Zippy Listening

There haven’t been many audiobooks out lately that have captured my attention. By sheer good luck I picked up Haven Kimmel’s A Girl Named Zippy. I had been meaning to get around to it for awhile and I finally ran out of audiobooks when the Zippy CD was in. Wow, what was I waiting for???? What a delightful memoir of growing up in small town Indiana during the early 1960’s. It brings back many memories no matter where you grew up. Remember the days when you could hardly wait to get out on your bike and explore the world? And sleepovers where sleeping was the last thing on your mind; hysterical giggling could not be stopped by any number of hissed whispers from annoyed family members. Listening to Doctor Demento, and playing favorite record albums over and over and over again, remember record albums for that matter? Zippy’s happy world is peopled by her beautiful sister Lindy, her obsessive father, her mother who spends her days reading science fiction on the couch, a distant idolized older brother, a peculiar cross-eyed cat called PeeDink, a pet chicken, her friend Julie the fearless farm girl, Dana, the arrogant, exotic girl from California, Rose the perfect, Edythe the strange old lady across the street who hates her, and a crotchety pharmacist amongst other original, charming characters.

Her second memoir, She Got Up Off the Couch, tells the story of how Zippy’s mother finally liberated herself and began going to college. It is just as full of clear- eyedobservations, amusing stories, and unique characters as the first book. Part of the fun of the Zippy experience is in listening to the author’s sweet girlish voice relating her adventures. By the end of the first audiobook that joyful, funny voice will seem like an old friend. If you are not a fan of audiobooks it is well worth reading the two books. They include photos of Zippy and her family which add a whole other dimension to the stories.

For your enjoyment, here is a classic conversation between Zippy and her mother after Lindy mischievously tells Zippy she was adopted.

‘…I jumped up and ran straight in the house to my mother, who was sitting in her corner of the couch, which by this time was a total nest. She was reading Isaac Asimov, the love of her life, and eating popcorn from the night before.

I skidded to a stop in front of her and gave her a look of hardest accusation. Without looking up at me she said, “You should brush that worm stuff off before you come in the house.”

“As if that matters! How could you not tell me I was adopted?! Don’t you think I have a right to know? And who were my real parents anyway?” I was trying to be mature, but periodically spit flew.

“Gypsies, honey.” She still had not looked up from Isaac Asimov Explains the Whole of Reality and Then Some.

“Gypsies? Really? This was somewhat compelling. I sat down.

“Yes, I thought we managed a very wise trade.”

“Gypsies? In Moreland?”

“They were just passing through. We heard them long before they arrived, because their horses and their wagons are all covered with bells. It’s quite lovely. And they were led into town by a pack of wolves, who, during the full moon, stand up and preach.” She looked up for a moment, remembering. “They were such a sight.”

There were at least forty-two questions I needed to ask, but only one that mattered. "What did you trade for me?"