the underwear drawer

babysitters/sitter's club memories

Thanks for the memories. First, from Maria:

Man Michelle...and I thought I had a great memory for oddball things from years before but you take the cake. I felt suddenly 10 (or whatever age I was when i read the series) again when i read your description of the Babysitters Club. (BTW, i have no idea about whether it's babysitters club or babysitter's club).

Okay, here's one storyline i remember: Mallory and Jessi were not allowed to join the Club because of some fixed "test" the older members did. The test included required a drawing part: they had to draw the digestive system, cuz duh, being able to draw that would instantly solve all of the kids stomachaches! So for a while, they form their own club out of spite, which only gets clients from Mallory's family. But the older members ultimately relent and let them join, albeit in slave Junior member status.

Oh yeah, I remember that one. I guess we were all supposed to cheer for Mallory when she finally got to be a junior member of the BSC, but I didn't. Because I hated Mallory.

And, from Cecily:

Remember the time when Mary Anne and Logan went to their first dance, and she was so shy that she didn't dance with him for almost the entire night? So he was stuck dancing with every girl who wanted him (and there were a lot of girls.) When she finally did, she accidentally kicked off her shoe and was so mortified she went home immediately? Then she got a kitten, Tigger.

Oh yeah, good one. I also kind of hated Mary Anne. Why I kept reading books where I hated almost all the characters (or at least got intensely annoyed with them on a regular basis), I will never understand. And I just could not believe that Logan would go for Mary Anne. If he was really that cute, he would have totally gone for one of the other slutty girls that would put out. Except, of course, that he was gay, so perfect cover, go out with the girl only allows hand-holding. Tigger was cute, though.

Mallory had to baby-sit for these twin terrors who "spoke" to each other in gibberish, and she finally got them to behave when she taught them pig-latin. eshay ishay osay oolcay.

Yeah, and their names were Marilyn and Carolyn, right? Why do I still remember that? And then at the end, it turns out they were having an identity crisis, and they became perfect children once their parents allowed them to get makeovers and redecorate their rooms. Which just goes to show you, a trip to the mall can solve all problems in Stoneybrook, Connecticut. Except when Mary Anne got her fugly super-short haircut at the mall, then it actually created problems.

The supersize books, I can't remember what exactly they were called. One was on a cruise, one was on sleep-away camp, etc.? In the camp one Mary Anne got more respect from her fellow junior counselors when she snuck over to see Logan on the boys' side and got caught on the way over.

Oh yeah, "Super Specials," I think they were called. The best one was the first one, where they all got to go on the cruise to Disneyland. I can't believe Kristy's rich stepfather paid for them all to go. I mean, I literally cannot believe it. Who does that? I mean, he's just a millionaire, not a billionaire. Kristy is no Ally Hillfiger. And in the second Super Special, the one where all the BSC members were CITs ("Counselors in Training") at some sleepaway camp, Logan's camp buddies made fun of him because his girlfriend is a "feeb." As in "feeble." That was awesome. I always wanted to use that slang, but was afraid that people would misconstrue it into thinking I was saying something actually offensive.

The problem with the BSC books is kind of the problem that I had with going into Pediatrics. Not that this has borne out to be the case, now that I've met my fellow residents, but I was worried that I was entering a field where everyone was all, "I love kids! I've worked with kids forever! Even in utero, I was taking care of immature follicles in my mother's ovaries! I worked as a nanny and a schoolteacher and a camp counselor and in my free time, I would volunteer for 'Reach Out and Read!' Kids! Love 'em!" Basically I was afraid that by going into Pediatrics, I would be joining The Babysitters Club. Thank God I was wrong.

Any more Babysitters Club Memories, send them my way. They will be shared as they are recieved. Thanks, Maria and Cecily!