Little Kathy was beginning to grow up. She was in First Grade.
She still wore her Mary Janes usually half-buckled, and drove around her neigborhood on her little red tricycle, looking fierce, her curly hair half loosened from her little barrettes, and a green, plaid jumper.
She was restless.
Again.
Little Kathy at 6
She had been to Grandma's all by herself for a week when she was five, and Grandpa had won a duck for her (Ducky Lucky).
She sold crab apples to neighbors, started a theatre troupe and played Cops and Robbers, Maid Marian, Cowboys and Indians, or Annie Oakley, in her cowboy boots and hat and her pink denim-with-plastic-fringe outfit, holster and gun at the ready.
She needed something new to conquer.
I know, Little Kathy said. I will open a store and invite the first graders in.
Little Kathy spent the better part of a week buying up Tootsie rolls and repackaging them into smaller bundles.
Nobody told her to do this, she just took credit for this ingenious idea.
She put some of her allowance money in a box.
After packaging 30 bundles of candy (Tootsie Rolls, Cinnamon Bears, Penny Lollipops and Penny Wax Drinks), Little Kathy was ready.
She announced one September morning that her store was open for business, right after school.
Everyone was invited, she said.
So, true enough, the entire first grade class came to Little Kathy's store.
It was difficult serving everybody at once.
Most of the kids bought at least one candy. A few kids did not.
A few kids stole money from the kitty. A few kids stole candy.
Little Kathy was disappointed in those kids who stole money or candy, but she still made a small profit by the end of the day.
That September, Little Kathy ran her store three more times, with nearly exactly the same results. Some kids bought, some stole, but she made a profit.
Yet, Little Kathy was getting bored.
Next year, she was going to be in Second Grade.
She needed something else to capture her wild imagination and non-stop, boundless energy.
Her days of banging her head against the wall when she couldn't sleep no longer amused her. Her days of sleeping under the bed or in the closet bored her. Her days of crawling underneath furniture bored her.
There still were not many kids in the neighborhood yet, just a few kids, but Little Kathy played with them all the time.
She had a wading pool in the backyard and invited kids to swim in it with her.
She was reading a lot by now and writing up a storm of stories in First Grade.
She announced to Mother what she wanted to be when she grew up:
Lady Tarzan, Little Kathy said.
You must mean, Jane, Mother said.
No. I mean, Lady Tarzan. I am going to own my own jungle.
Well, that is very nice, dear, Mother said.
Mother clearly did not believe Little Kathy.
But Little Kathy knew she would own her own jungle, as soon as she was old enough.
So Little Kathy soon gave up her Mary Janes, her guns and holster, and soon gave up playing games. She had bigger ideas.
Little Kathy grew into a teen, Kira, who roamed the world in clogs, jeans, and long wavy hair or braids.
After Kira, Little Kathy then grew into Kathryn, who roamed the world in a pink skirt suit and pumps, pearl-earrings and a reporter's notebook in her hand, writing everything she could.
It would not be long before she owned her own jungle, Little Kathy thought.
Little Kathy, whether as Little Kathy, Kira or as Kathryn, was always a wild tomgirl who climbed trees but delighted in being a girl.
She drove like a guy, she was told.
Look like a woman, but think like a guy, was her motto.
Little Kathy was always her own person. And still is.
She is taking on the world, one corner at a time.
Copyright © 2008 Kathryn Esplin-Oleski. All rights reserved.
***
Previously:
The True Adventures of Little Kathy: Doctors Orders
The True Adventures of Little Kathy: Kindergarten or Bust.
The True Adventures of Little Kathy - of China, a teaset and a baby squirrel
The True Adventures of Little Kathy - of Treehouses, Apple Trees and Selling Apples
The True Adventures of Little Kathy - In Which Kathy Makes Breakfast
The True Adventures of Little Kathy - In Which Kathy Proves She was a SCAMP
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Comments: 41
Little Kathy reminds me of my childhood, too!
I think most of us don't remember them--or describe them, quite as vividly as you do.
I think I have to interview you again to bring out a second edition!
Actually, we women ARE more clever than men and my philosophy proves exactly that. Women are brought up to be dependent, whereas men are brought up to be non-dependent - and an independent woman has a lot going for her.
Thank you, Shirl.
She reminds me a little of me. The tomboy thing, I mean.
I hated wearing dresses, and got along with guys really well.
I'd rather watch the football game, instead of watching some old black and white, film.