When he was about 11 years old and I was around 14, my brother opened a sweet shop in the front hall of our house. We lived in a recently developed local authority housing scheme with little infrastructure or facilities, the only retail establishment being the van parked at the end of the estate which sold a few essentials like cigarettes and sweets, until 6 pm that is, and then there was nothing.
Seeing a gap in the market, my wee brother somehow found a sweet wholesaler and, using some cash he’d made selling my father’s books and my mother's jewellery around the doors, he bought some stock. What started as a few boxes of sweets quickly grew until our house was the go-to place for after-dark provisions. We'd have a queue around the block at busy times such as Saturday night.
This was the 70s when credit cards and the like were unknown and all payments were in cash, so on Monday mornings my mother would bring the weekend's takings to the bank.
On one of those Mondays at around 9.30 am, there came a knock on the door. My father shouted to my mother not to open it, but she, replying "It'll only be someone for the shop,’ opened the door and in burst two men with shotguns.
I was upstairs in my bedroom and hearing the commotion I crept to the top of the stairs to see my parents in the living room with guns pointed at their heads.
'Where's the money' one of the men shouted repeatedly.
"Is there anyone upstairs?" enquired the other.
Hearing this I tiptoed away leaving my miscreant parents to their fate...No, only kiddin'!
I hurried into my mother's bedroom, climbed out of the window, jumped onto the roof of the porch below and then to the ground. Racing to our neighbour, who I knew hunted and had a gun, I quickly explained what was happening and appealed for his help…which he refused.
"Please Mr McMann, they have guns, please."
"Sorry, I can't help you" he replied and shut the door.
Sprinting as fast as I could back to our house I began knocking loudly on the door shouting " I’ve called the police and they’re on their way." Of course, there wasn't a phonebox for miles but it had the desired effect as the door was wrenched open and the two men dashed out, fleeing through the alleyway opposite. My parents were unharmed but the takings had been taken.
Only recently I found out from his son that the neighbour I'd run to for help had set up the robbery, knowing my mother's Monday morning routine.
I'll mark that one down as some flight with a little fight. But there's more.
Some years later my brother opened a grocery shop in town where I was serving one day when two gentlemen wearing balaclavas and carrying guns jumped over the counter. Mistaking the state-of-the-art weighing scales for the cash register, one of them stood over me insisting I open it. I couldn't help but sneer at him that it was a weighing scale, which promptly earned me a thump in the face. Enraged, I picked up the heavy sellotape dispenser from the counter and attempted to hit him with it. Luckily for me, by this time his mate had emptied the cash register and the two of them scarpered.
In a third incident, I was standing at my front door having rolled out of some club or other in the early hours of the morning and was about to insert the key in the lock, when I was set upon by a man who grabbed and tried to wrestle me to the ground. Naturally, I began screaming and kicking and when suddenly a light went on in the house next door, he fled down the steps only to return when it just as quickly went off again and he realised nobody was coming to my aid. As I desperately searched for my key which had fallen in the tussle he tried to restrain me but by some miracle, I succeeded in kneeing him in the groin and as his hands left me for a moment I pushed him so that he stumbled on the steps and I escaped into the house.
Never a dull moment!
I'm not a particularly courageous person, but when faced with physical assault it seems I react with rage. Perhaps it'll be the death of me one day, or maybe it will save my life. More likely the geriatric me will roll over and play dead.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Posted in response to the Inkwell Creative Nonfiction Prompt #80
The prompt is Fight or Flight
I wish I had some photos from that time to share but sadly I don't, so some agricultural scenes taken near my current abode will have to do to break the monotony.
😂 your story made me laugh. It seems you turn into wonder woman at the right times. Don't worry your courage won't kill you as long as you learn how to defend yourself properly.
Alas, my Wonder Woman phase is far behind me now. These days I look more like Super Gran!;)
Jesus, some close calls there. You came out unscathed with a story to tell, that's the main thing. The last story is the most terrifying and the worst part is that it's happened to so many women over the years. That 0.01% of men fuck it up for everyone, including the 99.99% of men who'd never do such a thing. It's truly awful that women can't walk around their cities alone without fear.
The last one happened when I was living in Amsterdam. Apart from the 2 robberies, I've never been physically attacked in Dublin It's a lot more dangerous now of course. I'm not the scared type though. I walk swiftly and pay attention to my surroundings. I can also run bloody fast!
Good on you Deirdy. I'm happy to hear that didn't happen in Dublin, although more and more people getting attacked on our streets, which is awful. Society is becoming more and more polarised.
Ahhh, 3 incidents, you've had quite an exciting life😂😂😂
Glad you weren't hurt in any of the tussles though 😂
!PIMP
You must be killin' it out here!
@seki1 just slapped you with 1.000 PIMP, @deirdyweirdy.
You earned 1.000 PIMP for the strong hand.
They're getting a workout and slapped 1/1 possible people today.
Read about some PIMP Shit or Look for the PIMP District
Exciting? I think chaotic might better describe it:)
Nobody, I mean Nobody can top one of your stories. Or rather three of your stories. What an amazing life you've had. You do realize there is at least one book this, don't you? And then the movie. They would both be best sellers.
The one thing that doesn't surprise me is that you fought back. That's the girl I know.
Thanks for the chuckles. Thanks for the entertainment.
Amazing? Well, I'm not so sure about that but trouble does seem to love me. I used to think it was my parents who caused the maelstrom of chaos that swirled around me and that once I struck out on my own the waters would magically calm.
Speaking of books, how is your husband's war memoir coming along?
It might be genetic 😄
The book is on hold. We've had a health blip here and it seems to be suggesting a lack of optimism, to be collecting memories. I'll wait on that for calmer waters.
Hahaha. That would explain a lot!
Sorry to hear about the book. Hopefully, it'll get back on track. My father had such a crazy life I wish I'd been able to record more of it before he lost his mind, but he was such a man for secrets and disinformation it was often hard to tell the truth from the fabrication.
Your brother strikes as one very innovative soul. You barely find 14 year olds trying to start up a business these days.
And you, the super woman🤭. I love loved your story. It just goes to show much of a fierce yet sweet soul that you are✨.
!LUV
Believe it or not, he was only 11 and the shop wasn't his first business. You'd think he would have made me rich by now!
😂😂😄
And he hasn't? Even a little bit?
No, unless he's hiding all the money under his mattress the only thing he's given me an abundance of is trouble and strife:)
deirdyweirdy, wongi sent you LUV. 🙂 (1/3) tools | trade | connect | wiki | daily
Made with LUV by crrdlx.
Thanks for the warning! Now, we know never to pick a fight with you. You are a natural born storyteller and this delightfully humorous tale has us all is stitches despite the danger lurking throughout.
I appreciate the positive comment and am delighted to have given you a giggle.
And don't worry, now in my declining years I'm a little pussycat.
why does this seem to happen to some people and never to others?
nothing like this has happened even after 4 years of touring other countries. maybe because i never set up shop and dress like a dirty hippie. scares off those who are after the shinies!!! can't stand no compassion and presence of wisdom. ahahha.
I suppose I was a bit of a shiney in my day, and though I'm a little on the tarnished side now I still radiate sweetness and light wherever I go.:)
;)
👏 Keep Up the good work on Hive ♦️ 👏
❤️ @bhattg suggested sagarkothari88 to upvote your post ❤️
🙏 Don't forget to Support Back 🙏
Thanks for the visit and do come again!
@deirdyweirdy, you are most welcome!
Please Support Back
Here is !LUV token gift for you
@hivecurators, sorry! You need more $LUV to use this command.
The minimum requirement is 10.0 LUV balance.
More $LUV is available from Hive-Engine or Tribaldex
You are superwoman indeed! Always have been it seems. And boy can you ever tell a good story!
Hey, I got a new computer and can't figure out how to get to the version of discord that you and I have been conversing on. I tried to find you on an older version, but it says you are not a thing there. I have no idea how to remedy this, and I miss our little chats. How's it all going? Did I ever give you my email? I don't think so.
I can't figure Discord out at all. I've just sent you a message in case that helps.
All good, still doing the Andy thing until Saturday and my brother's problem has already disappeared.
I'm looking forward to roast potatoes with loads of butter on Sunday night!
No, we don't have each other's email.
You're celebrating with potatoes and butter? lol. Whenever I do something extreme, I start craving hot dogs, which I almost never eat.
That's great about your brother. How do you feel?
I don't see a message from you. but I did manage to send you a friend request.
I'm absolutely starving and I think I'm hooked on the taste of turpentine:)
I accepted your friend request.
The thing, besides your intimidating sense of self-preservation, is that it was the NEIGHBOUR!!! OMG! It’s truly a very weird world we live in isn’t it?
It’s so grand that you can infuse a story about assault with humor…that’s uniquely YOU! 🤣😂🤣😂🥰🥰
It's an absurd world indeed where everything seems to be inside out and back to front. If I didn't laugh at it I'd cry. So I laugh, because crying plays havoc with my peaches and cream complexion and is so unseemly in a lady:)
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Your story was very interesting and we have come to know that one is a very strong person and like your brother started a business, in the same way when we work hard day and night, success is sure to come in life.
Congratulations @deirdyweirdy! You have completed the following achievement on the Hive blockchain And have been rewarded with New badge(s)
Your next target is to reach 43000 upvotes.
You can view your badges on your board and compare yourself to others in the Ranking
If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word
STOPCheck out our last posts: