Let's Plan Our Escape

Abstract

I have one sister, Jenny, and most of our childhood was spent living in the country. With few other peers nearby to play with, we were best friends. Over time, we grew to be a very imaginative duo. I have many memories of playing pretend. It started early on. My earliest recollection of this activity is a happy one that is most likely triggered by a photograph of Jenny and myself. We are standing in front of the fireplace. Jennyʼs arm is around my shoulder and mine is around her back. We are both smiling. The photograph provides a three quarter view. We are each wearing a ruffled bonnet. Under Jennyʼs is a red yarn wig. The bonnets are tightly tied around our chins. Our faces are decorated with exaggerated freckles in a classic three points in a triangle fashion. We are wearing red, long sleeved frocks overlaid with white jumpers that have green diamond appliqués around the waist. Underneath these rompers we are sporting white knickers. Some may think that we are supposed to be Raggedy Ann, but those in the know (people, especially women, born in the mid 70s to early 80s) would recognize the garb as belonging to Strawberry Shortcake. Our mom fashioned these costumes for us on her sewing machine. She always nurtured and fostered our desire to pretend to be other characters or people and the creativity that came out of it.