Skipper Elephant

A non-fiction anecdote of young children at play

Skipper Elephant

A story about my younger sister

Justine Heart

 

                I was about four or five when this incident happened.  My sister and I were in the living room while my father was recording us.  This was a typical weekend (probably a Saturday) when I was a child.

                As I was saying, my sister and I were not doing much except playing with dolls or watching TV.  I think my sister was sick or something.  Keep in mind we were both very young when this occurred.  I think I was four or five and my sister was two or three.  Kim, my sister, was sitting or lying on the couch watching television, and I was playing with my Skipper® doll.  This was not out of the norm for two children.  I think I was trying to make her feel better when I went up to her to encourage her to play with me.  Here is how the incident went down:

                “Hey, Kimmy,” I said, “wanna play dollies with me?”  There was no response.  I tried a different tactic.

                “Kimmy this is my Skipper® dolly.  You wanna to play with her?” I asked, hoping she would.  This is when things went a little sour.  You see Kim knew how to push my buttons.  I was very easily teased and very sensitive to that teasing.  So Kim’s response was naturally to be consistent to a little sister taunting her big sister.

                “Elephant!” she said.  I looked at her, confused.  Was she talking about my doll? She could plainly see that my doll was not an elephant.  Why would she say such a random word such as “elephant”?  I tried again, cautiously.

                “No, Kimmy, this is a Skipper® doll,” I reiterated, emphasizing the Skipper®.

                “Elephant!” she demanded, this time she had a wide smile on her face.  I think I started to see what she was doing by this time, so I switched tactics again.

                “No,” I asserted, “this is a Skipper® doll, and she is mine.”

                Kim’s smile widened, and she said, “My Skipper®!” My face was starting to turn red with impatience and anger.  I was not going to let her win at this little, bratty, mind game. I did the next thing every child does when a possession is in question. 

                “No she’s my Skipper®,” I reaffirmed.  I braced myself ready for what was coming, yet still not imagining how it would set me off.

                “My Skipper®,” Kim smiled devilishly.  I screamed in anger and ran out of the room.

                “DADDY!”