I've been thinking of writing an autobiography or memoir but it just never comes together for me but I figured if I write one story at a time and post it on my blog maybe once a month, I can do that. Maybe one day I'll pull all the stories together and put them in a book but for now I'll just share some stories with you about my childhood. Some of the stories will be happy, some sad and some horrific because that was my childhood. But they will all be real, things that actually happened. If it seems like something that people enjoy reading maybe I'll keep it going. These stories will not be in any kind of order, I'll just write them as they come to me.
An Encounter With My Cousin
My dad's sister passed away right before I was born from lung and stomach cancer. She had a young son named Bill. Bill was adopted by my great aunt Zona. She was my paternal grandmother's sister, my dad's aunt. Bill was a few years older than me so when we would go to Utah to visit my grandmother and aunt Zona in the Summertime, Bill would be there. The last time I remember being there I was 10 years old and Bill was just a few years older than me. We usually got along ok but he didn't like being around my brother, Billy who was 2 years younger than me.
My aunt Zona and grandmother lived in a huge house with many rooms, a basement, a downstairs play area and a sub-basement where they stored a ton of canned foods and cans of food. There was also a couple of freezers down there that were filled with frozen foods.
So while we were there Bill was in the playroom with me and he told me that we could go get some snacks out of the room with all the food. So I went with him not thinking anything of it. We got to the door and I went inside, he shut the door behind me and turned the lights out. The light switch was on the outside of the door. I screamed for him to let me out but he just laughed and he left. There were no windows in the room so it was pitch black in there and I couldn't see a thing. I was in that room for I think 2 hours before my aunt Zona found me. I told her what happened but she didn't believe me and said I shouldn't have been snooping around and if I got locked in the room somehow that was my own fault for being down there in the first place.
I still sleep with a light on in my room and I think it probably stems from that incident. I was surprised that my parents never came looking for me in those 2 hours.
Links to past stories
2023
How rotten of him. I am sure you are right and his action does account for why you need the lights on.
ReplyDeleteKids are horrible at times.
DeleteWhat a horrible thing to do. No wonder you still need a night light.
ReplyDeleteI know.
DeleteWow, what a horrible boy. Traumatic events in our childhood lead to lifelong anxiety.
ReplyDeleteYes, they sure can.
DeleteI see a pattern here...nobody was ever willing to believe you...everybody was quick to fault you for things you never did...it must have been heartbreaking.
ReplyDeleteIt was.
DeleteWhat a nasty boy. I’m sorry no one ever believed you 😢
ReplyDeleteHe was spoiled and never got in trouble.
DeleteThat is just horrible. To think how cruel children can be is unbelievable. and your aunt to not believe you, unforgiveable. No wonder you sleep with a light on. What happens when you are a child is forever imprinted. I know, I have a few quirks of my own left from childhood.
ReplyDeleteYes, childhood trauma can be with you forever.
DeleteBoth Bill and Aunt Zona sound like assholes. Lots of those around, unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteYes there are.
DeleteThat would have been so scary! Childhood traumas do stay with us for a long time. I wonder if Bill even remembers doing it.
ReplyDeleteI seriously doubt he does.
DeleteUnfortunate story
ReplyDeleteI'd like to sleep with a little light. I have worse nightmares in total darkness
Me too.
DeleteIt's so appalling when parents/guardians think their kid can do no wrong. Sorry this happened to you.
ReplyDeleteHe was so spoiled.
DeleteChildhood traumas are the worst!
ReplyDeleteYes they are.
DeleteGosh is breaks my heart that your aunt didn't believe you!
ReplyDeleteNow that I'm an adult it really surprises me too.
DeleteI hope you never spoke to Bill again. That's enough to cut him from your life and never deal with him again. Yikes.
ReplyDeleteI never did see him again.
DeleteWhat a mean person Bill was and your aunt didn't even believe you. That's crazy BS.
ReplyDeleteI can only imagine what kind of person Bill is now.
DeleteWow! He was a jerk. Did you ever hear what happened to Bill as an adult?
ReplyDeleteYears later my Aunt Zona told me that she put him through culinary school and he was living in California as a chef somewhere. I never spoke to him again.
DeleteIs a good idea -if you want- to wrote your autobiography or memories. And yes, that younday, the best way for to do It, is step by step. And whennyou Will have a lot of stories wrote, you Will have the book.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteThat is a horrible experience Mary so sorry.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteTerrible. I am so sorry this happened to you. These things simply damage you for life. As one of the many walking wounded, I understand.
ReplyDeleteIt sure stuck with me for a long time.
DeleteThat would sure be dark and scary. Yikes!
ReplyDeleteIt was.
DeleteThat's horrible! Sometimes cousins and uncles can be mean!
ReplyDeleteYes they can.
DeleteSo Bill sounds like a dick. How did his life turn out?
ReplyDeleteAunt Zona put him through culinary school and he's a chef somewhere in California.
DeleteHow awful! I'd have been terrified! No wonder you still sleep with a light on.
ReplyDeleteHe was an awful kid.
DeleteI can totally see how something like that could stick with you for so long. It's crazy how an experience like being locked in a dark room can affect things like how you sleep. Sorry your aunt didn’t believe you, but I love that you're sharing these moments. Looking forward to reading more!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, I appreciate that.
DeleteThat is a very scary, upsetting and traumatic childhood story. Sometimes the extent of how much we are affected throughout our lives is can be difficult to gauge. I was lucky to find understanding therapists, but even then the effects of our childhood traumas can sometimes be hard to overcome. All the best xx
ReplyDeleteThank you.
Delete