| My friend Susan posted an entry in her fine blog today, "A Memoir" .?It's a story from her childhood about parental abuse of children, and it struck a chord with me. ? My parents frequently employed physical discipline when dealing with me.?My older brother Frank probably was subject to it as well, but by the time I started being on the receiving end, he was too old and big to be easily hit with a belt.?We never talked about it; we didn't really talk about anything more significant than baseball and books.?My sister was never struck by my parents to the best of my recollection.? A writer on a different site composed a poem about child abuse (her own, by her parents) a few months ago and it inspired me to write one on my own experience.?I can't remember where I've posted this (I haven't here until now) so forgive me if you've read it before.? ? Look at this report card!What have you been doing?Life is more than play, young man! Do you want to be a failure ?all your useless life?An eighty-eight is not a ninety!?Look how it stands out like a sore thumb! |
| Look how it stands out like a sore thumb!? And so she would go, into the kitchen, pulling out the box of Uncle Ben's Long Grain Rice and open it, and pour some neatly on the meticulously clean linoleum floor.Then over to the black handbag on the lace cloth atop the dining table.Rummaging briefly, she extracts the ivory rosary beads, hands them to the child, ?and points to the kitchen floor like the ghost of Christmas Future showing Ebenezer Scrooge his headstone.? Kneel on the rice, boy!Don't get up 'til Your rosary's said!No whimpering!I want to hear those prayers, and see your fingers move on those beads!Now do it!? I believe in God the Father almighty Our Father, who art in Heaven Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee Glory be to the Father, And the Son, And the Holy Ghost ? Now get off the floor sweep up the rice, get to your room and do your homework!? He lies on the bed, small fingers plucking rice kernels from sore reddened knees, and body shivering with fright and shame, opens the book and wonders why he's such a worthless failure.? Report Card 2008, Kenneth M. Rhodes 2008.012 ? ? |
| ? Report Card 2008, Kenneth M. Rhodes 2008.012 ? ? |
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