Week 2, Day Task 1: A long time ago...

You?re actually asking me for my earliest detailed childhood memory? Do you realize that I?m way, way past the point where I can just recall these things without vitamins or cerebral stimulants?

Okay?let?s activate the way back machine and see what we can come up with?

[image=http://www.orbitnet.com/waybackwhen/wayback.jpg]

?back?back?back?to the early 70?s.

The era that brought you The Partridge Family?
[image=http://www.cinerhama.com/tvpage/seventies/partridge2.jpg]

and The Mary Tyler Moore Show?
[image=http://www.sitcomsonline.com/photos/themarytylermooreshow31506.gif]

Since I lived in Mountain View, CA until I was 4 years old, I?m placing this memory around when I was 2 or 3. I am the youngest of 3 girls and my sisters are 12 and 9 years older than I. So, as you can imagine, they were not the best playmates for me as they were always somewhere other than where I was playing ?big girl games? like Barbie or house or something. I had to find my own friends since they weren?t of much use to me at all.

I had a babysitter that I nicknamed ?Patoo?. Yes, that?s right?"Patoo?. I couldn?t pronounce her name so that?s what I came up with in my 2/3 year old mind. She was a great woman ? about that time she must have been around 50 or so. She?d stay with me during the day as my mom was a teacher where my sisters went to school (talk about torture).

So, back to the memory. I had a best friend named Monique who would come over and play at my house under Patoo?s supervision, but a majority of the time I played down the street with group of little boys (yes, I was saucy even then). There were 3 boys in the family and one little girl who was just a baby. One of the "older" (read: one year older) boys was Robert. Now, this family was one of those really cool tight knit Italian families. The kids would play at our house and I would play at theirs and we were all pretty close. Since it was 1970 or so, there wasn?t this major paranoia about letting a bunch of 3 and 4 year old rugrats run around the neighborhood anyway.

One fine day I had the idea that I wanted to play Snow White. Why, I have no idea, but something must have gotten stuck in my little brain and, darn it, that?s what it was going to be. Well, as you can imagine, the idea of playing Snow White was not a really big hit with the boys, but, as you can also imagine, I was a bit bossy in that area and got my way. I think I may have promised a rousing game of ?army? or something as a reward.

We were at the boys house ? I have no idea if Patoo was over there or just sent me on my merry way ? and they had a lovely ?stage? set up. The couch was against the living room wall and the entry to the living room was off to the right side. I remember that part of my reason for playing this game was that I chose Robert to be the Prince. I always thought he was rather dashing so this game was a perfect fit to my goal of future marriage and family. His brothers were relagated to being dwarves since I wasn't about to let one of those thumb-sucking dweebs near me with their cooties.

So, the stage was set. Robert had on his cape (i.e. towel) and I was wearing my Princess outfit (i.e. my older sister?s skirt). I took a bite of the poisoned apple (i.e. plastic) and ?swooned? onto the couch in a very ladylike and elegant manner if I do say so myself. As I awaited my Prince, the doofy dwarves came in and made quite a scene. So, in a few moments, the Prince strode into the living room looking very handsome (I know, I was peeking out of my right eye). He swatted the doofy dwarves on the head and knelt down by the couch. Then?he kissed me.

I was completely swept away.

Then Robert said something to the effect that the towel was itching his neck and his brothers were stupid. I lay there pondering our future wedding and realized that being the only girl playing with cute boys had its advantages. That's a lesson I've taken with me all these years.

After that we all played army and never spoke of the Snow White incident again. I

Well, he'll make a dang handsome woman that's for sure.