I remember

I REMEMBER when I was five years old and I started school. I had to go on the school bus and I hated leaving my family. Dad would drive me to catch the bus and my heart would sink when I saw the bus coming around the corner. 

I used to cry a lot and to make it right I told Mum that some of the kids on the bus teased me; Geraldine Davies was one of them. But I don’t think they really did tease me, I think I was just plain miserable at having to go to school. 

Then I remember having some happy times at school, especially when the School Inspector, Mr Lake, came around and I got to read for him in front of the class. I loved to read and didn’t realise that other people had trouble making sense of the words on the page. 

I also remember in primary school having to trace a map of Australia and then cut it out. Obviously my fine motor skills were not up to scratch as I caught the headmaster throwing mine into the fire. This memory has stayed with me for some 55 years! 

Toothache was another problem because our school was so remote and if you had a toothache during the school day the headmaster would give you Oil of Cloves to relieve the pain. Friar’s Balsam was the universal antidote for all manner of cuts and scrapes. 

When we had school photos taken the photographer arrived unannounced and we had to tidy ourselves up for the photo; I still have that photo with my hair standing up on end.

I remember sewing classes with Mrs Skelton who was a cranky lady, the wife of the headmaster, almost certainly a smoker as I can still smell it on her.

(Creative Writing 18.5.12  Exercise 3 )
Free Writing – free write for 10 minutes beginning with the words I REMEMBER. Don’t stop and if you get stuck start the next sentence with I REMEMBER again.