Is three a crowd?
This photo story was originally hosted on Sony Imagestation and published on August 9, 2007
I had just purchased a new camera and it had a manual ISO setting. I didn’t know what ISO was and assumed bigger was better. The result is the grainy look to these photos. I used the auto setting after that!
A New Friend:
“Girls!” I called to Kirsten and Emily. “What?” Kirsten asked as Emily responded “Yes ma’am?” I have a surprise for you. “Oh goody!” Kirsten shouted as she jumped down from the couch. Emily just grinned as she followed behind.
“That’s a huge package!” Kirsten exclaimed with big eyes. “My! It certainly is!” Emily agreed. “I’ll leave you two to open it, since I know how much you like to open packages when I’m not around” I said with a smile as I left the room. (I didn’t go too far though, as I like to watch and listen to the girls when they think I’m not around 😉
“Do you think it could be my bed or trunk?” Kirsten asked as she gazed in awe at the large box. “Ma’am and Sir just made bunk beds for us on your birthday.” Emily reminded Kirsten.
Kirsten wasn’t paying any attention, however, and she continued to look at the box. “I know!” Kirsten shouted so suddenly that it startled Emily. “You hold the box steady, I’m going to climb on the couch and see if I can figure it out.” “Ooookay” Emily hesitantly replied.
“Just be careful, I don’t think Ma’am would be happy if you fell and scuffed yourself.” Emily’s caution fell on deaf ears as Kirsten quickly climbed the couch.
‘Hmmm,” Kirsten mused as she knocked on the box. “Mmmmmph” came a faint sound from the box. “Kirsten! I think someone is in this box!” Emily shouted up to her sister. “What?” Kirsten asked. “I said,” Emily began to shout. “I heard you!” Kirsten replied. “I’m just…”
But before Kirsten could finish another sound came from the box “Hello?” came a voice, slightly louder than the first sound. “Oh!” Kirsten exclaimed as she almost lost her balance. “You are right Em!” “Well ought we not open the box in a hurry then?” Emily encouraged Kirsten. “Of course! Let me see…” Kirsten looked for a way to open the box.
“Oh I do hope she is not upside down!” Emily fretted. “Please do hurry Kirsten.” “I’m working on it!” Kirsten shouted rather cross. The truth was, she was having difficulty. This wasn’t a box you can open by cutting tape.
Finally Kirsten found the pull tab. “I think I’ve got it!” She called down to Emily. Emily kept quiet, a little hurt at Kirsten’s previous cross comment.
Suddenly several things happened. The pull tab released, Kirsten fell backwards with a scream, and a head popped out of the box, “Hello!” Said the girl.
Emily immediately let go of the box and screamed “It is a head!” and fainted.
Kirsten herself was too stunned to say anything to Emily. Thankfully, the “head” spoke up. “Please don’t be frightened. I have a body attached to my head, I just need help getting out of this box.”
“Who are you? Where did you come from?” Kirsten asked in rapid succession. The girl smiled. “I am from Mount Bedford, New York.” She began to explain.
“What is your name?” A small voice asked from below. Emily had recovered from her faint and was attempting to climb up onto the couch with Kirsten. “Also, WHEN are you from?” Emily is a smart little girl and she knew that no one in the United States dressed like that during WWII. She was also fairly certain that this new girl did NOT belong in Kirsten’s time.
“My name is Samantha Parkington” Samantha began. “As I stated before, I am from Mount Bedford, New York were I grew up with my Grandmother until I went to live with my aunt and uncle. To answer your question” Samantha turned to Emily “I am from 1904.”
Samantha continued, “I would love to tell you more about myself and to learn who you are but this box is awfully uncomfortable. Could you please help me out? Afterwards I would be happy to answer all your questions.” “Oh dear!” Emily said. “I am so sorry we have been terrible hostesses!” “Oh, uh, yeah. Sorry” Kirsten stumbled. “Let’s each grab a hand, Em, and we can try to pull her out.”
Emily moved over to Samantha’s left hand and Kirsten took hold of Samantha’s right hand. “On the count of three, ready? One, two THREE!” Kirsten counted and they both leaned back and pulled with all their might.
Samantha started to move out of the box.
The girls were pulling so hard she kept coming out and Emily fell backwards.
Suddenly the box fell! The girls tugged until Samantha was safely on the couch.
“Thank you very much for helping me!” Samantha said as she stood in front of the two huffing sisters. “You… are… most… welcome!” Emily replied in between catching her breath. “You look terrible” Kirsten bluntly commented. “Kirsten!” Emily scolded.
“Thank you” Samantha laughingly curtsied and then sat down. “I mentioned I was from 1904, well when I first left 1904, I arrived in the late 80’s. I have been through a lot since then.”
“Please do not mind my sister” Emily spoke more freely now having caught her breath. “Her name is Kirsten and she is from Minnesota in 1854. My name is Emily. I was born in England but my family sent me to the United States in 1944 to keep me safe from a war. I then lived with a family in Illinois. Ma’am can help you to feel and look better.” I let the girls talk a little more before I came into the room.
“Samantha dear.” I called. “Ma’am” Samantha quickly rose and curtsied. I smiled at her. “Welcome to our home. I hope that you have enjoyed meeting Kirsten and Emily.” “Yes ma’am” Samantha replied. I wondered at first why she was suddenly so quiet and shy, until I remembered that children were not to talk unless spoken to back in 1904. “Samantha, I do hope that you feel at home here with us.” I turned to Emily and Kirsten. “Girls, will you please show Samantha your room? You can all share the beds for now. In a few minutes I’ll take Samantha into the next room to help her clean up a bit.” “Yes ma’am” Emily responded. Kirsten didn’t say anything.
Turning on the corner lamp, Kirsten and Emily stood against the bunk beds and showed Samantha the room. “Adoptive mom and dad made these bunk beds for MY birthday” Kirsten said. “Don’t worry Kirsten” Emily tried to stem the coming tide “Samantha can share with me.” Kirsten muttered something about “beds,” “sharing,” and “not fair” just as I returned to the room. “Samantha, would you please come with me?” I asked. As I led Samantha out of the room I turned to Kirsten, “you behave and be nice!” I commanded her, for all the good it would do.
The next day I was still working with Samantha when another package came to the door. Kirsten ran to retrieve the package and brought it to Emily. “Look Em! Another package addressed to adoptive mom! Do you think it will be for me this time?” “I don’t think we should open it without Ma’am’s permission” Emily cautioned.
“Oh who cares Em? Adoptive Mom is too busy with the new girl anyway” Kirsten commented somewhat bitterly.
“Well I’m going to open it with or without you.” Kirsten said as she opened the box. “What could this be?” she asked in a mysterious voice as she tried to entice Emily into participating.
“It’s beautiful!” Kirsten genuinely gushed. “I think it is for you Emily” she commented “It looks more like your style.”
Emily was finally curious enough to come over and look. “Oooh where did it come from?” Emily asked.
Kirsten lifted the box cover and Emily read “Angela. Is that a female angel?” Emily questioned Kirsten. “Maybe, but I think it might be from the sewing swap on AGFMB that adoptive mom was participating in.” Kirsten replied. “Oh yeah.” Emily remembered.
“You should try it on” Kirsten encouraged. “But does Ma’am even know this is here? Should we not ask her first?” Emily asked, clearly wanting to try the dress on. Kirsten sighed, took a deep breath, then yelled “ADOPTIVE-MOM, SEWING-SWAP-DRESS-HERE. CAN-EM-WEAR?” Emily blushed as I walked into the room. “You know dears, I really wish you would ask before opening any packages.” I looked at the dress. (It is beautiful, thank you Uppy!) “However, yes Emily. You may wear that dress. It looks perfectly suited for you.”
Emily changed, grabbed the pinwheel and ran outside. Kirsten followed taking my camera with her. “Kirsten look!” Emily excitedly shouted “look at the pinwheel spinning in the wind!” Emily laughed with delight. Kirsten smiled to see her sister so happy.
Later on, the girls where sitting on Kirsten’s bunk when Samantha came up to them. “Hello girls” Samantha called. Emily and Kirsten turned to look.
“You look beautiful!” Emily gushed. Kirsten didn’t say anything.
Emily slipped off the bunk and stepped forward to talk to Samantha. Kirsten grudgingly followed. “How do you feel?” Emily questioned. “I feel lovely!” Samantha returned. “I haven’t felt this good in many years.” Kirsten suddenly felt invisible. She coughed a small cough to see if anyone would notice.
Nothing happened so she walked closer to Samantha and Emily. They were holding hands! Kirsten felt so left out. Then something Samantha said made Kirsten listen. “…dragged from place to place. My hair wasn’t brushed, just left to tangle. I would be left for months in the bottom of her closet…” Kirsten suddenly began to feel sorry for Samantha. She realized she had so much here that she took for granted.
Kirsten reached over and took Samantha’s other hand. “You are safe at home here with us” she offered.
A big smile spread across Emily’s face. She was so afraid that Kirsten would be mean to Samantha. “Yes, you are home now.” Emily assured Samantha.
toooldforag 