My family moved into this beautiful two story house, not far from the center of Guthrie Oklahoma when I was about four or five. There was a large living space downstairs, along with a kitchen, a very large walk-in pantry, and a garage. The bedrooms were upstairs, and my room was a small, oddly shaped, room with a small trap-door passageway to my oldest sister’s room. We were all very excited about our new home.
One of the first nights there, my two older sisters and I were playing in the hallway between the bedrooms. We were running up and down the hall, laughing hilariously and having the time of our lives. I have no idea what was so fun and funny, but whatever it was…we were enjoying it.
My dad suddenly appeared in the hallway with his belt in his hand and started whipping us as we ran past. He screamed at us to keep running, and he kept beating us as we ran back and forth past him. Later, my oldest sister told me that she slipped off and hid in her bedroom, but she had to listen to my dad hit and scream at the other two of us for what seemed like forever.
What we learned:
- Never to run up and down in the hallway ever again.
- And that my dad’s temper could explode at any time.
Dune C. 