Words and pics by Scotty Craighead

When I was in sixth grade, Christian Burch, my male nanny, or manny, drove my friend Taylor and I to our first school dance. On the way he joked about coming inside and embarrassing us. When we arrived he didn’t get out of the car with us, so we thought that we were home free and headed for the doors of the school. About half way there we heard Christian shout, “Hey, Scotty and Taylor! If your diarrhea comes back just call me!”

I first met Christian Burch, author of The Manny Files, about 11 years ago in gymnastics summer camp. A BYU graduate and former nationally ranked gymnast, Christian had come to Jackson to take the Teton Science School graduate program, became a coach at Jackson Gymnastics, and later, worked as a manny for a couple of families around the valley. As the Craighead manny, Christian had to endure such shenanigans as being duct-taped to a skateboard, which we then pulled around. Little did we know he was taking mental notes and would eventually publish a book about being a manny.

The Many Files, released in March 2006, was Christian’s first book. I remember asking Christian if he had used my name in the book. He said he had. I asked what the character was like. Laughing, he told me, “Scotty’s the kid that has to wear floaties in the pool because one leg is shorter than the other and he’ll sink without them.”

Christian has just released the sequel, Hit The Road, Manny, in which the lead character takes the family from the first book on a road trip through the West, from Illinois to Las Vegas, where I hope Scotty learns to swim without floaties.

Christian is having a book signing tomorrow, Friday, September 26th, at The Jackson Hole Community School from 3:30 to 6:30. Both books will be on sale. Come have a refreshment, pick up either or both books, and make sure you ask my manny if he’s still having problems with diarrhea.