That's just the way it was for a family of our size. Yes, girls too. All of my sisters married early.
Speaking of having a large family, my siblings and I were not permitted to be loud if we were in
disagreements with each other.My father did not discriminate when he issued his Rath.Flashback: Here's an early scene. T.V. time is when we all knew we were to be completely
silent...comment only if he had already displayed a similar reaction. I recall one incident when 2 of
my sisters were in loud disagreement over a dress or something while we all were watching
Gunsmoke, Bonanza or some cowboy TV show.
I was beginning to think I had dreamed of the epic broom swing. No, it happened. Targeted Sister
#7 brought it up a few months ago as one of her most memorable father moments. I laughed so
hard when she brought it up. I thought my imagination had run wild. I wasn't going crazy...Whew...
Anyway, that night it got a little loud, my dad said nothing. He simply picked up the nearest object,
a broom, and swung the broom at my youngest sister (Number #7 - she was the closest to him).
She ducked, as a result of the swing, he missed, but he put a hole in the plastered wall with that one
swing...it got quiet, all back to normal in seconds and Gunsmoke was allowed to continue.
I remember thinking as I often did, are my real alien parents going to come and rescue me
soon? (This was years before the movie “ET”)
Yes, I constantly looked in the night skies with purpose...short story.
The hole in the wall was left there for quite some time as a reminder I guess. It certainly worked for
me. If he did that toward my 11-12-year-old sister number #7, I certainly didn't have a chance.
I was an example good son for the next 55 or so years.
I always wondered if he was trying to miss her with his swing. I think so, but, anyway, Yeah, he
missed on purpose. I'm sure of it now.^