Just a Girl

When Fio was in the eighth grade, she scored highest in her junior high on the  history contest sponsored by the Daughters of the American Revolution, although, unbeknownst to all, she had picked up most of what she knew from reading her mother's historical novels rather than studying her textbook. Whatever, she picked up a nice gold medal that she unfortunately lost five years later when she and her future husband were taking a walk through an Austin local park. But what she didn't lose was the memory of being on the radio with the history winners from Waco's other three junior highs.

Fio expected an interview sort of set-up or maybe a discussion in which she and her fellow history buffs talked about--well, American history--but instead, they were all handed a script.  The other three winners, all male, were to talk about historical figures like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson while Fiorella was supposed to pop up with a pert reminder of Betsy Ross, which, in some way she didn't understand, made her feel less than herself. But then, she was just a girl.