Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 





   true story...





   Featherweight

   by Valeska





   There was a big family gathering.  I think it was my father's birthday
party.  We have a large family, both my parents have a got a lot siblings
so the room was filled with uncles and aunts.  Most of them hadn't seen me
in a while so I got a lot of these annoying sentences like "look how or
little girl has grown", or the even more annoying pinches in the cheek.  I
was 11 years by the time, and I wondered if ever a child at any age would
have liked that.

   One of my uncles I liked very much though.  He was my mother's older
brother.  He wasn't married or had children of his own, which was very
unusual in our family.  I supposed he saw something like his substitute
child in me, and he treated me accordingly.  My uncle lifted me up to hug
me.

   "My god you are still light as a feather.  Are your parents giving you
anything to eat at all?"

   He was just teasing of course, my mother is a wonderful cook, but the
energetic child that I was burned every calorie that was stuffed into her.

   "I do weigh 66 lbs already." I said it kind of with pride, as this were
the days when 11 year old were not already anorexic.

   "Can't be, when have you last weighed yourself?"

   "Uhm...  last week."

   "Then go cheek again...  I'll bet you a candy bar that you don't weigh
more than 65 lbs now."

   "OK."

   With a smile I went upstairs, in best hopes to win the bet.  The scales
were in the bathroom, it was an old model with a dial moving as you stepped
on it.  For fun I would jump on it hard to try to get it to hit the maximum
of 240 lbs.  Standing still it would show much less that day, but enough to
win me a candy bar.

   Satisfied I announced the result to my uncle: "67 lbs."

   "Really?  Can't be!  Did you get on that scale wearing those shoes and
that pretty dress of yours?"

   "Uhm...  sure.  Why?"

   "Because they weigh at least 4 lbs, so you are only 64 lbs, you lose."

   "No!  I'll prove it to you."

   I heard my uncle laughing loud as he had managed to upset me again and I
run off back to the bathroom.  I couldn't deny a certain logic in his words
though, my clothes must way something, the question was only how much.  So
back in the bathroom I took off my shoes and my socks, took off my dress,
and my panties.  Completely nude I nervously got back on the scale, and
waited with big eyes for the new result.

   Excited by the result I run back downstairs and triumphantly exclaimed:

   "66 lbs.  Even nude!"

   To prove my point I didn't redress.  So at 11 years of age, but without
any signs of womanhood, I am standing completely naked in a room with about
30 of my parents friends and relatives.  The noisy room that was filled
with chatter and laughter turned dead silent within the blink of an eye. 
Everyone was staring at me.  But still blessed with childish innocence, I
didn't think anything about it.  My uncle was the first one to regain his
voice.

   "That's great dear.  You win."

   Joyfully I left and walked back up the stairs to get dressed again.  As
I returned nobody talked to me about what had happened.  Looking back I
guess they had no other topic though when I had left the room.  What weird
child my parents must have raised.

   My uncle gave me a candy bar, and we talked a little more.

   "You know, if you like you could spend the summer holidays at my farm."

   I really liked my uncle.




   :: end ::