the river | e. roundtree

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THE RISE OF KATHRYN SUMMERS
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Kathryn Summers: Where should I start?

Interviewer: What was your childhood like?
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Kathryn Summers grew up on a farm. Her entire childhood consisted of riding on the back of her fathers quad, helping him with the farm duties. By the age of 8 she knew how to milk a cow, how to clean the pigs pen. She learnt how to shear the sheep. Kathryn would wake up and collect eggs for her mother.

Her mother, Maria, grew up in California. She hadn't ever planned on moving away, being isolated from society, until she met Fred, Kathryn's father, who had always lived on this farm.

Farming wasn't the only thing Fred had taught Kathryn, he also showed her how to play guitar. They'd play every night by the fire, he'd teach Kathryn different cords and riffs, teach her how to play his favourite songs.

Kathryn's life was simple. She loved the farm and one day, when it was her time, she planned on taking over. That was until she was 12 and her father got sick. Maria tried to nurse him back to health, but a year later, right after Kathryn's 13th birthday, Fred passed away. Leaving Maria to make a decision.

Maria couldn't handle the farm on her own. She never was a hands on girl, she didn't like cleaning the pigs pen or milking the cows. So, despite Kathryn's protests, she sold the farm, packed everything up and moved back to California.

"I can look after the farm, mom," Kathryn pleaded, watching her mother as she packed the last of their things inside the moving truck. "Please. I can do it, dad showed me how," Kathryn's eyes began to tear up, watching as the roller door shut and the truck drove off.

"Kathryn, you are a child. You need to be focused on your education, not the farm," Maria sighed, wishing her daughter would understand.

Kathryn cried the entire drive to California, cursing her mother for ripping her dreams away from her.

Kathryn enrolled in a new school, she made new friends. As the years went on the farm was pushed further and further into the back of her mind, until eventually she didn't really think about it at all. Kathryn focused all her energy into her guitar. If she wasn't at school or with her friends, she was playing guitar.

Kathryn met a man named Tom Rhodes when she was 17. He was 10 years older than her, an aspiring actor. Kathryn listened to every word he said to her, she wanted Tom's approval. So when Tom suggested she should start busking around The Sunset Strip, Kathryn agreed.

All the profits she made went into Tom's pocket, she willingly gave him the money. Tom told her he needed it to help fund his acting career and Kathryn wanted to see him succeed, so she palmed off every cent she earned to Tom.

Karen Sirko, the pianist of a band called The Six, was on the strip one day when Kathryn was. Karen noticed her before anyone else did and tugged on Billy Dunne's sleeve. Billy Dunne was the lead singer of The Six and he was impressed with Kathryn's guitar skills.

"We could use a rhythmic guitarist," Karen said, as they both stood back, listening to Kathryn.

Billy was the first to approach Kathryn, tossing a dollar bill in her guitar case. Kathryn thanked him, expecting him to walk away like most people did, but instead he stayed, listening to her until she finished the song.