Number Three

 I was a weird toddler.  When I was two or three, I would take pretzel sticks, dip them in the water running down the sidewalk gutters and eat them.  University City, where we were living at the time, was an upscale neighborhood, but still…eeuwww!!!  Back then I thought it was the gourmet snack of the century.

And after my pretzelicious repast, I would go inside and ride my rocking horse, Blaize, for hours on end.  Mom has a picture of me on Blaize, a fierce, determined look on my face.  A mini Paula Revere on a mission.

My older sister Lisa and I used to play with this wooden block set.  We’d build these magnificent block edifices, homes for our collection of plastic animals.  The tiger was the ruler (I still have him, along with the blocks and the rest of the animals), harsh but just.  We would sacrifice my Barbie dolls to apease the animal gods.  Hey, their heads had to come off so easily for a reason!

For a short while I wanted to be a ballet dancer.  I would lock myself in my room, put on one of my mom’s old frothy chiffon nightgowns, play classical music and dance my little klutzy heart out.  For all the fact I grew into a mega ham bone, I never wanted anyone to see me dance.  It was my little secret fantasy.

My first crush was Roddy McDowell.  As Cornelius in PLANET OF THE APES.  I’ve come a long way since my fixation on gay chimps.