When I was a boy I treated my young sister to all manner of torture and misery. In those early years we lived in a rural community without the benefit of neighbor kids as play companions. Consequently, many times we were playmates. Frankly, I was mean to Marie. I was bigger, older and could get away with teasing and bullying. For some reason mom, dad, granny, and even Aunt Sarah (our part time black ironing lady and baby sitter) often excused my offenses and blamed Marie. I was a brat, probably the favored sibling, and spoiled. In retrospect my role was more a jerk than a nice brother to my sister. This pattern of poor behavior continued until I was about ten years old. Then, one day she did something I will never forget.
As was the custom in the fifties, unless a natural disaster was happening outside, children were expected to be outside. I cannot remember if it was a large spider or long nasty snail, but I decided it needed to be attached to my sister's face. I carefully approached Marie with the offensive creature hidden in my closed hand. At the perfect moment I smeared the thing into her face. As expected, and to my delight her shrieks were loud and blood curdling. Then, Marie did something which literally marked me forever. From somewhere she found a heavy round bowl used to provide outdoor drinking water for our pets . With astonishing speed and accuracy, she slammed the bowl upside my head. The mighty blow knocked me senseless and drew blood. When I was patched up an inch long scar on my forehead appeared. Sixty some years later, I can still see the scar amid the wrinkles on my forehead. It remains the indelible mark and reminder of my sister's just revenge and my past meanness.
I deserved a good smack down from Marie, and hopefully she found a little payback for my earlier rotten behavior. At any rate, the event and the scar also remind me of Beatitude # 8 from the Gospel Of Saint Matthew. "Blessed are those who suffer persecution .. for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Despite the bowl upside my head, I think Marie will get to paradise easier than me because she was a much nicer kid.
As was the custom in the fifties, unless a natural disaster was happening outside, children were expected to be outside. I cannot remember if it was a large spider or long nasty snail, but I decided it needed to be attached to my sister's face. I carefully approached Marie with the offensive creature hidden in my closed hand. At the perfect moment I smeared the thing into her face. As expected, and to my delight her shrieks were loud and blood curdling. Then, Marie did something which literally marked me forever. From somewhere she found a heavy round bowl used to provide outdoor drinking water for our pets . With astonishing speed and accuracy, she slammed the bowl upside my head. The mighty blow knocked me senseless and drew blood. When I was patched up an inch long scar on my forehead appeared. Sixty some years later, I can still see the scar amid the wrinkles on my forehead. It remains the indelible mark and reminder of my sister's just revenge and my past meanness.
I deserved a good smack down from Marie, and hopefully she found a little payback for my earlier rotten behavior. At any rate, the event and the scar also remind me of Beatitude # 8 from the Gospel Of Saint Matthew. "Blessed are those who suffer persecution .. for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Despite the bowl upside my head, I think Marie will get to paradise easier than me because she was a much nicer kid.
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