|
... Bob Cowsill admits that he steals clothes when nobody's looking! No, don't take that wrong. It's not that he actually goes out and steals things. But you see, in a family that's as large as The Cowsills, things tend to get a bit mixed up. Bob often looks into his dresser drawer and finds it empty - no socks, no shirts - empty! Then Bob goes into action. He waits till all his brothers have left the house. Then he goes sneaking into their drawers - stealing back what rightfully belongs to him!
... Bill Cowsill, whose best subject has always been English, likes to write when there isn't anyone around to disturb him. Of course, he often finds it difficult to locate a quiet corner - where there aren't any C's peeping over his shoulder! But he usually succeeds. That's when Bill really expresses himself. His creative mind gives vent to poetry, stories and his most intimate thoughts. Now that he's a musical Cowsill, Bill has been writing a great deal of music, too. And the exciting part is that it's actually been published. This is quite an amazing feat for a young guy like Bill. He's so proud of it that he's been doing more and more writing - when nobody's looking, natch!
... If there was ever a born practical joker, Barry Cowsill is just that! He's constantly teasing ... and playing jokes on his family and friends. In fact, any of The C's will tell you that it's mighty dangerous to leave brother Barry alone — 'cause that's when he really goes into action. The minute the family takes its eyes off him, he's busy putting frogs into beds, setting booby-traps and leaving everyone a special little surprise from Barry. He gets away with it, too! When Barry's face lights up with one of his so-charming smiles, it's just impossible to stay mad at him!
... The littlest male Cowsill, John, would like to be able to fly more than anything in this world! He's constantly eyeing the sky and wishing he could flap his arms and fly with the birds. Of course, his family knows about his way-out dream. They all think it's cute! But no one takes him too seriously. That's 'cause John only tries to fly when there isn't anyone around to see him. He sneaks off into the woods around his house and he tries his hardest to fly. He hasn't gotten off the ground, yet. But knowing John, it's just possible that someday, maybe someday, he will!
... Bob Cowsill's a secret doodler. He confessed that he can just sit for hours and hours drawing all kinds of little designs and pictures which mean absolutely nothing. If someone should happen to walk in on him when he's doodling, he covers them right up. Of course, his family wouldn't dream of peeking - they respect his privacy. Still, they're curious to see some of Bob's handiwork. But he's not showing it to a soul. For the time being, eveyone will just have to be content to know that Bob is a secret doodler. And, who knows, someday it just might be discovered that he's another Van Gogh!
... You'll never meet a neater person than Bill Cowsill. He goes absolutely out of his head when he can't find things. So he's careful about everything being in its proper place. The rest of The Cowsill crew teases him by calling him Mr. Clean. So now Bill only goes on his cleaning sprees when there's no one around to see him. Then he gets busy cleaning out closets, drawers and shelves — making sure that everything is just where he wants it to be!
... Barry Cowsill admits that he's a sneak "music-singer-a-long-with." That is, if he's by himself in a restaurant with a juke-box or in an elevator with piped-in music, he sings along. But he gets very embarrassed if anyone sees him doing this. So before he bursts forth into tune, he looks around, or if people look very busy and involved, he sings!
... There's a long story behind another of John Cowsill's secret "occupations" — that goes like this ... John once saved his allowance for six weeks and bought a monkey which he named Clyde. It was when The C's were very, very poor, and it was in the middle of Winter. Their huge home was freezing cold — because there was no heat. Poor Clyde couldn't survive the cold of the big, old house and he died the very next morning after John got him. It was a tragic event that none of The C's will ever forget — especially John. Clyde was buried on the property in back of their house. Very often he goes all by himself to visit Clyde's grave. He sheds some of his precious little boy tears, places some flowers on the little tombstone and then leaves. John has never told anyone about his visits to Clyde. It's sort-of a private thing that he wants to do — when nobody's looking!
|
