I was only at this country school for grades 1 and 2, but that was long enough for me to know I didn't want and wasn't ready to go elsewhere. Little did I know the upheaval that was coming.
Even though school, for me was no picnic, I had made 3 friends. My first friend was named Pam. She was shorter than me and had no one else to play with in the playground, and I guess we just floated until we connected. Actually I believe the reason she was alone was somewhat different. My mother usually made me lunch for school, the usual sanga, bickie, and sometimes a boiled egg. I loved those eggs. She would wrap it up in foil and I would gleefully unwrap it and take off the shell and then munch on it. One day Pam was watching me and then she asked me if she could have my egg. Cheek of some peoples kids. I said no. Then she said something about her father. (I found out later when I told my family what happened, and they said he was some big shot somewhere.) I still said no. Then she changed my mind. Out of her lunch box she took a small square package, I mean small. It was a packet of chewing gum. In those days you could get a pack of 4 pieces I think and they were different colours, and tasted yummy. When I saw that my mind was in turmoil. Pam was undoing it and making a big deal and at the same time looking at my egg. The she said "If you like we could swap. I have your egg and you have my chewy" I thought it sounded ok, We had a heap of chickens at home and were rarely out of eggs, the chewy on the other , I didn't ever get. I agreed. We swapped. I put a piece of chewy into my mouth and chewed. Yummy. She took a bite of my egg, and said yummy. We continued in friendly munching. She finished the egg and I finished the chewy. I thought all was well. I left the lunch room to go pee. When I came back, the teacher was there and Pam was in tears, falling apart. I ran up to console my friend and make whatever happened less traumatic. The teacher turned to ,me and said "Pamela tells me you stole her lunch." What the heck? "I didn't" I began to cry and I tried to make the teacher understand what happened, but she didn't care about what I was trying to say. I got into trouble and my FRIEND got off looking like a poor little princess. Some times friends can be so mean and nasty, or just plain a holes. Needless to say our friendship was OVA!
Then there was Beth. She was lonely and so was I. I know most of my sisters had friends, so they didn't want me hanging around. So when Beth and I found each other it was grand. She was a happy girl and we had loads of fun at school. She used to catch a different bus to me and we would hug each other before climbing on board our respective buses, and couldn't wait to find each other the next day. Sometimes she didn't come to school and I would be sad and lonely. I didn't understand why she missed school, cos we had to go, unless we were really sick.
One afternoon, we were waiting for our buses, we were getting ready to hug and she had a brilliant idea! It was Friday, and that meant we wouldn't see each other for two whole days! Oh Alas and alack! Devo! Suddenly she smiled and said "I have an idea. Why don't you come and stay with me till Monday?" Well I thought that was a wonderful idea. "Yes" I said. Boy this was going to be so much fun. When her bus turned up I walked with her, my sisters being other wise busy, and hopped on board. Off on an adventure I went.
Sadly it was a bit scarey. We arrived at her house and snuck inside. She told me to stay in her room. That was ok with me. It was a bit messy but I was having fun. When she came back she told me her mum was sick and I had to stay in her room. We played and danced and laughed. After a while she went out, but in a few seconds came back and said I could come out to the kitchen. Out we went and she began getting vegetables and stuff ready to cook for tea. I didn't understand this cos we only did cakes in my home. I don't mean we only ate cakes, but us kids got to cook cakes, not tea. I heard a loud voice yelling to her and I felt a bit scared. It was her mum and she told Beth to shut up cos she had a headache. We were very quiet after that. After tea was cooked I had to go hide in the bedroom again cos her dad was due home.
When he came home, her mother came out of the bedroom and lots of shouting happened. This was all new to me. Beth was crying and it was horrible. Later I learned her mother had a drinking problem and her father was just a problem. Sadly I began to wish I had gone home to my happy loud lovely family. When Monday came, I got to school and my sisters had some things to say to me. I still don't know if it's true, but they said mum and dad were beside themselves with worry and they had police out looking for me and everything, which I suppose is probably true. I don't remember going home that day and what happened to me, which is probably just as well. Beth and I were still the best of friends though. Thinking about that happening in these days, is terrifying. My God what were we thinking. I was a runaway at the age of seven!
Then there was Dianne. My big sister was friends with her big sister, so I hoped this was going to be good. She was quiet, and stuff, but we got along well and played and had fun. One day she told me they had a cat at their place that had kittens. She asked me if I wanted one and of course I said yes. We arranged that she would bring it to school in a few days time. She did. It was a gorgeous ginger baby, in a cardboard box. I didn't think about asking my mum if it was ok to bring this puddy cat home. I wanted him and he was gorgeous, so what else do you expect. He was tiny, wouldn't take up any space etc. I got on the bus with him, to my sisters oooohs and aaaahs. We got to our bus stop and my biggest sister, ran ahead. Talk about breaking the news gently. She didn't know the meaning of the word! As we were rounding the corner on the downward hill,. she came panting and puffing. "Mum said you can't keep him" she triumphantly screamed at me! She tried to snatch the box (don't know what her plans were for my kitten)but I held on tight. I began running home, (yep you guessed it, I was crying, but come on, this was cryworthy!) When I reached home, mum came out and gathered me in her arms, and said " take no notice of what your sister said, you want the kitty, then you shall have the kitty" Oh hang on, no it wasn't quite like that. I was told he had to go back where he came from. Well that was NOT going to happen. He was lovely and wanted to climb out so badly, that I let him. Thats when mum saw him and I believe she fell in love with him then and there. I KEPT HIM! (na na na na na. Tounge protrudes from mouth)
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