Pat Mathoulin, age 9 years
My Auntie’s house
Pat has just sent me a written account of her arrival at Craig-y-nos as a 5 year old. She has already given a full oral history interview to Dr Carole Reeves.
This is an extract:
“No sooner had I finished my breakfast when my mother announced, in a matter-of-fact tone, that I was going to spend a few days with my Auntie Renee, who I had only seen on the one occasion when she had come to visit us.
I can’t remember feeling all that excited at the prospect for not only had I sensed that my mother hadn’t appeared all that wholehearted about my impending holiday but she had also been very quiet all morning.
I also thought it rather strange that my sister wasn’t going with me. Instead she had gone off to school quite happily. it did seem odd and yet I didn’t question it.
After what had seemed a rather lengthy bus journey, and still unable to summon up any sort of enthusiasm about my visit, we finally arrived at my auntie’s house which was surrounded by a very high wall that had prevented me from being able to see the front of the house.
A large wooden door had been incorporated into this wall with an attendance bell to the side of it.
As soon as the bell had been rung then an elderly gentleman immediately opened the door and showed us through in to a large impressive looking courtyard that had a beautiful working fountain in the centre.
At last I was now able to view my Auntie’s amazing house which was, to say the least, awesome, foreboding, having been constructed of dark grey stone.
It looked unreal somehow, certainly uninviting, and altogether horribly scary.
My very first impression of it had absolutely terrified me and I knew immediately that I wasn't going to enjoy my few days there.
No comments:
Post a Comment