Mean as Nellie Olsen

Our family has a great Sunday tradition. In the afternoon, after church and lunch and naps (Our other Sunday traditions) we watch “The Little House on the Prairie”. We own the entire set series all thirty thousand or so episodes. The story as I can tell follows a little girl “Laura” through her life on the prairie where she lives in a town full of dear friends and those unfortunate enough to guest star. (They are as doomed as the unaccredited extras from the original “Star Trek”)
Of course, no little girl’s life is complete without a rival, a nemesis. Laura’s adversary through the entire show is a spoiled brat named Nellie Olsen. Nellie seems to have only one purpose in life, to terrorize Laura and make herself look like a bumbling nincompoop in the process. The other day as I was getting ready to go out to check the animals water Naithen stopped me and remarked thoughtfully “Mikaela, you are mean.” (This was totally random. I had not said anything to Naithen all morning, so he wasn’t even mad at me) “You are as mean as Nellie Olsen.” (This child (age 6) sees life through TV shows and books. It appears to be his only connection to reality) I considered the remark briefly. How should I react? Anger? No, that is what Nellie would do. Laughter? I chose denial.
“No I am not.”
Naithen raised an eyebrow in reply.“You are pretty mean.”
“Yeah, but I am smart about being mean. I think a little bit. And I don’t whine as much.”
“Yeah.” Naithen considered that for a moment; clearly remember the last episode he had watched of his beloved TV show. “If a bull ran at YOU, you would probably just grab it by its horns and throw it on the ground. Not run away like Nellie Olsen.”
So there you have it. I am mean. I am mean like Nellie Olsen, but like Nellie Olsen if she could wrestle down a slobbering ton of horned beef.