Aiden Deis: My Subset of Reality

My Early Memories October 25th - 2014

Dad went to a boarding school. He was the rugby captain all throughout his school career. He held multiple athletic records at his school. He was "Hoof Sean" at his boarding school. Dad was in "poepliesie college" instead of going to the army at 18. He would have been an accountant if he had the option. He was always a leader.

//I don't know how they met

From photos that I've seen, I know my mom was absolutely beautiful when she was younger.

My earliest memories are of a of my little sister slipping into a bath that was too warm for her. It scolded her entire forearm. I don't know how long ago exactly any of that was. I also remember a tree, that I think was at the same house as the previous memory. The tree had these wonderful red brush-looking things on which it grew its seeds. I know my mother had a maid who helped her raise us when we were very little, her name was Lettie, and her nickname was "Vet-Let". "Vet", meaning Fat. I'm not sure whether this is an actual memory, but I can almost feel this big black presence standing over me as I am laying on my back. My mother didn't talk about her much, but when she did, she spoke with a loving smile. If I understood right-- when my parents split up, Vet-Let moved with my mother, away from her family, to help take care of us.

The first move that I can remember is moving too Bloemfontein. I don't know where we moved from, but I remember being terrified. Up until then we had always lived in small little towns, or maybe on farms. It's strange how early memories work. I remember a farm, though I'm not sure whether we lived on the farm or were just visiting my grandparents there.

I attended a preparatory school in Edinburgh before the move to Bloemfontein. All I really remember of that school is Ezme and Elizme. They were twin sisters. I remember chasing them around the play ground. Whether this was one occasion that I happen to remember or a daily routine ingrained on my mind I couldn't say. I also recall the trees there. They had these seeds that would dry up to about the size of a penny and made for wonderful ammunition. We threw those around quite carelessly.

I saw Ezme and Elizme a few years later - in Bloemfontein I think - in a movie theater. I know my mother was there standing behind me as we stood in line to buy tickets. In my memory, I feel my father was there as well, not sure. I recognized them, or they me. Either way a conversation started. It didn't last long. I remember telling my mom something along the lines of "I forgot you were here." It was odd how completely I truly did forget my parent(s) where with me. We sat down in sight of the concession stand. The twins were there on their own-- this came up somehow in the brief conversation. As we were sitting I remember my mother making the comment: "Vroeg ryp, vroeg frot." meaning "Early to ripe, early to rot."

Of Bloemfontein, during this particular phase, I remember the prepatory school I attended there