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When I was seven, my mother bought me a black velvet dress for my birthday. It had a white collar with white cuffs on the small puff sleeves.
I felt like a princess, and couldn’t stop rubbing my hands over it. Mother told me to stop doing it, as I would ruin it.
My stepfather Joe said he would take me and my brothers to the park. As we left the house, my mother said not to give me any ice cream.
We played on the swings for a bit and then Joe brought my brother’s some ice cream.
I walked away, wondering if he would do as he was told. I didn’t go far, for I hoped I knew better than that and I was right. Joe handed me an ice cream, telling me to please be careful.
I said I would, but what child can eat an ice cream without getting it down themselves? Not me anyway. I kept rubbing at it, making it worse. The velvet was sticking up where I had rubbed it and there was no way to hide it.
All the way home, I wished Joe would run away with us, but he told me not to worry. He would say it was his fault, which in a way it was for buying it for me. I know that’s an unkind thought, but when we got home before he could say a word, mother ripped the dress from my body, leaving her nail marks on my back because the fabric was too hard to tear.
Joe got both barrels of her temper until I thought his ears would swell and drop off.
This memory has returned, because my daughter who lives next door, was playing a song I haven’t heard for a long time. It was one of my favourites, called Black Velvet.
It’s a funny old life isn’t it, the way old memories come back?
Anita Dawes 2018
Aw, this is quite a sad story. I understand how your mom felt but you can’t really expect a child to not be a child, can you?
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We know children are predictable, I wonder why they didn’t, all those years ago?
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I hated wearing dresses when I was that age as I just wanted to climb trees and go on my roller skates. Now had I been the Mummy I would have said change into your old clothes before you go to the park.
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Would have been easier!
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Oh my, that song brings back memories for me too … good ones though. 🙂
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Wonderful song that…
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sad… but thanks for sharing. I love that song too. 🙂
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Thank you, Penny…
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Oooooo I love that song, even if it is about Elvis…. Your mother had a heck of a temper… Glad you survived…
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Thank you…
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How about carrying bibs?
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That’s one I’ve not heard for a while!
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Wonderful song…
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It’s a shame that something you loved—two things (the dress and ice cream)—are associated with such a sad memory. Sounds like Joe was a good guy, though. So sorry about this.
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It was a long time ago, Staci… so much water has gone under the bridge since then…
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