Lines (pointless trivia)
I've been clearing out a box of old stuff: I came across a book full of my writing. Apparently my parents went through a stage of expecting me to write lines for punishment when I did something wrong: I'm not sure it was very successful. For reference, I was eight in 1983.
Monday 18th July "1983" written in beside it, in an adult hand
I must not ring the doorbell
I must not ring the doorbell
I must not ring the doorbell
Monday 25 July
I must only do as I am told.
I must not scribble
1. I must not get ready for bed when I am told
2. I must get ready for bed when I am told (and so on up to 50. The 20th, oddly, has "1/2 way!" written beside it, and says "I must get... on with it. NO!!" in the margin. Doodles begin at 43. From 35 on, the entries seem to have been written a word at a time, downwards (all the "I"s, then all the "must"s, and so on), presumably for speed. This perhaps led to the next entry.)
1. I must not cheat. (5 times)
Tuesday 26th July
1. I must get dressed immediately I am told. (10 times, up to the end of the page. It continues overleaf with:)
6. I must get ready when I am told. (followed by 7, 8, 9 and 10. Presumably clerical error.)
I must not pinch my sister. (4 times)
Thursday 28th July
I must not touch the hose or the outside tap unless I am asked to. (5 times)
I must not upset Mandy. (twice)
Sunday 31st July 1983
(I was the only vegetarian in the family; I'd decided on this when I was about seven.)
VEGETARIANS must NOT bite their sibbilings.
Vegetarians must NOT bite their sibbilings.
Siblings
Siblings
Siblings
1. Siblings (1-20, then)
1. Siblings (1-30)
I must keep my room tidy. (twice)
Monday 1st August
I must not pick my nose and I must not eat the mucus from inside my nose.
I must NOT bite my sister.
1. I must do what I am told when I am told. (1-6)
Tuesday 2nd August
1. I must not touch the television unless Daddy or Mummy asks me to. (1-10)
1. I must not make the margerene in a horrible mess. (1-2)
1. I must not make the margarine in a horrible mess. (1-2)
3rd August 1983
I must keep my bedroom tidy. (1-4)
Thursday 4th August
I must not kick Mandy even when she asks me to.
1. I must not draw in my maths book. (1-2)
I must do my work when I am told.
1. I must not be rude.
I must not pull down my shorts and expose my bare bottom! in public full stop (1-5)
Mandy thought "HOW disGUSTing"
Thursday 19th
1. I must not hit Mark (1-10)
1. I must not whisper answers to Mark (1-10)
1. I must do as I am told (1-10)
Saturday 19th May
1. I must not upset my sister at the meal table by mentioning the origins of food. (1-20. 8-13 are then repeated, presumably because they weren't neat enough originally)
1. I must not spoil my sister's things (1-20)
1. I must not be rude. (1-10)
1. I must not whomp Mark in the back. (1-10)
1. I must not be rude, 7*3=24 22 21. (1-10, the rest with "21". And yes, that is a * for "times", as in BASIC)
In neater handwriting, presumably because of a jump of three years or so:
Sunday 23rd of March 1986 AD
{ doodle of a tortoise with TORTOISE! written beside it }
I, Thomas Thurman, am aware and my signiature at the conclusion of this admits no doubt to my certanty (mistakenly corrected to "identity" in my father's hand) that my rlight in my bedroom is to a certain degree delicate and must be treated accordingly, and I am also aware that it is my fault that my light has reached this condition purely because I have left it on for excessive periods of time unnecessarily. I further acklorgweldgdege that should this situation continue I shall be liable to the full cost of a replacement. I am asloalso aware that I musttakeexcessive care with the light as it is a present. In conclusion I wish to copy out all the spelling mistakes I don't want to that I have made in this passage.
Singgned,
T.J.A. Thurman
Singed, singed, signed, signature, identity, light.
(the book contains only blank pages from then on)
I don't remember any of the lights I've had in my room being a present. But I do remember being afraid of the dark until well into my early teens, and falling asleep with the light on whenever I could get away with it.