Blog-TOWER OF BABEL

I thought I had no fear. 

I have bungee jumped in 14 countries, got married to someone i barely knew, have a tattoo, worked in bars all over the world, chewed tobacco, at times in my life people have been actually afraid of me, duly noted. But i realized the other day, when I saw someone driving a Buick, that I was so afraid of what I saw at 812 am on Tuesday morning, my heart stopped, I broke out in a sweat and was taken back to when i was 6. It was a nun, in full habit, taking a left turn on east main street, Branford, CT.

I was tortured by them. Could do no right actually. They shook me, pinched me, cut my hair in anger, (my bangs were touching my eyebrows), I was forced to kneel on pencils, kneel in the snow until my knee caps were frozen) for my uniform skirt was too short. Sister Mary Bernadette, of Notre Dame academy for girls had me on her radar for an eternity. I walked in, she pounced. 

I was in hell or detention for most of those frightful ridden eight years. I can remember her face like it was yesterday, fortyish face scrubbed so clean it was shiny, a little facial fur, mole to the left of her lip, rimless glasses, and a bit of a double chin. She smelled like rubbing alcohol and had a clicker. 

I remember being at desk height, staring at her waist rosary beads, and wondered what the hell god was thinking when he supposedly chose this ornery, bad tempered , unattractive, crazy woman to spread the word of faith, and to be his servant. I was the servant, feeling like cinderella with not a chance at survival, humor or a wild life. I do remember looking out the window for solace.

The window showed another life without screaming and without physical and mental anguish. Things have changed in schools today. If my son got slammed by a teacher, there would be a lawsuit. I asked my parents why this was happening, and they said I was bad, and I needed to be punished. I thought the nun just needed a boyfriend, badly.