This is the fourth post in my series of family stories. It’s time to tell a story or two about my sister Kara. She currently lives in North Carolina with her 4 year old daughter Michaela. Kara served in the Marines for several years, and recently worked as a preschool teacher. This fall she is completing her liberal arts degree.
Kara with her daughter in the redwoods near Santa Cruz, CA
Kara was a very thoughtful, sensitive little girl. She used to help out around the house without being asked. Whereas I was a tomboy playing baseball and army, Kara enjoyed dolls, especially Barbie. Every time someone tried to give me a doll, I handed it straight over to Kara without even looking at it. I remember one time she gave one of her dolls a haircut, and she was devastated when she learned that it wouldn’t grow back.
Our parents were divorced when we were fairly young, and our dad used to come every Tuesday to take all five of us to Pizza Hut or McDonalds. During one of our trips to McDonalds, Kara told me that she wanted to have what I had gotten the last time. I asked, “What? A sundae?” She exclaimed, “Not on Sunday, on Tuesday!”
Another sweet Kara incident happened during the summer after my freshman year in college. I was invited to go to the beach for a weekend with a coworker of mine, and I invited Kara to come with us. We were having a good time, going in all the little shops, and Kara was buying gifts for everyone, including a little pair of sterling silver earrings shaped like shells for me. When we sat down to lunch, Kara realized that she had spent all of her money already, and she started to cry. I felt so heartbroken that she spent every last bit of money she had on gifts for other people. It still tugs at my heartstrings when I think of it now.
A couple of years later, Kara and I went to a Nine Inch Nails concert with Marilyn Manson opening. After the show, I spotted Marilyn Manson’s bassist just wandering around, and I pointed him out to Kara. Kara went running up to him, telling him what a huge fan she was and how great the concert was. The bassist pulled out a couple of backstage passes for us, and we spent the evening backstage with Nine Inch Nails and Marilyn Manson.
Kara the Marine
Question of the Day (for my family): Any Kara stories to add?
micheledodge
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I had written a long post about Kara. It seems that it didn’t get posted. So, I’ll try to summarize what I wrote.
Kara and I joined the Marines at the same time. I was fortunate that my Senior Drill Instructor allowed me to have 5-minutes to talk to her while at boot camp.
At Paris Island, all recruits are required to speak in third person. We would have to say things like ”Sir, this recruit requests permission to speak to Drill Instructor Sergeant Smuckatelly, sir” or “This recruit doesn’t know sir.”
When I spoke to Kara I dropped the third person talk. I knew the Drill Instructors might be listening, but I didn’t care. I wanted to be more personable. Kara kept with the third person talk. I don’t remember exactly what was said, but that was a highlight of my whole boot camp experience.
Kara and I were also referred as the “K Kids.” Kara and I are similar in many ways that go beyond our first initial. We’re both strong individuals with the ability to handle large amounts of responsibility. Also, we both achieved the rank of Sergeant of the Marines on our first enlistment. That accomplishment is not too common.
Kara also makes a great vegetable lasagna. I would like her to teach me how to make that one day.
Actually, my friend Sarah and I are the ones who dyed Kara’s hair blue. We weren’t planning to dye all of it, but we kinda went overboard…
Funny ones: A memorable one was when I walked into her bedroom and she had painted a huge eyeball on her wall. During the same year she surprised me on my birthday and had dyed her beautiful curly blonde hair “smurf” blue.
I’ll write sweet ones when I’m not at work. Kara is my sweetheart and I love her very much. I was there for her delivery of Michaela. I’ve never been so touched in my life by Kara asking me to be her labor coach…gotta run…I’m at work.
Hmmm, maybe that wasn’t such a good idea. Time for some editing! No past tense sister!
You officially scared the crap out of me referring to her in the past tense right away right above a military photo!
I was so afraid that she was past tense!
whew!