I never made it to Girl Scouts, though I was a Brownie. My mom was the troop leader so that I'd have a troop to call my own. I loved going to school on Brownie days dressed in my brownie uniform: dark brown beanie with a little beret-like tassel on the top, lighter brown dress with a belt, dark brown socks and shoes. I liked being known as a Brownie more than I liked actively being one. I was quite contrary toward my mother, mostly because, frankly, I didn't like sharing her with my adoring (of her) fellow-Brownies. Also, I have never enjoyed being with large numbers of children grouped together - even when I was a child myself.
The one Brownie activity I remember with great fondness was when we acted out fairy tales. I was delighted to be cast as the wolf in "Little Red Riding Hood." I saw being the wolf as a delicious acting opportunity, on par with playing Rumplestiltskin, or Satan in Paradise Lost. I looked forward to exploring the depths of my own sheer evilness through my portrayal of the character.
Ultimately it wasn't quite as satisfying as I'd imagined it would be, though the furry-faced mask was plush and soft. Still, it beat my theatrical experience earlier that same year, playing Sarah Standish at the 2nd grade Thanksgiving play. I got to serve Thanksgiving dinner to a bunch of boys dressed as Pilgrims and Indians, and deliver the famous lines, "Thank you," and "Dinner is ready" (the only lines uttered in the entire play by a girl). Much healthier to explore my wild beast, even a little.
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