Friday, January 25, 2013

FTSF When I Was Younger, I Tried...

everything I could.  I took diving lessons.  I took baton lessons.  (Although I ended up hating that.  I clearly remember the day I decided I wasn't going anymore.  It took my mom and two other adults to forcibly put me in the car. (I was a touch stubborn back then.))  I took an aerobics class.  If it was offered, I took it.

The one class that sticks out in my mind the most was the time I took sign language classes at the library.  While I learned and still remember how to say the alphabet, french fries, "my name is", and various other random words, the biggest lesson I learned in the class was that my parents have secrets. 

One day in the middle of our lesson, the instructor told us about a couple in which both the husband and wife were deaf.  They had their grandson over for a visit and had gone somewhere.  After arriving home, they went to bed.  All three died overnight because the car was never turned off and fumes filled the house.  It was a very tragic story, and it stuck with me.

On the way home, I told my mom about the family.  She didn't say anything for a while.  It was almost like she was debating something in her head.  And then she said, "That was our house.  We bought it after the couple died."

My response, "Are you kidding me??? I lived in a house where people died and you didn't tell me??"  Yes, a self-centered response.  I was 12 or so.  All 12 year olds are self-centered to some degree.  Cut me some slack.

She went on, "Well, we lived in a house where the lights flashed when the doorbell rang.  There were lots of clues that a deaf family lived there."

I had zero recollection of lights flashing.

We lived in that house from the time I was 4 or so until I was in the first grade.  I don't remember anything unusual about it.  Except that there were horribly mean dogs across the street.   Dogs that would tear after us if they got loose.  Dogs that my policeman father actually shot at when they came after us.  The dogs I remember.

The flashing lights I do not.  I'm guessing that with the mean dogs across the street, very few people actually rang the doorbell.

Regardless, flashing lights may be a clue that deaf people lived there.  They are not a clue that three people died a tragic death.

She is so lucky that we no longer lived in that house.

This incident made me realize that my parents had secrets and stories that I knew nothing about.  Over the years I have learned of many, many more.  Usually in crowded, embarrassing situations where I look like an idiot.  Remind me to tell you of the shells from Canada.  Or our pet duck's demise.  

So many secrets...

Linking up with Finish the Sentence Friday. 

 
Finish the Sentence Friday
 
 
Now tell me, what did you try when you were younger?
 
Have a lovely day!

36 comments:

  1. First, what doese FTSF mean? Second, they were nice people, we figured they would be nice ghosts, and we got a great deal on a great house. Third, you mean you know the duck didn't fly away?

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    1. Hahaha! I learned about disposing of dead animals from your mistakes. :)

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  2. #1. Never mind. I got it.

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    1. LOVE it DAD! You sound just like my dad when he comments on my blog ;-)

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  3. Awwww, what a sad story - equally terrifying with the thought of those dogs. Visting from FTSF

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    1. It was a very sad story. And the dogs were awful. My bus stop was on the other side of the dogs. I chose to walk what seemed like a mile to get to the next bus stop instead of go past them and get on the bus at my own stop.

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  4. Wow, I thought being told the lady that owned the house before my parents died in my childhood bedroom was up there. Great story and as you can clearly see I can relate, because i was told this in my early 20s after we hadn't been living that house for a few years. Thanks seriously for linkig up with us again!! :)

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    1. OOOHHH, in your bedroom! I don't know if I would have been able to sleep knowing that. Glad you were out of the house before you knew?

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  5. Well, I tried making soap. (http://www.thankfulme.net/2012/12/friday-family-history-making-soap.html)

    I also took a sign language class, but did not learn any secrets from it.

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    1. I will now head over to see the soap! Do you remember any of your sign language class? How old were you?

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  6. One of my majors in college was ASL! I never use it now, so I have forgotten a lot. I do still remember "microwave popcorn" and have taught it to the Beanie Babies.

    Thanks for linking up with #FTSF!

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    1. Oh yes, and I'm not GFC following :)

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    2. I wish you could demonstrate microwave popcorn for me. I would use that one!
      And I am assuming that second comment is one hilarious typo. If not, how rude!

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  7. Yikes, that is awful! I used to be afraid of that when I was a kid because my parents bedroom was above the garage. I would be glad they hadn't told me while we were still living there. Sadly, much like shorthand, whatever I learned of ASL as a kid has fallen by the wayside over the years.

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    1. You were afraid of that happening to your parents when you were a kid? It never would have crossed my mind. Good thing, because my bedroom was over the garage.
      I always wanted to learn shorthand. Would have made notetaking in school so much easier.

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  8. Wow, I totally didn't see that coming! What a story...

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  9. That is a very sad story, about the car not being shut off. But, your dad is funny! lol...this if the first post where I have seen someone's father comment like that (but, then again, I don't read all comments at all blogs).

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    1. My dad isn't normal. And he will love those of you saying he is funny.

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  10. Oh man, I can't wait to hear the other stories. That is kind of creepy, especially for a detached 12 year old or a detached 41 year old (me). And I like your new button your friend made. Cute!

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    1. I swear, every year for years my siblings and I learned of lies and secrets my parents told us when we were little. And the reveals were almost always in public so we could be ridiculed to no end.
      You will enjoy them, as no sad stories of death go with them. Unless you count our pet duck. There is a death in that story.

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  11. Wow, I read "lights flashed" and my brain immediately jumped to "Holy crap, they were haunting the house!!!"

    Yeah, that's just the way my mind works, I'm afraid.

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    1. Hahahahaha! That would have been a much better story! I don't blame your brain. It's not like I haven't written about ghosts before.

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    2. I thought the same for a minute - I had to read it twice!!

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  12. I can definitely understand how a 12-year old kid would be freaked out by that news...that's how 12-year olds are....I'm visiting from the FTSF link-up!

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    1. Thanks for stopping by. And thanks for supporting my 12 year old self.

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  13. I once tried to sew... I actually made a pair of pajamas in 4-H. I'm pretty sure I remember NOT ever wearing them. :)

    I think I'm mostly concerned about the dogs... that's scary!!

    Kate

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    1. I have never tried to sew with a machine. Awesome that you made pajamas. Were they the footy kind? :)

      The dogs were terrifying.

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  14. Hi, a good read and so well written! I loved your Dad, to my mind he stole the picture! You are very lucky to have a Dad who reads your blog and actually writes on it! I've been family-less since 1994, and it is very not nice! Visiting from #FTSF. See you around!

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    1. Thank you!
      You have now made my dad's day. He will never let this comment go. I am not kidding when I say he will now suggest he and I do the blog together.
      Regardless, I am very blessed to have my family. My mom lost her parents long ago, and I know that it hasn't been easy for her.
      Thanks for stopping by!

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  15. Spooky!!!! So was that REALLY the same house - or just coincidentally another deaf couple lived there before you guys.....? I'm intrigued. Such a tragic story though:(
    I love sign language. We learned it (the basics) along with the kids, and it really is incredible.

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    1. It really was the same house. And it's not like we lived in a small town. It was one creepy, real coincidence.
      I really enjoyed learning sign language. Never got to use it, though.

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  16. Wow...freaky! Did you start looking for ghosts? :)

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    1. Not in that house, but I've looked plenty of other places.

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  17. OH MY WORD!?!?!?!?!
    We lived in a house in New Orleans that a deaf family lived in. Every time the phone rang the lights flashed, when the doorbell rang the lights flashed and when the fire alarm went off the lights flashed, when the city did a flash flood blast {?} the lights flashed we thought it was cool. I was 11 at the time
    I don't think I have learned many secrets but I have kept some serious ones from my kids.
    j

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    1. Good heavens, it's like we're living the same life.
      I have plenty of secrets from my kids. Hope they don't read these comments. :)

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