Karen and I attended Girl Scouts together when we were growing up!  We would work diligently to earn those badges and sew them on our sashes. We were so proud of ourselves!! And we also had the opportunity to attend Girl Scout camp. It was one of those out in the middle of nowhere rugged camps, where you get eaten alive by mosquitos, sing songs and tell ghost stories around the campfire, eat s’mores, and have the wonderful privilege of using outhouses!!

Karen and I were 18 months apart in age and usually got along well. But we were siblings and, well, every sibling loves a good joke at the expense of the other occasionally. When it came to her younger sister, Karen could not pass up a chance to torment me!!

I had a great fear of those outhouses.  There was just something very creepy, dirty, and smelly about them. So, when I had to use the bathroom in the middle of the night, I made Karen get up and go with me.  She wasn’t too happy about being awakened!  So, we stumbled our way out into the darkness with a flashlight while Karen proceeded to tell me this story (probably something she read in her adventure book series!!) about how evil people hide in the outhouse holes and when kids sat down, they would grab them and pull them down into the hole.

Needless to say, the story had its desired effect. I developed a very strong bladder and was traumatized for life!  I still do not like outhouses.  And I despise camping!!!!