Despite the tension in that household, and the grumblings of anger between us, us kids laughed a lot. I felt being the butt of their jokes when it resulted in laughter was the best tension release. The thought of confronting the toilet boogie man late at night was something me and big sis couldn’t cope with so we would both huddle together and sit on the window sill, then peed on mums geraniums.

Big bro of nine years saved our friend Jenny from drowning. When he jumped into the rapid flowing waters of our local creek to save her, he near drowned himself in the process. Adults were not in cooee distance to know what had happened. And to save ourselves from strife we promised never to tell any adult about swimming in that out of bounds swimming spot.

Bro took me with him on adventures too. We scaled the ladder to the red house roof, examined the TV antenna, and chimney before hanging off the guttering and dropping to the ground. Mum never did figure out where the red paint on our clothes came from. Red was a fitting colour a top our house hold of angst.

A couple of years later after bro and I grew much bigger we ventured out into the Warby Rangers, and borrowed apples from someone's orchid. We climbed a water fall, and played with 'kangaroo tails.' At that time it was all an adventure to me, in hindsight it was risky business playing my bro's dangerous games. That water fall was about fifteen metres high, and stood on a ninety degree angle. I got stuck a few feet from the top, and once I looked into my brother eyes I knew there would be no offer of help. A wee tusk of grass jutting out from a crevice saved me on that day.


What makes a child risk his life to save another, and then want to kill his little sister? T has tried to explain it, but for the life of me I cant comprehend what he said.

Iggy, the family dog was just as lucky. Bro drowned Iggy, but dad managed to resuscitate her.
Bro came from the same mold as Ma.


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