Unexpected Meme Result: Kerry's Childhood Was A Dark, Sad Place

What were you afraid of as a child?

Whales. And people being mean to me, because there was just something about me that made other people want to be mean to me. And being corrected by strangers.

What were your favorite books as a child? Do you ever reread any of them? If so, how do they hold up? Were there ever any that gave you nightmares, but you had to finish them anyway?

Reader's Digest Condensed Books my grandma gave me. A 26 volume series of short stories and excerpts of kids' stories arranged around particular themes that had been my mom's. The Bagthorpe Sage by Helen Cresswell. The Trixie Belden series (and I did go to considerable effort and expense to reassemble my collection as an adult). A totally awesome book of North American wildlife with little pictures and descriptions out of Grandma's house. And women's magazine's--Good Housekeeping, Ladies' Home Journal, Woman's Day.

As a child, how did you feel about other children? Were your friends mostly your age, mostly older, or mostly non-existent?

Let's see---I was the bully bait for the whole class in 2nd grade and 6th grade, sexually harassed by the boys in 7th, and then proceeded to have an odd relationship with my peers in high school.

Other kids made me anxious. After 2nd grade I was on the outskirts---I'd play if needed or asked, but mostly I watched what was going on.

What was your favorite toy? Do you wish that you still had it? Do you still have it or have you bought another off eBay?


I did not do much playing with toys past babyhood. We were on a dollhouse craze at one point; my sisters had a Lego collection I had to beg to play with; we were banned from card games and it was hard to play a board game with a 5 year age span.

So yeah, not a happy fun little kid. Miracle I don't drink more, actually.