There was a girl in my primary kindergarten class who was a wispy thing, but somehow gave off great strength in character without saying a word. She was younger than us, by at least half a year. When you’re 5, that is a significant difference. It’s the difference between who gets the good spot on the nap mats, serves the morning milk cartons, and who will get picked last in the recess games.
She was small, I think, even for her age. But she didn’t seem to mind. She beat to her own drum, wearing layers of long skirts that that brushed the ground. First a dark blue cotton skirt with cream flowers sketched in patterns, then a pastel multi colored flowered skirt, in a large print pattern underneath, and another white cotton gauzy piece last. Being that she probably only weighed 20 pounds, it was as if the shield of skirt dresses added another 10 pounds to her frame.
She twirled and twirled at recess, making the layers of skirts flare out beautifully. What I remember is how beautiful she felt. It was obvious. She told us proudly, she chose them from her “dress up box” of which she had plenty. I was amazed her mother let her go out like that.
During recess, she would catch flies, spiders, firebugs, and potato bugs. When it rained, the puddles on the edge of the field grass would provoke the worms from their underground labyrinth, and she would catch them too. That was her favorite. Worms moved much slower. They also stuck to things very well. With her wispy frame, and dead on throwing accuracy, she stuck them to boys. Usually aiming for an uncovered piece of skin. The thwack of the damp worm thrown at high speed made us laugh.
Of course we had become great friends with her by this time. A natural person to lead, we happily followed. She made us laugh, and when those ill-fated worms landed on the boys in our class, we ran and ran until out of breath, as she provoked them on.
