I noticed on my Celebrations Calendar
that tomorrow is Girl Scout Day.
So let's take a moment for the pledge:
"On my honor, I will try
To do my duty to God and my country,
to help other people at all times
and to obey the Girl Scout laws."
Oh, that takes me back....
Way back to about '67 or '68
when I stayed after school
to be part of the Girl Scout pack-
to learn the art of twisting pipe cleaners
and paper mache'
and how to tie a tourniquet in case
someone got snake bit.
I was part of history.
Of Troop Number 44.
I liked holding up my three fingers
and reciting the pledge
like I was going away to war
or something.
I think mostly that
I liked having cookies and Kool-aid
so I could go home and tell all my
brothers and sisters
and make them jealous.
"Na-na-na-noo-noo! I haahadd Koool-Aid
Aaaaand you-ooo-ooo di-dunt!!"
But it was also pretty cool
that one of our Girl Scout Leaders-
-Mrs. Bugal-
had blue hair.
She was nervous sort of woman
with clothes that smelled like moth balls
and a little sweater chain that
held her sweater on her shoulders
while she thumbed through
the Girl Scout Handbook.
Of course the highlight
of the whole scouting year
was camping out at the
Girl Scout Little House.
We cooked bacon
on an inverted coffee can,
learned to fold a flag,
and sang really neat songs
that I never heard in church.
It made the summer fun.
I earned about five badges
during my time as a Girl Scout.
One was for story-telling,
one was for gardening,
one for camping and exploring
and the last one for sewing.
I cheated on that one.
I had my Mom sign a piece of paper
that said I sewed on a button,
hemmed a pillowcase,
and mended a sock.
Any moron with half a brain
could figure out
that I really couldn't sew-
because most of my badges were
safety-pinned to my sash!
(Let's just say I wasn't the
neatest little scout
in the pack).
And, yes, there was the thrill
of Girl Scout Cookie Time.
(I usually sold two boxes).
But I loved going home
and telling my brothers and sisters-
"Na-na-na-noo-noo-
I baked these coo-ook-ies
and you-ooo-ooo di-dunt!"
Happy Girl Scout Day.
Hope your memories are as
cool as mine!
