When my dad was 4 in the early 60s, they couldn’t find him and someone found him later sitting on the railway bridge. He couldn’t be bothered with school and “went to watch the trains”.
In the 60s, when I was but TWO years old, I was found cycling down the pavement of the busy hightstreet wearing just a t-shirt. No pants, apparently!
Found by the local catholic priest!
Apparently, my mum was upstairs - where we lived in the flat above a carpet shop.
Access was by one of those sets of metal stairs that you get behind shops. So I must have clambered down the stairs and dragged myself and my pedal-trike thingy down the passageway to the highstreet.
Across the road was a big park and I was probably heading there!
I have no memory of this, or quite how the priest recognised me, or whether my mum came out looking or if he took me back up to the flat. I DO recall being told the tale in our new place when I was four or five and the old priest was still a family friend (of sorts)*.
*To be fair, Father Kelleher was probably keeping a pastoral eye on my irresponsible mother and her potentially neglected kids. (Not that kind of eye).
Apparently I once found a dead rat at the bottom of those same metal stairs. Oh yes.
And the kids of today would be suing the likes of Greggs Wallace or Jean-o de Champignons for such neglect.
My friend's mum had a dentist appointment and took him with her when he was about 5. She left him in the waiting room which unlike nowadays you didn't pass through on your way out. She came out of the appointment and went home without him. He eventually asked someone how long his mum would be and they said she has gone. He walked home alone and they let him. His mum didn't notice she had forgotten him until he turned up home. It was 70s.
When I was 4 or 5 (also in the 60's) I escaped from school because I didn't like the dinners. I just walked out the door and wandered off home, though I'm amazed I knew the way. In those days it appears an infant just meandering around by himself wasn't considered to be of any concern. When I got home my mum wasn't even there so I had to wait until next door eventually noticed me before I was taken off the streets.
Oh no that moment of panic when you “lose” your child for even a second still haunts me. My son is 22 and I still get it if he’s gone to a gig or visit friends in London, and he hasn’t answered my text. Xxx
When my dad was 4 in the early 60s, they couldn’t find him and someone found him later sitting on the railway bridge. He couldn’t be bothered with school and “went to watch the trains”.
Different times.
I'm NOT your dad, by the way!
All right, screw you guys, strap yourselves in:
In the 60s, when I was but TWO years old, I was found cycling down the pavement of the busy hightstreet wearing just a t-shirt. No pants, apparently!
Found by the local catholic priest!
Apparently, my mum was upstairs - where we lived in the flat above a carpet shop.
Access was by one of those sets of metal stairs that you get behind shops. So I must have clambered down the stairs and dragged myself and my pedal-trike thingy down the passageway to the highstreet.
Across the road was a big park and I was probably heading there!
I have no memory of this, or quite how the priest recognised me, or whether my mum came out looking or if he took me back up to the flat. I DO recall being told the tale in our new place when I was four or five and the old priest was still a family friend (of sorts)*.
*To be fair, Father Kelleher was probably keeping a pastoral eye on my irresponsible mother and her potentially neglected kids. (Not that kind of eye).
Apparently I once found a dead rat at the bottom of those same metal stairs. Oh yes.
And the kids of today would be suing the likes of Greggs Wallace or Jean-o de Champignons for such neglect.
And they'd win, gord bless'em!
My friend's mum had a dentist appointment and took him with her when he was about 5. She left him in the waiting room which unlike nowadays you didn't pass through on your way out. She came out of the appointment and went home without him. He eventually asked someone how long his mum would be and they said she has gone. He walked home alone and they let him. His mum didn't notice she had forgotten him until he turned up home. It was 70s.
When I was 4 or 5 (also in the 60's) I escaped from school because I didn't like the dinners. I just walked out the door and wandered off home, though I'm amazed I knew the way. In those days it appears an infant just meandering around by himself wasn't considered to be of any concern. When I got home my mum wasn't even there so I had to wait until next door eventually noticed me before I was taken off the streets.
Oh no that moment of panic when you “lose” your child for even a second still haunts me. My son is 22 and I still get it if he’s gone to a gig or visit friends in London, and he hasn’t answered my text. Xxx