Donna & the No Good Rotten Baby Sister

This story takes place a long time ago, when your grandma was a little girl. In those days little girls did not wear jeans and T- shirts. Instead they wore dresses. They kept their hair neat in bows and played with other little girls. They played with dolls and had tea parties. They played house or jacks and skipped rope.

Donna was a tomboy. She did not play with dolls, even though her grandma always bought her dolls. She did not keep her hair in bows and she did not wear dresses, unless her mama made her. Donna was not quiet and she was not sweet. Donna did not play jacks or house or skip rope with other little girls. Donna liked to play with the boys.

She had an older brother named Terry, and Donna adored him. He called her 'Donnie' because she did everything he did. She followed him everywhere. He had taught her how to throw a ball and swing a bat. He had taught her how to climb trees and run fast. Whenever Terry played ball she was always on his team. And every winter they built the best snow fort ever. She thought Terry was the best big brother in the world.

But as Terry got older he wanted to play with his friends more and more and Donna less and less. She began to play with other boys closer to her own age, but she still missed having her big brother around.

She noticed Bobby Johnson had a brother, a little brother named Scotty. Scotty followed Bobby everywhere. He always wanted to be on Bobby's team, and he always wanted to play what Bobby played. Bobby called him a brat and complained because his mama said he had to let Scotty play.

Donna thought it was great that Bobby had such a nice little brother. If she had such a nice little brother she would let him play on her team. He would teach him how to swing a bat and throw a ball. She would show him how to climb trees and run fast. In the winter they would build the best snow fort ever! She decided she would ask her Mama for a little brother. She ran all the way home.

"Mama." Donna asked," Can I have a little brother?"

"Well little girl you are in luck " Mama replied, " It so happens that we're going to have a new baby in the spring. Maybe, just maybe it will be a little brother for you."

"A new Baby?" Donna exclaimed, " When will in be here?"

"In the spring."

"Can we name him Tommy. I want a little brother named Tommy. Mama isn't Tommy a nice name?"

"But Donna what if it's a girl? We can't name a little sister Tommy."

"Oh we aren't having a little sister. I want a little brother. Can we name him Tommy Mama? Can we please?"

"IF it's a boy we can name him Tommy. But Donna don't get your hopes too high."

"Yay!" Donna jumped up and down for joy; "I can't wait for Tommy to get here! Wait till I tell Bobby Johnson."

Donna was very excited about the new baby. She told everyone. She told Bobby Johnson. She told her teacher, the librarian, and the school crossing guard and the lady who cut Mama's hair.

"I'm going to have a new baby brother." she told them, " My Mama is having him in the spring. I'm going to teach him how to throw a ball and swing a bat. I'll show him how to run fast and climb trees. He can always be on my team, and in the winter we're going to build the best snow fort ever!"

One day after Donna felt the baby move for the first time, Daddy and Mama took Donna shopping for the new baby. Daddy bought a new crib, a special table to change the baby's diaper, a high chair and a swing. Mama picked out some clothes, booties, diapers and soft blankets to wrap the baby up in. Donna found a little blue baseball cap with a 'T' on it.

"' 'T' is for Tommy." She chirped happily when Daddy put it in the stack of things they were buying.

She helped Mama decorate the baby's room. They painted the walls and put down soft rugs. Donna drew pictures to hang on the walls.

"See Mama" She said showing her artwork, " It's a picture of me and Tommy, we're playing ball and he's on my team! And this one we're climbing a tree together and here's our snow fort, it will be the best snow fort ever!"

"Those are very nice Donna," Mama smiled, " But what if this baby is a girl, and you have a little sister? Shouldn't you draw her some nice pictures too?"

"Oh Mama, we're not having a little sister, I want a little brother, we can call him Tommy, right Mama?"

One day when the first leaves began to sprout Donna woke up to find her parents gone. Grandma was in the kitchen cooking breakfast for her and Terry. Grandma smiled kindly at Donna and told her that Mama and Daddy went to the hospital to have the baby.
"Tommy's coming today?" Donna asked.

"Your parents went to have the baby, " Grandma replied, " But they probably wont come home for a few days."

"I'm going to wait for them" Donna announced brightly.

"But Donna..."

She gobbled down her breakfast and was done before Terry finished his first waffle. He invited her to come with him and his friends fishing. She refused, determined to wait for her parents to come home with her new brother.

Donna hurried up to her room and found the little cap she had picked out at the store
" 'T' for Tommy" she smiled as she skipped down stairs. She plopped herself on the front step and waited. She waited all day. She began to wish she had gone fishing with Terry. Grandma brought her a sandwich for lunch. She sat with her as she ate it and even let her have some cookies with milk.
Terry came home a while later showing her the fish he had caught. Grandma exclaimed happily and said they would have them for supper. They went inside to clean them, Donna really wished she had gone with him now. She propped her chin in her hands and watched the street.
When Bobby Johnson cam by with Scotty, he sat and listened as she told him about how her new brother was coming home soon. Soon she would have her own little brother, just like him. Just then Daddy's car pulled in the driveway.

Donna jumped up and ran to him.
"Daddy Daddy! Where's Tommy?"

"Your Mother and Tammy are still at the hospital" He said, "They need a lot of rest before they can come home"


"Oh Daddy you’re so funny!" Donna laughed, " You just said Tammy. His name is Tommy."

"Donna, honey, Your Mama had a little girl." Daddy explained, "You have a little sister. We couldn't name a little girl Tommy so we named her Tammy instead."

"But I wanted a little brother." Donna whined," We're going to name him Tommy and I'm going to teach him how to throw a ball and swing a bat. I'll teach him how to climb trees and run fast. And we're going to build the best snow fort ever. I can’t do that with a no good rotten baby sister. Sisters are no fun!"

Daddy took her on his lap and explained;" Honey having babies are like a gum ball machine you just don't know what color you're going to get, and you get what the gumball machine gives you. I'm sorry you wanted a little brother but you have a little sister."

"But Daddy.." Donna started to whine again.

But Daddy wasn't listening. He set her down and told her that she would get used to the new sister in time. He went inside to tell Grandma and Terry.

Donna was very upset she stomped upstairs and slammed her door. She threw the little baseball cap into the box of dolls that she never played with and plopped on her bed. She sobbed into her pillow. All she wanted was a little brother and she got stuck with a no good rotten baby sister.

A few days later Mama came home. Donna stayed in her room. She had no desire to see some dumb old baby sister. She stayed there and pouted until Grandma made her come down stairs and see.
"Your Mama wants to see you." Grandma said sweetly, " She missed you so much, come on down Dear."
She slowly came down the steps and peeked into the living room. Grandma and Grandpa were there and so were her Aunts Ginny, Milly and Pat. Her uncles, Ricky, Bob and Hugh were on the porch with Daddy laughing loudly. Terry was standing next to Mama making silly noises at the baby as it peered over Mama's shoulder. Mama smiled when she saw Donna. She held out a hand to her and asked her where she had been hiding.
"Come here Darling. " She said softly, " Come and see you beautiful new sister."

As Mama shifted the baby from her shoulder to her lap, the baby spit up all over her new pajamas. Donna wrinkled her nose at this.
"She sure is messy." She commented," I'll bet a little brother wouldn't do that. Can't we trade her for a brother, who doesn't spit?"

"Donna!" Grandma scowled at her, " Don't be rude. apologize to your mother."

"Sorry Mama," she murmured.

Grandma sent her to her room to think about her bad manners. Donna stomped up the stairs and slammed the door. She plopped down on her bed and pounded her pillow.
"No good rotten messy baby sister." she grumbled.

A few days later Donna came into the living room. Mama was on the floor bent over baby Tammy changing her diaper. She had made a really stinky mess in her diaper and Donna pinched her nose, and made gagging noises.
"EEWWW! " she groaned, " She stinks! I'll bet a little brother wouldn't stink so bad. Why don't we take her back."

"That's enough Donna," Mama said not looking up, " Besides all babies do this. Here take this diaper out to Grandma. She's doing laundry in the kitchen."
In those days all diapers were made of cloth, so they had to be washed like laundry. Donna held it between two fingers and made horrible faces and gagging sounds all the way out to the kitchen.
"No good rotten smelly baby sister." she grumbled, as she ran outdoors.

Later that night when Donna was sound asleep she woke up to the sound of Baby Tammy's crying. It was so loud it made her jump. She got out of bed and stumbled over to her door. When she looked out into the hall she saw her Mama carrying the baby down the stairs crooning a lullaby. Donna yawned and went back to bed grumbling; "No good rotten noisy baby sister."

The next day she went over to Bobby Johnson's house to play. His little brother, Scotty, was there too. He followed them everywhere. He copied everything they did,. When they played baseball with the other kids; Scotty wanted to be on Bobby's team. Donna liked Scotty. She helped him hold the bat right and tried to throw the ball to him whenever she could. He was so little and he needed lots of help.

"You so lucky to have a little brother," She told Bobby, " I asked for a little brother and all I got was a no good rotten baby sister."

"Aw, he's a pest." said Bobby, "He follows me everywhere. I have to share my toys with him and let him play with my friends. And he's always picking his nose. See?"
Bobby pointed and Donna did see. Sure enough Scotty had his finger in his nose. Donna shrugged, that didn't bother her.

"I'll trade you," she suggested, "You can have my sister and Scotty can be my little brother"

"Oh, I don’t want a sister," Bobby replied, "I already have one and she's so bossy! But I will sell him to you for a quarter. I really want a quarter more than I want a brother."

Donna gave him a quarter and lead Scotty home. She held his hand when they crossed the street, and she told him all the fun things she wanted to do with him.

" Just you wait Scotty. You'll see. I'll be the best big sister ever." She told him. "I'm going to teach you how to run fast and climb trees. I'll show you how to throw a ball and swing a bat. And every winter we're going to build the best snow fort ever!"

She stopped and looked at him to see how he liked the idea. She smiled. Scotty just stared at her and then stuck his finger in his nose.
"Mama doesn't like that so just don't do it in the house. Okay?" She told him. Then she tugged on his other hand, "Come on, we're almost home."

Mama looked awful surprised when Donna explained about Scotty.
"But Donna, you can't just buy a brother"

""Sure I can." Donna reassured her, smiling, " I paid Bobby a quarter for him. He's my new brother. I don't need a baby sister. You can have her, I've got Scotty."

"You have to take him home Donna." Mama said sternly," His mother must be worried sick. I'll call her right now and let her know."

"But Mama..."

"No 'Buts'. Take him home now."

Donna walked Scotty home. Bobby couldn't play anymore today. He was in trouble for selling Scotty. Donna stomped home. Mrs. Johnson didn't even give her the quarter back. When Donna got home she plopped on the front steps and pouted. It just wasn't fair.

Just then Terry came up the walk. He was just returning from another day of fishing with his friends.

"Hi Donnie" He smiled an ruffled her hair, "What's wrong?"

He sat down and listened.

"All I wanted was a baby brother. All I got was a no good rotten baby sister. I wanted a little BROTHER. I was going to teach him how to run fast and climb trees. I would have showed him how to throw a ball and swing a bat. And always let him be on my team. And every winter we were going to build the best snow fort ever! I wanted TOMMY and all I got was TAMMY. All she does is cry and spit and cry and stink and cry. It's not fair."
Donna was in tears and crying herself by time she finished telling her big brother her sad little story. Terry tried no to laugh because he knew what she did not.
"Donnie, " He said, " All babies cry and spit and stink. Even brothers."

Donna shrugged and looked at the ground sniffing, " But I wanted a brother."

"I did too." Terry replied. " A long time ago, before you were born, I asked Mama and Dad for a little bother. All I got was a no good rotten baby sister."

"What did you do?" She asked, her eyes big.

"I taught her how to run fast and climb trees. I showed her how to throw a ball and swing a bat. She always wants to be on my team. And every winter..."

"We build the best snow fort ever." Donna finished the story with him. She smiled up at him. She thought he really was the greatest big brother in the world.

"Yea," He grinned back, " You're not too bad, for a no good rotten little sister."

They laughed together as they went inside. Donna ran up to her room and dug in the box of dolls she never played with. She pulled out the little blue cap wit a 'T' on it. Then she hurried down stairs.

She found mama in the kitchen preparing supper. Tammy was in a little basket on the table, crying loudly and waving her tiny fists. Donna stood on a chair so she could see her.

"She's so tiny, Mama" She said looking down at the pink shiny face with very little brown hair.

Mama looked at her and smiled," She'll grow. It takes time."

"Hi" She said to the baby, taking her tiny fist in her hand. "I'm your big sister. We're going to have lots of fun together."

Tammy had stopped crying. She looked up at Donna and hiccuped. Then she smiled. Donna smiled back and laughed because Tammy didn't have any teeth yet. Dona thought it was funny. Then Mama helped her put the little cap on Tammy's head.

"That's a 'T'. " Donna told her," T is for Tammy. That's you. When you get bigger I'm going to teach you all kinds of stuff. I'm going to teach you how to throw a ball and swing a bat. You can always be on my team. I'll show you how to climb trees and run fast. And in the winter we'll build the best snow fort ever!"

Do you know what?

That's just what they did.

THE END