April 1, 2010
Thursday, 9:10 A.M.
Home
There were also the means of getting to the truth of a swiped ice cream sandwich or some other such trivial thing. We were not allowed to just take a snack or a treat from the cabinet or fridge. It was always “May I please have?” and most often, the answer would be, “Is there enough for everybody?” or just a straightforward “No”. So every once in a while, the devil on our little shoulders won out over the omnipresent angel and one of the kids would sneak an ice cream out of the freezer and joyfully snack on it. The punishment for lying in our house was the belt. So once you let that fib pop out of your mouth, the dye was cast. One such incident stands out. One of us, I don’t remember who, took an ice cream sandwich. My mom found the wrapper (because we were such good sneaks) and asked who took the ice cream. Nobody spoke up, which is a form of denial, which is a form of lying. So we all had to stand in one position in the living room for as long as it took for the culprit to confess. These are 3, 4, 5, and 6 year old kids we’re talking about, all over a stupid ice cream sandwich. So now whoever confesses to this crime is going to get the belt because of the tacit lie. After about two hours, I think it was my little brother, Jimmy, who confessed and took his punishment like a man.
These were not everyday occurrences in our home. Basically, we were pretty happy kids in those days. We got to go out and play, had nice clothes, went to school, and enjoyed the most magical Christmases! Santa Claus was an amazing character in our lives and we clung to the belief in his existence for a very long time compared to other far more normal kids. We learned to be very well mannered, very obedient, and very respectful. My parents were admired for their exceptionally well behaved children.
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