory in the episode description if you are so inclined.

And now, if you're ready, let's take a deep breath. And began.

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