JUST LIKE ME

JUST LIKE ME

How sweet she looks with her pretty little pig tails adorned with bright pink bows. Everyone always tells her she is adorable and her clothes, well, only the best of the best. The lace so delicate as it outlines the curve of her collar on her lovely

cotton dress. And the petticoat...well so many layers that they lift her dress to and fro as she skips along the sidewalk. Of course you can't forget the little socks turned over once to show the ruffle trim and always a perfect match for her dress. A small but sufficient purse with a buckle and a bow on it is draped over her

shoulder with the straps adjusted just enough to let the purse reach the perfect length. Everyone wants to be her friend. The other girls always make an effort to hurdle around her, following her wherever she goes. And the boys, well, those tiny, tiny "men" with their squeaky high pitched voices, fumbling as they try to tease her and pull her pig tails. The attention is always welcome. All the girls want to be just like her. She is so lucky. She has everything. How they wish they could be just like her.

Time to go inside. Mom is calling and dad just got home. Hurry, hurry...you must get inside before dad sees you. She has to scurry up to her room and take the

dress off and return it to the "special" chest where she got it from. If dad sees her in it he will be furious. Back into her ragged pants and a stained, torn shirt. No more pig tails...hair is brushed straight out over her drawn face. Oh please don't let him notice that I still have on the socks...please!!!

Too late...he sees the socks with the ruffled trim peeking out of the torn edges of her pants. Her head jerks as he grabs her by the hair. "Who do you think you are young lady...you know you are not to go in that "special" chest. Don't ever let me catch you in there again. Those clothes were your sisters...(smack)...they don't belong to you...(smack)...you are nothing like your sister, she was MY little girl. Now get out of here...NOW..(a kick to her back pushes her to the ground). Get up, you disgust me! Get out of my sight."

A brand new morning. Mom's makeup covers the bruises. I'll be more careful not to stay outside so long today. I'll make sure I put the dress back before my daddy comes home. Oh, here they come...all the little girls...that want to be just like me!!!