No One of Consequence

Dear Everyone Who Ever Made Fun of Me Regarding the Children’s Book “Pat the Bunny”,

First, some history: I realized in my late teens that when I was a child, I had misunderstood the title of one of my favorite children’s books, “Pat the Bunny”. I was reading said beloved book to a child, and it dawned on me that when I was little, I thought that “Pat” was the bunny’s name. I was teased mercilessly—mostly by my sainted mother, but also by anyone else to whom I openly admitted my mistake.

I had decent justification: other character names like “Kermit the Frog” and “Winnie the Pooh”, (although, admittedly the latter only served to bring up further questions as to just what, exactly, is a “Pooh” and is Winnie actually one?); as well as the fact that I—and everyone I knew—would say “PET” the bunny, just as you would pet a dog.

However, the taunting did not cease, and I began to accept that no one would ever understand the beautifully tragic confusion between myself and the young children in the book who loved to stroke the bunny’s soft fur, and try on Mommy’s ring, and feel Daddy’s scratchy face. It was a connection I shared with my illustrated young friends, Paul and Judy, and apparently no one else on Earth…

Until now!

Recently, at the local Renaissance Festival, I noticed a vendor’s booth with a large banner reading “Pat the Garlic Lady”… Oh, yes, dear reader, I shall be redeemed!
I spotted the banner, and the booth, and the lady inside, and I flung out my arm to stop my companion and cried out, “LOOK!”
He, of course, was not yet aware of my validating epiphany, and asked if I wanted to stop to shop there.
“No!” I sputtered, “Look at the name of the booth! Read the banner!!!”
“…Pat the Garlic Lady…” he read, confounded.
“And I suppose that ‘Pat’ is the ‘Garlic Lady’s’ first name?” I countered, my pride building.
“I would assume so…” he agreed, somewhat suspicious of my enthusiasm.
“And,” I said with authority, “If I went into that booth and proceeded to stroke the lady named Pat, I would probably be arrested, would I not?!”
This received no answer, but only a bewildered look.
“So!” I continued, undaunted, “The banner reading ‘Pat the Garlic Lady’ is informing us that the business consists of a ‘Garlic Lady’ who happens to be named ‘Pat’, and is NOT, in fact, inviting us to physically pat the ‘Garlic Lady’!”
“…Yes.”
“And, thus, thinking the Bunny’s name was Pat totally made sense!”

I HAVE BEEN VINDICATED!!!

…To one person… In a very specific situation… But, that, my friends, is why I am recounting the tale to you—that my vindication and validation may be spread far and wide across the Internet!… Or at least to the friends and family who have given me such a hard time. I would accept that, too.

*Kara Joy is not an editor, children’s author, nor a true ‘Rennie’. She is an actor and artist who appreciates children’s literature, visiting Renaissance Faires, and justifying old arguments. She is also a writer’s daughter and likes to write about things that she’s passionate about, like “Pat the Bunny”, for instance, and the many bastardizations of “Goodnight, Moon.” You can tweet at her @AnamKaraJoy.

**Kara would also like to thank Pat the Garlic Lady, whom she has not met, for unknowingly settling a score many years in the making.

http://www.randomhouse.com/golden/patthebunny/story.html

#@anamkarajoy #patthebunny #patthegarliclady #vindication