Yesterdays: The story: part 1

1

Some thoughts behind the story

This tale is vaguely true; or as true as my memory is after so many years. It is also subject to that selection that permits one to only write about what one wishes to be remembered. That which has been put in the dustbin should stay there.

I had a very happy childhood. Schooling was tough, but nobody ever said it ought to be happy. Happy childhood is a phrase that applied to me. Happy schooldays is an oxymoron. We were all in it together and took it the way we were meant to. After all our elders had all been through the First or Second World Wars. There was nothing wishy-washy about them.

The army was also tough but I had deliberately chosen an elite regiment so there was nothing to complain about.

I was a rebel. Not one who wanted to overthrow the system. I believed in the system. I just refused to be dominated or to lick boots or to kow-tow or whatever expression one wishes. I was and have always remained independent. The powers that be neither liked nor accepted that. There was the source of all my problems.

This story ends when I am about twenty-five. It begins of course with my first memories.