Tuesday 13 December 2011

A Tuesday Tale - talking after 'lights out'.............

.............at boarding school was punishable by various means, warnings, groundings, having to wear school uniform at weekends so that everyone knew you were in 'deep doggy doo-doo' and very often having to get up and totally strip your bed and fold everything neatly before trooping out of the room to stand at intervals down the corridor. Often this would be until you were almost asleep on your feet - and only then could you return to the 'dorm', remake your bed and inevitably fall straight asleep through tiredness. But, it never stopped us I'm afraid :(

It certainly wasn't St. Trinian's, but there could be similarities!
In my first year there I shared a room/dorm. with four others - and naturally there were the inevitable ring leaders. I'm not sure if Moira, who pops in here, was involved or whether she'd had the sense to team up with another crowd to share with by then.

This particular night one of the ringleaders had the bright idea of playing hide and seek in the dark. So, we dutifully counted to the agreed number and then it was time to search for the 'hider'. The rooms weren't massive so it was always easy to find whoever was hiding. But, before the search could begin, our chattering was heard by a member of staff and the room door was flung open - at which point we heard a muffled squeak of pain from behind the door. But, the teacher in question just roared at us to 'go to sleep immediately' and slammed the door shut again. The door slamming was immediately followed by a whoosh, a thump and stifled groans. When we eventually turned on the light there was a crumpled figure on her knees on the floor, in her PJ's, part way across the room.

In an attempt to beat us at hide and seek the 'hider' had been ultra-clever. She'd taken her bed side chair (bit like an old fashioned dining room chair) and hung it from the pegs on the inside of the door, on which we hung our dressing gowns. Then she'd quietly hopped up onto the chair and was sitting suspended up there waiting for the search to begin when the door was flung open. At that point her knees had crashed against the wall but she stifled her squeaks of pain - damaging furniture was another,much more serious, punishment altogether! And of course, when the door was slammed shut the momentum had shot the 'hider' out of the chair and across the room - where she landed on her knees once again! Some of the most spectacular bruises I've ever seen as well :))

Sometimes I wonder how we survived - but I'm so glad we did and to this day I still have Moira as a friend to share our memories! I do remember the name of the 'hider' but that's not essential to the tale - besides which, I don't want to be had up for libel :))

Di
x

13 comments:

  1. Oh Di you should write a book. Thanks for sharing your tales.
    Hugs,
    A x

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  2. Hi Di, another fabulous story, I always pop by early on a Tuesday, it sets me up for the day!!! The vision of this poor individual being splatted is priceless. I'm with Annie, definitely a book in the making here!!
    Just had a quick catch up with your week, sorry to hear you're snuffling again, it seems to be going around, DD is coughing and croaky just in time for her Christmas play!! Hope you feel much better soon.
    The cards for your little ones are great, thy'll love them. Tell me about queing in the post office!!! Mine wasn't even Christmas related, I've still to do thatt, grrrr.
    Glad you had a great night out last week. I think of you every time I go into Greggs now.
    Have a lovely Tuesday, hope it hasn't been too blowy down your neck of the woods.
    hugs Lisax

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  3. Hilarious! And to think I used to LOVE reading Mallory Towers and thought Boarding School would be a hoot with all those Midnight Feasts! TELL ME YOU HAD MIDNIGHT FEASTS AT LEAST! xxx

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  4. Sandra - we did have midnight feasts indeed!! Ever tried to make toast by ironing bread?! You've just reminded me of a tale about the strict rules about sharing tuck boxes when they were sent from home - for another Tuesday I think :) Di xx

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  5. You little rascals!! Happy days! x Jo

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  6. St Trinians it may not have been but like Sandra, I'm also reminded of St Clares and Mallory Towers!! Sounds like fun days. I've been catching up on the Foody posts, and the Pat posts, the lovely cards and the general Pixie posts too! Sorry the dreaded cold bug is back, you might be setting a place for it at the Christmas table at this rate!! Hopefully I'll be able to have time for WOYWW this week too, so I should be back tomorrow. Toodle pip!

    Hugs
    Brenda

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  7. You are such a great storyteller! Ouch, I can only imagine those poor battered knees. Glad she didn't get caught!!

    See you tomorrow! ;-)

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  8. Hi Di, Thanks for sharing this l look forward to your stories they are so interesting:) Sandra H

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  9. Oh my goodness Di! What a story! We do marvel at the escapades we survive as children! So enjoyed my visit to your blog and am your newest follower!
    Kathy

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  10. Oh gosh, I shouldn't read these first thing in a morning as they wake me up too soon, laughing is not something I normally do after just setting my feet out of bed.

    Kath x

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  11. At my school the punishment was even worse - you had to get out of bed by 10 to 7 and report to the library for 40 minutes of 'banging books' to get rid of the dust!

    It was the getting-up-early that was the punishment, of course, and now I think back I realise that Miss Snodgrass the Headmistress found it all very amusing!

    I hope the bruised hide-and-seeker recovered soon - but what a clever place to hide! Curse that pesky teacher for spoiling the fun!!!

    love Mags B x

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  12. shared a room with you but I was the quiet one

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  13. Hi Di, I should take a lesson from Lisa and pop in early Tuesday too - this made me laugh out loud, apologies to the un-named hider but this was so funny. The reference to St Trinians reminds me of my old school - gymslips, straw boaters and hockey sticks - those were the days :)) Thanks and keep these storied coming, I really enjoy a good giggle. Elizabeth x

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