The Importance of Discipline

Stiller talks about how strict his mom was, but the one story that he shares about her disciplining him is not at all an example of her being strict. At age 11, he stole a ball from a carnival that was in town and when she found out she first tried to make him go confess to the priest,. But he was terrified of his priest and he was worried that like he'd be recognized in confession. He writes after negotiating with her, she let me have my way. She drove me down to the bridge on North Street and watched as I threw the ball into the water.