a disjointed look at my pre-school years

My parents were quite upset about that. But an 11 month old child does what it wants, and so I suppose it should have been expected.

I have a few vague recollections of my pre-school years, so I'll list them now in as much a chronological order as I can gather.

We moved from where I lived after I was born to the larger town up the coast. My dad having been posted there. The place was pretty ordinary. We lived near a bank of shops, and that was about it.

Once, when some friends had come to visit, I took myself off on my pedal tractor to the shop. I was probably 3. It was a hot summer day, and I wanted an icecream. I thought that I had sussed out this buying sweets lark, so off I pedalled to the shop, crossing a couple of roads. Parked up, and went inside. Got a mini-milk (a vanilla milk base icecream lollipop) from the freezer, queued up, showed it to the shopkeeper and then left. Opened it up and started eating it.

Luckily, I suppose, Mum arrived. I got punished, probably a clip around the ear, and she paid for the ice-lolly.

I think that Christmas was the first time I had ever woken early, and started going through my sack of presents whilst it was still dark. My cousins were staying, and they also had a sack, and they had started, so I did. Mum came in, screamed at us took the presents away until it was time to get up (i.e. post 7am). It wasn't the last time this happened at Christmas.

Also, I think my dad's next birthday, I had a present of a new chess set for him. However, at some point during the night, I woke up, and decided to try it out. I was there, with my reading lamp on, trying to balance the board on the pillow, putting out all the pieces. I don't remember if I knew what the pieces were, or where they should go. I just remember it was Dad who came in, helped me put it away, and told me that I shouldn't have done it, but no real harm had occured. Much better than being shouted out, but whenever I look back at the incident, I always feel that somehow I learnt more than with the Christmas presents.

tbc..