When I say 'Responsibility' I mean there was no 'Authority'. My parents hit upon a particularly brilliant (for them) idea where the older members of the family were assigned responsibility for the younger ones! So, around the age of 8, I was made responsible for my second younger brother. It might not have been so bad had not the luck of the draw linked me with a particularly troublesome. accident prone sibling.
Since I was responsible for him, not only did I have to feed, bathe, change and look after him, I was also the 'go to person' if he got in trouble - and the trouble he got into surpassed all others in the family! When the city decided to put up new telephone poles, he managed to fall head first down one of the post holes which was filled with water after a prolonged rainfall! Miraculously (his Guardian Angel no doubt) a neighbour saw what had happened, ran out and was able to grab his legs, but being very slight, she could only lie beside the hole holding him above the water! Another neighbour, Mr Mitchell (big and strong) luckily came home in time to rescue both by hauling my brother out of the hole!
He managed to open the little window and crawl out onto the roof of the third floor girls' bedroom and proceed to throw all our clothes out on the lawn! He got stuck in the 'quick sand' mud behind our school and was pulled out by the elderly caretaker Mr Cade, losing his socks, shoes, and boots in the process!
All of these transgressions were laid at my door! Where was I when all of this happened! Excuses were never accepted and I would dart hateful glances at my brother when we were BOTH punished for his crimes! It is with a deep and abiding love that I now admit to having a special bond with this brother - the tie has never been broken! Inspite of all I endured because of him, I see him and in my heart is a maternal connection that pulses strong and real - oh you naughty boy!
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