I've had a couple inquiries about burning down the house...Yes, at eight years old - I burned my house down. Completely to the ground, nothing left...nada.
The stories not really about the house though - it's about the candy bars inside the house. Let me back up a little. I lived with my mother and step-dad. He was a jerk to put it nicely. He was mentally and physically abusive. {FYI - my mother is no longer with him} We were those kids everyone knew what was going on but nobody did anything. Anyway, I don't want to say my childhood was a bad one - that would take away from all the good times - rough maybe but not bad.
Anybody familiar with the school fundraiser where you sell candy bars??? Back in my day, they gave you a case to take home to sell. Well, as a kid we didn't get candy/sweets on a regular basis (holiday or birthday) Not that it's bad, I think it was a good thing. So long story short...I eat the candy bars. ALL of them, never told my mom I had them - just eat them, each and everyone.
Then comes the day I'm home from school sick. My mom's there with my baby brother, we're in her bed and I decide to fix something to eat. Mom worked a lot so it's not out of the norm for me to cook something and take care of my smaller brother and sister. I decide I'm making french fries and turn the stove on to heat up a pot of oil for the fries. I go back in the bedroom with my mom and forget about the oil. Later we hear a popping sound coming from the kitchen...and that's how the fire originates. By the time the firemen got there, the house was gone. My mom lied and told them she had something in the crock pot {I'm sure to avoid a beating for me or her} they determined it an accident and something with the wiring in the kitchen...
Which brings me back to the candy bars and my already guilt stricken self.... first the chocolate and now the fire - I'm going to hell for sure. My morale dilemma brings me to the fork in the road where I have (a.) own up to eating the candy bars or (b.) tell my teacher they melted in the fire. I spent a lot of my childhood living in fear and getting beat for things I didn't do so when I did do something wrong -I was afraid, really afraid.
I went with option B -
It took a while and I finally owned up to it with my mom and now (probably because of me) if you want to participate in the school fundraiser and sell candy bars you must prepay for them first.
I am so sorry you had to go thru all that. Wow you came out a stronger better person!! Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving me a comment.
ReplyDeleteWow! Sorry you had to deal with such things as a child. Sorry you also burned down your home. Your mother is an incredible woman to have taken the blame. I have a fear of fire. My cousins house burned down, and ever since I was twelve I have this fear. All the lights have to be off and I have to check all appliances a few times before leaving the house. I hated selling candy bars. My mom would end up buying them and we would eat them. Take care.
ReplyDelete-Kiki
I love your honesty! What an incredible story...maybe this why your cartoon about "doing everything for your kids" fits in so well... :)
ReplyDeleteCrazy story. Sorry to hear you lost your home. And you had a bad step father. My dad did to as a kid. He has step fathered four kids my brother and three step siblings. They all had dads that were not there for them and he has treated them all as if they were his own. He has chipped in for cars and weddings. He goes to church with them every Sunday with them and even babysits childfren for them. He is my real dad but I have always thought he was a great step dad because he had such a bad one growing up.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry to hear about your house! It is such a terrible thing, but a very good story you have! I probably would have gone with B, too.
ReplyDeleteOMGosh Girlie. I'm so sorry about the house and I'm so glad your mom is no longer with that person. Wow oh wow about the chocolates, now I know who to blame ... just playing I just had to lighten up the mood :).
ReplyDeleteWow! I'm sorry to hear about your stepdad. I am glad he is no longer in your life. Also sorry about your house, but I'm glad you did a post on this. Now every time I am heating up oil I will think of this story and stay in the kitchen!
ReplyDeleteP.S. I've done the same thing with the candy bars. I owe my old high school 30 bucks...
Wow...that must have been pretty traumatizing as a little 8 year old girl!
ReplyDeleteI can see you made it out of that childhood a strong person...I too had an abusive stepfather...thankfully he was only in our lives for a couple of years but he managed to turn our world upside down in that short time.