The list of Karen's missing life experiences is voluminous, though declining day by day as she embraces each new activity. The poor girl had never; gone to a movie, chewed gum, eaten popcorn, made a Halloween costume, used paper plates, drank her cereal milk from the bowl, patted a cat, a dog or held a rabbit. She'd never eaten peanut butter with her finger out of a jar, tasted-pork, lamb, fried clams, hot dogs, canned soup, store-bought bread or dirt. The list went on. It was endless, but how she adapted to each change and embraced it, was heartwarming. She dried dishes, picked up her room, cared for Timmy, set the table, folded clothes, said; 'please' and 'I'm sorry' if she burped, but seldom did.
I complimented Paul, deservedly for his adjustment, but the children were exposed to far more change than he. Most of my husband's week was spent as it had been; at the same office with the same trappings and amenities. Karen and Timmy confronted new experiences daily.
How could anyone be so complex and so simple at the same time? While brother Timmy plodded through life with four year old steps, his sister dashed forward, devouring every new experience like an ice cream sundae.
Fitting in is Karen's prime goal and she took a giant step forward by making her first three peer acquaintances. Julie and Anne are her age. Both are sweet girls who have shyly visited our house. Julie lives on our street and Anne a block away. They too are in summer school for extra credit, not academic inefficiencies. The third friend, Mary Ellen is fifteen and attending the same class, but under protest. I've only met her when picking up Karen from school but she strikes me as arrogant. For some reason she has taken to Karen. Timmy attends a summer church school that is mostly supervised play. He loves everyone as they adore him.
Our attic has become a popular area where trunks full of old clothes have become costumes for summer productions of neighbor children, often with Karen directing. I've witnessed a production or two. Timmy is cast as the child while Julie, in top hat and suit plays the husband to Karen's overly strict mother role.
It seems that I'm always talking about Karen and seldom her little brother. It's as if only she exists in my mind, and most of my time is spent in her company. Not so. I spend far more time with my little man and we are the best of pals. He is often with me at the toy store as I learn its workings. Timmy loves puzzles and is always finding new challenges for the two of us at the store. We spend hours together exploring the sea shore around our town while his sister is beginning a social life with her new found friends.