Getting Even by Audrey Corn My little sister, Jennie, committed an unpardonable crime. She read my diary. Back in the 1940s, when Jennie and I were growing up in Brooklyn, N.Y., parents were not afraid to teach their children right from wrong. Mama gave Jennie a good tongue-lashing, and when Papa came home from work, he said Jennie couldn't go to the picture shows for a whole month. Jennie cried bitterly when she found she'd be missing both Judy Garland and Margaret O'Brien in Meet Me in St. Louis. I was glad for Jennie's punishments but they didn't ease the hurt. Jennie had read about my secret crush on Victor L., and I vowed to get even with her if it was the last thing I ever did. I bided my time until Auntie's party on Sunday. Auntie was very young. She'd married Uncle the minute he came home from the war and now she wanted to make a good impression on his family. I already loved this charming new aunt. She was sweet-tempered and generous, and she treated children like they really mattered. But I wasn't thinking about Auntie when I grabbed the seat beside Jennie at the dinner table. Cousin Emmy was sitting on Jennie's other side. The two of them were telling knock-knock jokes and for awhile they paid no attention to me. This suited me just fine. Earlier that morning, I'd sneaked into Mama's garden and collected a bunch of ants inside a Good 'n' Plenty box. Jennie was scared stiff of bugs, but I hardly minded them at all. Now I pulled out my candy box. The next time Jennie faced around to speak to Cousin Emmy, I gave the box a quick shake over Jennie's mashed potatoes. When my sister turned back to her dinner, she took one look and let out a shriek that would have awakened the dead. Conversation stopped. Several relatives, including Auntie, leaped from their chairs and crowded around my sister. Mama was first on the scene. In a flash, she grabbed Jennie's dish and ran to the door. Auntie followed right behind Mama. When the two returned, Mama tried to make light of the situation. Auntie, however, looked heartsick. "I don't have bugs in my kitchen," she pleaded. "Of course you don't have bugs!" Mama soothed. The other relatives sympathized with my young aunt and added their own words of comfort. But Auntie could not be consoled. I felt dreadful. I'd wanted to get even with Jennie, not hurt Auntie. Mama's eyes rested briefly on me and I knew she had guessed my thoughts. I looked away. A moment later, my mother's voice cut through the hubbub. "I've figured out how those ants got onto Jennie's plate. They're my fault," she said. Mama had everyone's attention! She went on. "I thought fresh-cut roses would look mighty pretty on the dinner table so I picked some. But when I set them out, I saw they had ants. Naturally, I threw them in the garbage." Mama drew a deep sigh. "I was too late. The damage was done." I stared open-mouthed at my mother. We hadn't picked flowers for Auntie! But Mama's confession had the desired effect. Auntie's guests calmed down and soon the room echoed again with happy voices and laughter. Only Papa, Jennie, Auntie and I knew Mama had fibbed. I dreaded going home after the party. Whatever punishments awaited me, they weren't going to be pleasant. But Mama didn't mention the ants and the longer she stayed silent, the guiltier I felt. Maybe Mama knew that a spanking would bring me absolution. Maybe she sensed that once I "paid" for my crime, I would cease to repent. It took me better than two weeks before I could look Auntie in the eye. I didn't like living with a guilty conscience, but whippings hurt even worse. So the next time I got into trouble, I hoped Mama would rely once more on my conscience. However, Mama was nobody's fool. She quoted me Grandma's favorite adage about spare the rod and spoil the child. Then she gave me a first-rate licking. Our parents made sure we learned right from wrong back in the Good Old Days.