Stacey Kessler

In 1975, we moved from 1319 Corwall in Topeka to 3800 SE 25th Street in the Shawnee Heights area. We were walking distance from the grade school. I walked most days. My best friend, Amy Domme, lived right down the street. We spent a lot of time riding bikes, swimming, making “water babies” out of balloons, playing with my dollhouse, having fashion shows and telling each other scary stories.

My first memory was of my little brother being born. I was pissed. I remember sitting on my dad’s lap crying….send him back! My first pangs of jealousy. I wasn’t the littlest or the cutest anymore.

I also remember from a very young age wanting to be an artist. So much so that I had a big blank wall in my room that was the perfect canvas. I had this cute little yellow step stool too. I loaded up my crayon apron, stepped up on the yellow stool and began coloring on my canvas. It was glorious. My parents were out that night and my Aunt Mar was babysitting me. She walked in to the room with her friend Pat, saw what I did and said, “My, you are quite the artist, Stacey.” I replied, “I know I am.” 🙂

Fast forward to kindergarten round-up. Part of the enrollment was taking an eye test. I had been watching too much Little House on the Prairie and had watched the episode where Mary went blind. Apparently I thought it would be cool to fake being blind at kindergarten round-up. They let me in anyway.

In Kindergarten, I remember my teacher, Ms. Riviera, was very beautiful. She taught us so many things. I tired really hard to be a perfect kid, but I was a bit of a rebel. I held the scissors the wrong way way, with the pointy part facing out while I was walking. I accidentally stabbed Ms. Riviera in the thigh. She was not pleased. After a good cry, I’m sure I went back to eating Play Dough. That was a big no-no…but I really enjoyed the the salty deliciousness.

My parents had all my little kindergarten friends over for my 5th birthday. I was a rather up-tight child (really, I was, despite the stories above) and I was very upset because the house was a mess and my mom was drinking beer about 20 minutes before my friends were to arrive. I was crying and very stressed out. I was wearing my long dress with a patchwork quit design with ruffles. It was my Little House on the Prairie dress and I thought it was beautiful.

Let’s just start at the beginning. It was kind of hard getting into this world. I was born breach. I went to a psychic one time. She told me she knew I had been born breach and the reason why is because I didn’t want to be born into this world. I came in to this world backwards and with difficulty. She told me my whole life would be plagued with “not quite fitting in” and “doing things the hard way.” Sometimes it does feel that way. 🙂

My parents couldn’t agree on my name. If I was a boy, I would have been named Jeff. My dad’s older sister “stole” the name Jeff and gave my cousin that name about 10 days before I was born. Luckily, I was a girl. However, would my name be Roxanne, Michelle, or Stacey? My dad really wanted Roxanne. My mom wasn’t having it….Anyone remember the Police song called Roxanne? Haha. Stacey won out.

I really like the name Stacey. It’s kind of a 1970s cheerleader name. And then of course there is the song called “Stacey’s Mom” by Fountains of Wayne…..Stacey’s Mom has got it going on….which will be sung at my Mom’s funeral. BTW, her name is Karen.