Not Having Fun

049

I've been trying to learn how to tie my shoes. I can make a bow, but it all just falls apart again. Mum says to make bunny ears and Dad says to go under a tree or something... how do you get under a tree? I like Velcro shoes anyway. I don't have to spend time waiting for them to be tied. Who cares about tying shoes anyway? I can just wear ones with zips.

Today, we're going to the park after school. Mum is pushing Roxie in the baby swing and Jemima and I are on the seesaw. I like pushing really hard off the ground so that she goes down really fast and I fly off my seat when I spring up! I still stay on my seat, but it feels like a roller coaster when it shoots me up off it a bit.

The problem is that I put on my shoes with laces today! And because I'm scraping them against the ground, the laces keep coming undone. Then Mum makes me keep getting off the seesaw to get them. It's so annoying! I don't need ties laces to play. I've decided I'm not going to let her tie my laces again.

"Max!" She calls me over. "Come over here,"

We stop. "Why?"

"Come over,"

I go over and she points down at my shoes. "There, your laces are out again. You could trip and fall," that's stupid, I'm on a seesaw. I'm sitting down. How can I trip siting down? I step back and stamp my feet so she can't tie them.

"Max, let my tie your shoelaces,"

"NO!"

"Max! Stand still so I can-"

KICK!

I kick Mum in the leg! Serves her right for trying to tie my laces.

"Max!" She grabs my arm and- SMACK!

Slaps me hard on my bum.

"OW!" I start crying. Mum hit me too hard! She grabs my hand and helps Roxie out the baby swing with her other arm. "Come on Jemima," We go back across the street to our house and Mum knocks the door. Dad appears at the door, looking confused.

"Why's Max crying?"

Mum passed Roxie over to him. "I tried to tie his shoelaces and he kicked me in the shin!"

"He-" Dad shakes his head, baffled. Then he looks down at me sternly. "Right,"

"I'm going to take Jemima home. Take care of him please,"

Dad drags me inside and tells me to wait in the living room while he puts Roxie in her crib. I sit on the couch and play with my hands. I kicked Mum! And I think I really hurt her. And now I'm really scared.

Dad comes back in. "Kicking your mother, Max?! I should leather you!"

"I'm sorry!"

"You should be!" He sits down and pulls me over his lap. Dad yanks my trousers and pants down and kick my legs. I don't mean to, but I can't help it. I'm so scared. "You can spend the rest of the day in your room writing your Mum an apology letter,"

SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!

"AHA-OWWW!" Dad is hitting hard and really fast. He's only hitting one part of my bum and it's really sore! He just keeps going and going.

SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!
SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!

I lose count and I can't stop crying and screaming and squirming. My whole bum is on fire now! Dad stops and stands me up and I think my misery is over but I'm wrong.

"Stop stamping your feet Max," he orders as I'm dancing around. Not wanting to enrage him, I stop long enough for him to take my shoes off and grab one of them by the back end. "You need to grow up and learn to be a big boy, and not throw tantrums when you're annoyed. You really hurt your mother today and you deserve a good walloping!"

He grips my by my upper arm and brings the sole of my shoe down on my bum.

THUMP!

"Aaah!" I cry and jump. It's not stingy like the other ones, it comes down really hard.

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THWACK!

I scream and jump up and down even more. My bum feels sore and bruised! Like I'd been kicked by a horse. Is this how Mum felt when I kicked her? I kicked her in her bone. If anyone's played football and the other player tackled you and got your shin, it's really painful. I hurt Mum like that.

Dad holds me and rubs my back. "C'mon son, you're alright. I know that scared you, but you can't be hurting your Mum like that," he holds me at arms length. I'm still crying.

"Get upstairs, get in your pyjamas and get some paper. I'll be up in a minute to help you with your apology,"

"Yes Dad," I run upstairs to my bedroom. First of all I sit on my bed because I feel really sad and sore and don't want to do anything. But Dad will just be angry so I get up and get into my pyjamas.

Dad comes up afterwards. He lets me sit on his knee and helps me write my apology letter. I don't like writing it but Dad helps and lets me draw Mum a picture too.

When Mum gets home, Dad gives her my note. I hear them talking outside my door while I sit on my bed and wait. Then Mum knocks. "Can I come in?"

"Yes Mum!"

She comes in. There's a noticeable blue bruise on her leg. That looks sore. It looks like it's going to get bigger. I feel really bad.

"That was a very nice letter Max. I forgive you, alright?" She comes over and hugs me. "I hope you know not to do that again,"

"I do. I'm sorry, Mum," I don't wanna start crying again just because I'm getting a hug!

"I got you this while I was out," from behind her back, she pulls out a flat wooded board likes cutting board. On it are shoes in my favourite colour of blue. There are holds in the woods where the holes in your shoe are and in them are real shoelaces. "It's to help you learn to tie your laces. I thought you'd like the colour,"

"Yeah, I do," I'd like shoes like those.

"Do you want to practice with me?"

"Alright," I nod, and we get down on the floor to practice tying our shoelaces.