2019-08-01_Reader_s_Digest_AUNZ

“Yoursonwilllikelyfacethestares

andridiculeofothers...andI’m

sorrytosay,MrandMrsFulton,he

maywellbebulliedatschool.”Mum

andDadsatinsilenceandthenMum

askedthequestionthathadbeen

botheringhersincethedoctorhad

announcedthenews.

“Whenit’stime,shouldI send

Iantoaschoolforspecialneeds

children?”

“Absolutelynot,MrsFulton.Apart

fromhissize,yoursonisperfectly

normalineveryotherway.”

Inheav ysilence,MumandDad

trudged back down the steps of the

doctor’sofficeandoutintothecold.

Whentheygothome,Mumputthe

kettleonandslumpedonthecouch,

wonderinghowshe wasgoingto

breakthenewstomybrotherand

sisters.SheheardDadwasheading

towardsthebackdoor,hishatin

hand.“Whereareyougoing?”Mum

asked.

“Toseemyfamily,”Dadsaid,and

slammedthedoorbehindhim.

“Whataboutme?”Mumheardher-

selfsayquietly,hereyesmoistening,

butDadwaslonggone.

Hearingthedoorslamon that

day in 1964, my three siblings

The Fultonfamilyin 1967 inLaunceston,Tasmania.Fromleft: Jill,

Louise, Ian, aged about three, Mum and Mark

PHOTO: FULTON FAMILY COLLECTION

119

“My Life in Short”