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. NO ARGUING!
My father did not discriminate in response to his anger.
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, Combat or some cowboy
TV show.
I was beginning to think I had dreamed of the epic broom swing. No, it actually
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 after all...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. He did not swing a second time or issue any
punishment. All back to normal in seconds and Combat was allowed to continue.
I remember imaginative thinking as I often did before reaching 10 yrs. old, "When are
my real alien parents going to come and rescue me?" (Years before the movie “ET”)
Yes, I constantly looked in the night skies with purpose...short story. (A TV repairman
rst. becoming an astrophysicist was my next venture.)
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
knew, as a young lad, I certainly didn't have a chance.
I would become an example good son for the next 55 or so years.
I often wondered if he was trying to miss her with his swing. Yeah, he missed on
purpose. I'm sure of it now. He could have taken another swing.