Oh dear, perhaps this was an ill thought out post on reflection. I too had some rather shocking experiences at school, however to open painful memories of others was not why I started this post.
This was meant to be light hearted but I appear to have opened a can of worms for some on here. Sincere apologies to those as this was not my intent.
Saltydog.
Oh dear, perhaps this was an ill thought out post on reflection. I too had some rather shocking experiences at school, however to open painful memories of others was not why I started this post.
This was meant to be light hearted but I appear to have opened a can of worms for some on here. Sincere apologies to those as this was not my intent.
Saltydog.
wooden spoon
Funny, I posted in a different thread about a surreal and slightly comical altercation I had with my dad in my late teens involving some flying fruit, but this thread does rekindle a darker memory.
He was, and is, a funny character my dad. An absolutely top bloke in his heart, but beneath all that was an angry, sinister alter ego that would suddenly emerge from nowhere and unleash all hell. He's an old man now and that side of him has seemingly calmed with retirement, but even now I struggle to wrap my head around the duality of his personality when I was growing up. One moment, best dad in the world. The next, worst dad in the world.
Nothing quite captures that better than a weekend back in June 1996, a few weeks after my 11th birthday when I had received what remains my most treasured gift of my childhood - two tickets to watch England and Switzerland at Wembley, the opening game of Euro 96. To this day I don't know how he got them, but that's the kind of thing he'd do - he'd find a way to do anything for me when it came to football.
It remains one of the best days of my life, even though the game was shít. The excitement of getting up early and heading down from the industrial north to the big smoke on the train. He was always a worrier, so I think we arrived at the foot of Wembley Way about 10am ahead of the 3pm kick-off. Despite the enormity of the occasion we were practically the only ones there so early and so we were able to walk up Wembley Way in the sunshine on our own as he recounted stories of his old man taking him to cup finals in the 50's when cup finals were well and truly 'proper'. It was fúcking magical - just people watching as the atmosphere gradually built in the run up to the game.
The game was forgettable, certainly the least entertaining of England's Euro 96 campaign, but none of that mattered. I was at fúcking Wembley, watching fúcking England, with my fúcking dad. I could write a book about that day, I remember it so well.
Regrettably, I remember the following day incredibly well as well. I even remember the fact that it all began as I was watching another dour Euro 96 fixture - Spain v Bulgaria. Just me and my dad in the living room, chilling. My mum and sister were out. Then dad got a call from work - he always got wound up when he got a call from work, particularly if it happened on a weekend or during the night. That was that, but then I must have done something that angered him, I don't remember what but I don't think it was anything significant, and wow, did he unleash hell.
There was a scuffle, I made it as far as the hallway, but then came the slipper. And again. And again. Thwack. Thwack. Thwack. Shorts pulled down for maximum impact, I don't know how long it lasted for but it felt relentless. I don't know this for certain but I think I may have blacked out at one point. I couldn't move. He left me in the hallway and went back to watch the football like nothing had happened.
Mum was horrified when she got home. My arse was in tatters, like some kind of squashed plum. After a couple of days the bruises began to run the full length of my legs, so I wasn't able to do PE at school for a couple of weeks until they had dissipated. Worst beating I ever had, and if it taught me anything it's that I never want to treat my own kids like that, no matter what. And they don't half try my patience at times.
It's odd really, it's quite a strange relationship to have had and to have with your dad. If he had been an ******** my entire childhood, a full on binary dickhead, then it's quite easy to process. But my very best and worst childhood memories are practically all thanks to my dad. It's emotionally confuddling to say the least.
Anyway, therapy session over!
I think that you consciously go one way or the other after experiencing an aggressive parent or smacker. Aggression can include non physical intimidation or control.
Either carry on in that exact vein, as our parents did ... it was what they knew as kids.
Or completely desist with your own kids. It was natural to me to be far kinder to mine.
I know through family that my Dad (now in his 80’s) remembers and regrets a few key occasions where he completely unjustly used his hands. I remember those incidents too. A 13 stone man who could ‘look after himself’ in any situation, in the moment, struck offspring half his size.
If I hear a mouthy parent or grandparent aggressively f’ing and blinding at their nippers in a supermarket, I feel sorry for those younguns.