Life Lessons pt 2 (England)

One year later, turning fourteen should not be a pivotal point in anyone’s life. Spoke too soon.

Mom told me and my sister we were all going to England to visit family for the summer. We did not know how to feel since we had never met them before.  We left when the sun was setting in the city. It was a beautiful site to see through the small circular window of the plane.

She gave both of us a piece of gum and we thought that was strange since we both have braces and are not allowed to eat it normally.

“Chew it and swallow when we take off. It will help with your ears.”

‘What?’ I thought. She must know what she is talking about since she has taken trips on planes often and this is our first.

The trip was too long. I was getting agitated sitting so long so my mother came to the rescue.
“Here you have summer reading assignments. Start reading it will kill time.”

Some rescue. I gave this look and I must have lost my mind because the look she gave back told me if I kept it up even at fourteen I wouldn’t make it off the plane. My sister was asleep and did not give her any issues.

We landed at Heathrow Airport and went to pick up our baggage. This is when I knew I was no longer in Kansas.

“Oooo My God you made it.” That came from one aunt.

“Hey, Kaitlyn, these are the girls. Splitting image of you.” Second aunt.

The volume of greetings and the number of people who came to pick us up made people turn around to see who we were.

Finally, we left the airport and headed to 88 Kyle Road. Their house was down the street from Clapton Commons in Battersea. That was where my next two lessons were taught.

Lesson Two (England)

We live on the same planet, but it did not feel that way at the time. First driving on the wrong side. (It is not the wrong side, but being fourteen we were not told specific things. My sister and I looked at each other and non-verbally agreed they were on the wrong side.)

Since so many family members came to pick us up there were three cars. One of the cousins took our bags and said they were going to put it in the boot. ‘Whaa’? It was summer.

They opened the trunk and put the suitcases in. Yup, this was going to be a steep learning curve.

 Driving with my family was like being on a racetrack with drunken sailors who did not hold back some very colorful curse words.

Once we arrived we were greeted by more family and friends of family. There was one guy my cousin called “Soapdogger” his mate who lived across the street. What his real name was I could not remember to save my life. But I could not forget that name. (learned a little cockney but it’s been so long I had forgotten it.)

So the logistics of our family lived three to four blocks away from each other and the kids were able to have freedom to go where they liked as long as family and friends were close by.
Just a bigger cage.

Fast forward three days. Our mom left us without saying a word. Yes, you read right. We woke up to family we did not know to stay the summer. (Screams free child care)

They had a routine that they all followed so my sister and I learned fast. The children had chores. There were five of us girls so we cleaned the two-story house. I hate stairs and they had carpeting all through the damn house.

As I was cleaning, that was when I saw the newspaper. It had a naked lady in it. Was a paper supposed to have a naked lady?

There was so much to take in and we had a month and a half to go.

We were allowed to go with our cousins to school. Primary school, I think they called it. Some of their friends seemed to go out of their way to be rebels. Tightened shirts and shortened school skirts. (honestly, it seemed like a catholic school, just with English accents)

“Hey you lot.” Speaking to me and my sister.

“You ang’s cousin from America?”

I said “Yea.”

She asked “Where”

“New York”

“Ya hear dat accent girls. Love Americans. You want a puff off me fag?”

‘Whaa’

She handed me a cigarette and I did not want to look like I was not one of them so I took a puff. Did not inhale but remembered to hold it for a few to fake it.

That was where I had my first cigarette. I tell ya school educates even abroad.