Little Me

SHOW TIME

 

I'm scared to be 'It.' I get mixed up counting to ten, can't run fast. I'm only five. Mama gives all the kids Walnettos so they will let me play. 'But, Mama, they are all bigger than I am. I can never catch anyone.' She gives me a push towards the green mailbox on the corner that is home base. 'Cover your eyes and count. I have ironing to do.' Under my breath, I say, 'I hate you, Mama. I hate you.'

 

Shirley runs like lightning, touches the mailbox and me and yells for everybody to hear, 'In free.' Beverly and Alice, everybody runs in free and I have to be 'It' again. This time I count faster, '1,2,3,4,5, 6,7- skip 8 and 9, yell 'TEN, here I come, ready or not.' Slowly I walk to the corner A & P, look in their vestibule and see only myself in the glass door and hurry back to base. Everybody but Maggie is in free. I quit and go home to sprinkle clothes for Mama to iron.

 

On my little white wooden table that has fold down legs, I put the tin dishes my sister, Razel, gave me for my fifth birthday. Peggy, my best baby doll has lunch with me. I talk, she listens. Mama's ironing is done.

 

'Adele, it's nap time,' she tells me. I answer fast. 'But, Mama, I'm too big to take a nap. I'm already five.' Her ears don't hear me. 'Take off your shoes and sox and get in bed.' 'That's not enough, Mama.' She tells me to do what I want. I want to take my play clothes off, be naked and just be covered with a sheet and big, pink blanket. The house is very quiet. Fairies dance in my dreams. A princess gives me a magic wand. They all disappear when Mama wakes me up and hands me a big red apple. 'It's healthy, eat it, Adele. Then get dressed. Your friends are already outside. They are going to play Charades today.' I start to cry a little. 'Mama, I don't know that game. The kids are not my friends. They call me 'Baby, Baby, Mama's Little Baby.' She surprises me, gives me a hug and admits that's what I am, her Little Baby.' I take a bite of the apple. It's red, sweet and juicy. I take another bite. 'Mama, Mama, come quick,'  I call.  'My apple's bleeding.' Mama gets very excited. Where is your loose tooth?' I didn't know but offered, 'Maybe I swallowed it.' We get down on our knees and search the floor, under the bed, can't find it. Mama tells me not to worry, it will come out the other end by itself. She takes what is left of my delicious apple and throws it in the kitchen garbage pail when I go in for my bath.

 

The tub is big, has legs that look like lion's paws. I don't fill it high because I'm not dirty and Mama has told me I can drown in there. 'Mama, I'm done. Can I wear my clean yellow dress?' 'Yes, you may.' she calls from the basement. 'Just play games on the steps. No running.'

 

Outside I try not to talk a lot. My missing baby tooth leaves an ugly hole in my mouth. Lucky I don't have to be 'Out' and try to do the Charade words. Everybody joins in except me. I sit still, my hands folded on my lap and say nothing. Finally the game is over. The boys go in one direction, the girls in the other and I am left sitting by myself
on the gray granite steps. My shoe is untied so I practice tying it over and over.

 

The boys come back together, look at me sitting by myself and laugh. They make me feel bad. They walk past me and laugh again. The third time they stop and sing to me. 'Shoo shaw shame, Shoo shaw shame. Adele isn't wearing underpants. We can see what she has.'  Then they all run away, so fast, I could never catch one if I tried. Mama must have heard them. She comes storming out the front door, grabs me by the ears and pulls me into our house.

 

I get a whippin' from Mama and a long, long talk from my Daddy. He  calls it 'a lecture'

 

All I can say is ' Mama, Daddy. I just forgot. I'm only five.'