Full Speed Ahead: My Journey with Kit

I tell Kit I’d love to stay. She looks glad and asks what chores I know, but that stumps me. I only know chores from the Little House on the Prairie books. Mom never taught me housekeeping, and our cleaning lady shoos me away. I admit I don’t know much. Kit says she was the same before Dad lost his job, knowing nothing about gardening and hopeless at cooking, cleaning, and laundry, until Mother started the boardinghouse and she had to learn.

I ask if Kit minds the chores. She shrugs; she resented them at first, since before the Depression she did whatever she wanted all day. Now things are different, and she asks if the Depression has changed how I feel about helping my family, too. Ashamed, I realize I’ve never helped much and take Mom for granted, but Kit’s right. Even this little brush with the Depression has changed my outlook. I should be more helpful, I just don’t know how yet.

Kit suggests we start with gardening, promising it’ll be fun. I doubt it; I hate creepy-crawlers ever since Camp Mosquito made us handle slugs and worms and identify poisonous snakes. Bugs are bugs. Still determined to help, I offer to water while Kit weeds.

Kit hands me a huge watering can to fill at the spigot. I lug it back and shed my coat onto a lawn chair. Kit admires it, having never seen one like it before, but I just say it’s out of style now and I like it anyway. I ask if the Kittredges grow all their own vegetables. Kit says mostly; they dug up their flowers for vegetables, like many families now saving money, and they keep chickens behind the garage.

Suddenly I spot a snake and shout a warning: a copperhead, coiled to strike Kit. Kit scoops up Buddy, and I grab her from behind and yank her clear. We tumble into a tangled heap as the copperhead slithers away. Shaking, I hug Buddy while we catch our breath.

Kit asks how I recognized a copperhead. I explain that Mom once sent me to a science camp I hated, since I’m terrified of snakes, but I’m grateful now. Kit says it sounds like one of the city’s free park programs, glad I went. I may have saved her life.

Kit’s mother hurries over, says I saved Buddy’s life, too, and calls me brave. Kit thinks I should write to Mom, telling her I’m safe and thankful she sent me to camp, since I saved Kit and Buddy from a poisonous snake. Mrs. Kittredge agrees it’s a splendid idea. Kit tilts her head. Do I want to write that letter?