Random reminder

Press, 2 July 1983, Page 27

Random reminder

ONE OVER PA Way back in the bad old days before the intrusion of television, when Man had to make his own pleasures, conversation between adults was a common occurrence and so were large families. Over on the wild West Coast lived a family of father, mother and 16 children. Women’s Lib had not gained much of a foothold but it was the custom in this particular family for father to supervise the bathing and putting to bed of the children. He was a loving man but in those hard old days children were well disciplined and the rules as laid down by the parents were strictly adhered to. This tyranny the children unquestioningly accepted. And one thing this father insisted on was that his 16 kids were not only early to bed but there was to be no talking — not even a murmur. Silence to him was golden. One evening, the last of the children abed, father had only just sat back in his

special arm-chair by the coal range, when he heard someone crying. Annoyed at the flouting of the rule for silence he went to the hall door and bellowed out, “Quiet!” Silence ensued so he returned to his chair by the stove. No sooner comfortably settled and more crying. Mother looked up from her book astounded at this lack of obedience. Father strode to the hall door. “Stop that crying! Anymore and you’ll get a jolly good thrashing!” He listened. Silence. He listened again.. Muffled sobs. Being a kindly soul he went to the source of the sobs and gently opened the door. “What’s the matter?” And a little strange voice answered. “I want to go — sob — home.” He never was very good at arithmetic. One of the neighbour’s children had got mixed up in his flock.