KD Rambles, including Grandwitch thing
- Thread starter KD
- Start date
Anyway, I was used to going to school either alone, with friends, or with my brothers. My eldest brother (2.5 years senior), had poor eyesight, so we sometimes visited the Eye Man before or after school.
I had noticed that I was very good at reading upside down. None of my friends could read as well as me, and certainly not upside down! At first I didn’t think about it, but then I suddenly started being concerned that something was wrong.
So, one day, on the way to school, I thought I’d pop in and see the Eye Man for his opinion. I think I was about 5 years old.
I remember going into the place. There were rows of grownup chairs, and at the front a row of small painted chairs similar to those we had in our school. Blues, pinks and creams.
Facing these rows, lived a posh lady behind a typewriter.
I went up to her and asked to see the Eye Man. She asked me why I needed to see him. I remember saying that I was worried about my eyes. I don’t remember her asking where my Mum was
Perhaps she was used to us council kids going alone.
I had to wait on one of the little chairs, which pleased me.
When I was called in, I remember the room. Lots of books, oldish man sat behind his desk. The desk was at right angles to yet another bookcase. The room seemed quite dark. A little scary.
The Eye Man asked me why I had come to see him. I told him that I thought my eyes had been put in upside down.
One more 'chapter' to come...
I had noticed that I was very good at reading upside down. None of my friends could read as well as me, and certainly not upside down! At first I didn’t think about it, but then I suddenly started being concerned that something was wrong.
So, one day, on the way to school, I thought I’d pop in and see the Eye Man for his opinion. I think I was about 5 years old.
I remember going into the place. There were rows of grownup chairs, and at the front a row of small painted chairs similar to those we had in our school. Blues, pinks and creams.
Facing these rows, lived a posh lady behind a typewriter.
I went up to her and asked to see the Eye Man. She asked me why I needed to see him. I remember saying that I was worried about my eyes. I don’t remember her asking where my Mum was
Perhaps she was used to us council kids going alone.I had to wait on one of the little chairs, which pleased me.
When I was called in, I remember the room. Lots of books, oldish man sat behind his desk. The desk was at right angles to yet another bookcase. The room seemed quite dark. A little scary.
The Eye Man asked me why I had come to see him. I told him that I thought my eyes had been put in upside down.
One more 'chapter' to come...
Isobel1965
Gold Member
AWWWWW BLESS little baby KD - that is quite the cutest thing I've heard in a long time!!!
Darlin - you've had it so fecking rough, haven't you? Wish I could give you a big bear hug! I'm really upset about the house move bit - will you tell us more about that one day?
But for now- how did the Eye Man react to your concern?
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
They are only memories now that I've only touched on really. Still very much alive, but there is no more sadness.
I like looking back. They say that you shouldn't. You should put the past behind you. I don't want to do that. I look at the starting line, to see how far I've come
I don't look back with regret or misery. It's a part of me (not in a negative way though). By trying to blank out my past, I would lose a lot of myself.
Besides, it makes me forever grateful for what I have now.
So, I'm not looking for sympathy....it was long ago. Just telling the facts so that anyone who cares to read can understand why I happened to be going to the Eye Man on my own
I'll finish my Eye Man one first
Last edited:
It was an obvious assumption. Why else could I read so well this way?
I remember him smiling. He may well have chuckled. I felt that he was smiling because he liked the way my Mother dressed me for school. I was always clean and everything well darned and ironed Either that or he didn't have an awful wife like my Grandmother to ruin his day
So after I had told him of my symptoms, the Eye Man took a book and handed it to me upside down. He asked me to read it.
My reading was good anyway, so I read. It was just a children’s book. Nothing difficult.
He laughed again and said “you’re right…you do read very well upside down”. He then said I could go.
I was confused. Wouldn’t I need an operation to put them back the right way? He said “no….I would be fine.” My "eyes would gradually turn around the correct way as I grew older". I envisaged having to read books sideways when I was a bit older and wondered what would happen if they forgot to stop turning, if my eyes would keep revolving until I was old. I could only imagine. It was time to go.
I left and went to school.
After school, it seemed that the whole world knew what I had done. My brothers teased me for years about it
It was only when I was relating this story to a student’s parent that it occurred to me I had probably made the Eye Man’s day. I can imagine him now coming out of his dark room and telling the receptionist what I had said.
I can imagine others in the waiting room overhearing….laughing…going home and telling each other. That’s how my brothers had found out
It’s funny because I had never thought about it until the other night. I never wondered how they knew what I had done. Then suddenly it all became clear. He must have thought it was hilarious
Neither of us could stop laughing when I related it. I kept thinking Doh!!
I remember him smiling. He may well have chuckled. I felt that he was smiling because he liked the way my Mother dressed me for school. I was always clean and everything well darned and ironed
Either that or he didn't have an awful wife like my Grandmother to ruin his day So after I had told him of my symptoms, the Eye Man took a book and handed it to me upside down. He asked me to read it.
My reading was good anyway, so I read. It was just a children’s book. Nothing difficult.
He laughed again and said “you’re right…you do read very well upside down”. He then said I could go.
I was confused. Wouldn’t I need an operation to put them back the right way? He said “no….I would be fine.” My "eyes would gradually turn around the correct way as I grew older". I envisaged having to read books sideways when I was a bit older and wondered what would happen if they forgot to stop turning, if my eyes would keep revolving until I was old. I could only imagine. It was time to go.
I left and went to school.
After school, it seemed that the whole world knew what I had done. My brothers teased me for years about it
It was only when I was relating this story to a student’s parent that it occurred to me I had probably made the Eye Man’s day. I can imagine him now coming out of his dark room and telling the receptionist what I had said.
I can imagine others in the waiting room overhearing….laughing…going home and telling each other. That’s how my brothers had found out
It’s funny because I had never thought about it until the other night. I never wondered how they knew what I had done. Then suddenly it all became clear. He must have thought it was hilarious
Neither of us could stop laughing when I related it. I kept thinking Doh!!
I think back in our time children were treated like that, it was common place...it was only when American television started up and you had the likes of the Brady Bunch that anyone thought it could be or might be different.
Times have changed and in a lot of ways regarding children I feel for the better.
There was a sally rod, wooden spoon, belt or fist used on most kids growing up, nobody thought different as far as I could see.
You got belted at home and then went to school and got belted again and came home and told about what happened at school and got belted for getting belted in the first place...it was never ending.
You do tell an excellent story Karion and I am glad that you do not let the past effect you now, but it is so true that in order to appreciate what we have today we have to see how far we have come.
Love Mini xxx
Times have changed and in a lot of ways regarding children I feel for the better.
There was a sally rod, wooden spoon, belt or fist used on most kids growing up, nobody thought different as far as I could see.
You got belted at home and then went to school and got belted again and came home and told about what happened at school and got belted for getting belted in the first place...it was never ending.
You do tell an excellent story Karion and I am glad that you do not let the past effect you now, but it is so true that in order to appreciate what we have today we have to see how far we have come.
Love Mini xxx
It certainly was much more common place. Thrashings anyway. I was only ever caned at school. Never had the belt there.
At home anything could happen. Controlled punishments were anything from belt to being locked in the coal shed for a day or two, with just water. Didn't even get the bread
The fear was the rages. I remember my head and face being bandaged. I couldn't breathe. I remember the panic. My sin? I came home excitedly about something and wanted to tell my Mum about it. She was putting washing on the line, and I ran up the garden and called her "Mum! Mum!"
That was the sin. Confusing eh. I raised my voice in public. Another one was being punished for being home on time. Yes. You've read that correctly. Being home on time.
I had been told to come home for 5:30. I got home at exactly 5:30. My mothers reasoning was that I kept it so close to the time, that if I had tripped on the path I would have been late. It was only luck that I hadn't tripped, so I deserved the punishment.
I would have been given the same punishment for coming home more that a couple of minutes early too. If I had been told to come in at 5:30, then she meant 5:30....not 5:25. I couldn't win really
It was just like that all the time. You just didn't know what was going to happen. What you might have done wrong...what punishment she might think of next.
So Mini. Was it like this for everyone? I know my DH had a different life to me. It also seemed much safer when I was in foster care and my foster brothers and sisters didn't seem to live in fear. They liked going home after school.
Of course, there were those worse off than me. Take my friend Pauline (okay...her name wasn't Pauline
). It had occurred to me that my Mother might end up killing me. Really killing me. That wasn't as bad as Pauline. We knew her Father was going to kill her. The question on our minds was 'when'. not 'if'.
Isobel1965
Gold Member
Erm - sounds to me, darling that your mum had serious mental health problems and was a very unhappy woman. I think the lighter note is that you grew up to be a warm, loving woman who cares passionately about justice and the welfare of other people.
Perhaps you wouldn't be the amazing person that you are, if you'd had a more 'normal' childhood??
My Lord - they do say that what doesn't kill us makes us stronger - you must be strong, like bull, sweetheart!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Perhaps you wouldn't be the amazing person that you are, if you'd had a more 'normal' childhood??
My Lord - they do say that what doesn't kill us makes us stronger - you must be strong, like bull, sweetheart!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Aww thanks Issy.
The last thing that I want this thread to turn into is an invitation to a pity party. That's not what it's about.
I've already managed to knock the audience down to two of you
So the reason for posting is
a) Tis a bit of therapy for me I admit
b) If I don't say the 'bad' bit, it's hard to understand how I could be in these situations in the first place.
c) I want to give you a laugh. Okay...I find the little events funny to look back on
Oh..yes...you're right on the mental illness. She wasn't exactly stable, but that's beside the point.
Was funny about the Eye Man wasn't it. Bless me See...skilled at something
The last thing that I want this thread to turn into is an invitation to a pity party. That's not what it's about.
I've already managed to knock the audience down to two of you
So the reason for posting is
a) Tis a bit of therapy for me I admit
b) If I don't say the 'bad' bit, it's hard to understand how I could be in these situations in the first place.
c) I want to give you a laugh. Okay...I find the little events funny to look back on
Oh..yes...you're right on the mental illness. She wasn't exactly stable, but that's beside the point.
Was funny about the Eye Man wasn't it. Bless me
See...skilled at something
Isobel1965
Gold Member
Hun - a 'pity party' is that last thing that this thread is! I love reading about your life - you write it so well. (I bet there are loads of people reading but who aren't posting!!)
And anyhoo - writing stuff for therapy is good. I do it all the time!!
And boy, girl - you do make me laugh (and cry). See - that's talent, that is!!!
WRITE A BOOK!!!!!
Go on, do it now!!!
And anyhoo - writing stuff for therapy is good. I do it all the time!!
And boy, girl - you do make me laugh (and cry). See - that's talent, that is!!!
WRITE A BOOK!!!!!
Go on, do it now!!!
You are a card A real ace.
My head is spinning with what to tell you next LOL
The day they moved home and didn't tell me
Life in the convent
The escape to London to rent a flat (aged 8 I think )
My Grandfathers banjo
The list goes on Aye...another day...
Thanks for reading Signing off this thread until next time
A real ace.My head is spinning with what to tell you next LOL
The day they moved home and didn't tell me
Life in the convent
The escape to London to rent a flat (aged 8 I think
)My Grandfathers banjo
The list goes on
Aye...another day...Thanks for reading
Signing off this thread until next time
Flow?? Am I supposed to have a flow?
Okay. I do. Out through my hands on the board. Don't stop to think, just type and it all comes out.
I suppose if I was writing a book, then I'd have to plan it, put it in order, check grammar.
This way I can just put down a mish mash of thoughts as they come, which is why I end up going miles from topic and make a 2 minute story last 5 days
Anyway, thank you for owning up to reading it. I don't feel so embarrassed now
Brad0053
Silver Member
chicken on a mission
Restarting to lose 4stone
I'm a big fan too karion. So much so that I am thinking of getting my pom poms out and shaking them in your face
