by Trudy Graham

Created on: March 21, 2008

Feet of Cardboard

As the eldest of a large family, I grew up fast. I remember when we moved from my father's parents' home to a little hut in a row of huts in a suburb of Sydney.

One special event during this time remains strong in my memory and I remember my mother tucking the last of four envelopes into my little purse. "Now mind you don't lose them," she admonished, as she did every Saturday morning.

"No, Mummy," I said and pushed the purse down into my basket, snuggling it under "The Children of the New Forest", my new book. I always asked for books for my birthday, which had been a few days before.

Mum rushed around, combing Wendy's hair, washing Vicki's face, and shouting to Stephen and Mandy to "come here at once", seemingly all at the same time. When we were all lined up before her, she loaded baby Keith and little Mandy into the pram. Then she looked at us and nodded. "You'll do." she said. "Let's go."

Wendy and I went first, holding hand. Vicki held onto Stephen's hand and mum, pushing the squeaky-wheeled pram, was last in line. I swung to the left and led my family down off the ramp to the street. I held my basket tight, remembering the time some big boys had robbed me. No-one would steal money from me ever again. I wasn't named Victoria, but I'd be victorious. That was a word I'd learned from my mother, when she'd told me about my naming. Granny said my name should be Victoria, seeing as how I'd been born the very day that Japan surrendered. Victoria for Victorious,' granny had said. My mother had been weak after her long labor, but not that weak, she'd said, so the name she chose for me triumphed.

We soon arrived at the bus stop. I was the only one going on the bus but there was no-one to look after the other children, so they all came to see me off. They'd be there to meet me when I came back, too. It was a special outing for everyone every Saturday but today was different, more special because of the bookie man.

The bookie man was our Dad's friend. He came to our hut sometimes and set up a shop from the lounge room; our hut was the middle of three in our row so was "ideally situated" the bookie man said.

Mummy didn't like it one bit. That's what she'd said to daddy but he'd laughed and told her she was only a woman what would she know and it would be the making of them. He talked about a big win but mummy only thinned her lips and shook her head.

I wasn't quite sure what the shop sold. My sisters and brothers and I were banished to the tiny bit of dirt

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• Next Page >>