Sheila, don’t worry about how your classmate makes the birdfeeder. You got this.
I look at myself here and see the Bold Rebel who will quit Girl Scouts the following year due to total indifference towards crafts. I see the Bold Rebel who then joined Little League, before there was even a “girls’ league.” I played with the boys, the only girl not only on the team but in the League. Listen, I grew up pre-Title IX. What the hell else was I supposed to do? Suffer it out in Girl Scouts making cupcakes and duffel bags and hating every second of it?
Said classmate by the way was a classic Queen Bee and I was still (somewhat) under her sway when this photo was taken. The big rebellion would come the following year. I remember a group of us having a conference about it, a fraught with tension 9-year-old conference. She used to make us tie her shoes. I mean, she went far beyond bossy. She was a tyrant-Pharaoh. So we all huddled together, coming up with a plan of active resistance: “Okay, next time she asks me to tie her shoes, I’m going to say no. But you have to say no too when she asks you.” We understood the importance of a united front.
I remember just where we were when I made my first refusal: on the curving street in the neighborhood where I grew up. A bunch of us were walking together, and suddenly Queen Bee stopped, stuck out her foot and said to me, “Could you tie my shoe?”
I said the immortal words, “Tie it yourself.”
There was a dangerous silence. We all just stood there, waiting to see what horrible thing would happen. Nothing horrible happened. The “friendship” was never the same after that.
And then I quit Girl Scouts.
Love that kid to pieces. You, I mean! Xxx
You even look like a rebel, with your biker-style bandana. And this story is very satisfying.
I attended exactly one Girl Guides meeting (Girl Scouts but Canadian) and found it so powerfully boring that I zoned out in the middle and came back to myself with everyone staring at me. Apparently the troop leader had asked me some question and I just sat there looking blankly ahead and never gave her an answer.
Wow. Hi there Sheila-I don’t even know if you will see this -I have been checking in with your blog every once in a while for ages-loving the random Rhode Island neighborhood references, as well as your particular take on things. Anyway, I have been a ‘lurker’. But just had to jump in here to offer a correction…The Quinlan house–my house– *never* had a pool, that was Kristen Ward (and before that, the Shortens? Did I get that name right?) We lived next door to Susie G. And moved over to Greenwood Drive hear the entrance to the neighborhood and then moved to the Boston area, where we (well, me) still are-there were three girls, which grew to 5 girls after my Mom had twins in 1980. No pool, ever, my Dad was always pertified of liability (always the lawyer). And I think I probably know which Queen Bee you are talking about in this post too…. Anyway, just wanted to give you a shout out from the wayway past and let you know I get a kick out of your blog and like hearing about your family and childhood, as I was there for some of it. Probably wearing a bandana on my head too, I still do every once in a while.
Shannon!!! OMG!
Cannot tell you what a bolt I got seeing your name in my Inbox. Weirdly enough just recently I came across a picture of all of us at the bus-stop – outside my house and the Hodge’s house on Paul Avenue – must have been first day of school – I was probably in 5th or 6th grade. The picture was of me, Jen Quinn and Katy Hodge, but you are clearly there in the background.
I so had you in that house in my memory – thank you for the correction – you are right, it was the Shorten’s house!
Susie G … okay I can picture where they lived.
I remember the arrival of the twins!
The Queen Bee was such a tyrant! By all accounts, she has had a hard life – she fell into trouble once we hit junior high, and never really seemed to recover. Who knows, maybe she has by now but it was tough going. When did you all move away? I can’t remember.
So good to hear from one of the old crowd.
Hope you are well!