Page 20 - Discover Summer 2020
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Kate’s Corner CONTINUED
That said, I’m used to working with both times as a child. For the life of me, I
whatever is on hand, especially when we can’t remember what I did in those days to
are watching the stock market plunge to pass the time. It certainly wasn’t organizing
sickening depths. So, to compensate for a closet, or playing electronic games. I
the unsightly hangers, I got creative with remember clearly that a nurse from the county
the clothes. They are now sorted into types health department came to visit; as she was
of garments, arranged by color, texture leaving, she tacked a piece of paper on our
and appropriate season. I also decided that front door. My mother explained that it was
slacks and blue jeans would look better on to warn visitors that there was a contagious
top, and blouses and shirts on the bottom. disease inside. Well, it didn’t sit well my four
Since we own the smallest walk-in closet in year old self that everyone was being warned
the Commonwealth of Virginia, we had to against me.
install double rods to hold all of our clothes.
So, I did what most four year olds
In contrast, those closets that we saw on TV
would do: I acted out. Mom used to call it
were roughly the size of our guest bedroom.
“pitching a western”! Eventually, of course,
Anyway, it was quite a I settled down and got used to the shame
transformation. Don’t get me wrong; it would of being the accused. Besides, I vaguely
still be disgusting as viewed by the folks at remember Dad pulling the notice down and
California Closets, but Pete and I are pleased. stuffing it in his pocket when Mom wasn’t
In fact, I was so encouraged that I also looking, once he learned that it had upset
tackled the refrigerator, which had contained me. He would have winked at me, and had a
a frozen puddle of juice behind and under the twinkle in his eye while doing it. Mom gave
pull out freezer drawer for at least 6 months. and preserved life. Dad made it worth living.
To get to it, I needed to empty and almost
During my confinement, we had a
completely disassemble the freezer drawer,
snow fall. It must have been the first of the
and bend myself into a painful and, I suspect,
season, because my older siblings were excited
dangerous position for my age. However, that
to go out and play. They were already immune
frozen juice had been taunting me all these
to Chicken Pox, since they had had it years
many months, and I was determined.
before. They lay on the ground and made
Next, I put all my herbs and spices into snow angels, and built a snowman close to
alphabetical order, and all my canned goods the window so I could see. Then they forgot
now have the labels facing at an angle that is me in my misery, and commenced to having a
exactly the same as the other cans. Now they snow ball fight. I longed to go out with them,
all can be read from a good 20 feet away. They feel and taste the snow, and join in the fun.
are also now sorted everything according to But then I was stuck in that house for what
expiration dates. seemed a lifetime.
I’ve only been quarantined twice before, The second time under quarantine, I
18 Discover Smith Mountain Lake SUMMER 2020
