It was 1977, the first Star Wars film had just hit the cinema and I like many others, spent hours queuing to watch this epic journey through space and time. I have always had a fascination with the universe and astronomy; I suppose I am a bit of a geek where this subject is concerned. I love Start Trek, read Asimov and research Quantum Physics in my spare time; so it was only natural I would love Star Wars; it’s where my passion for space travel came from.
I was six years old, Star Wars was one of the first ‘big boy’ films I had ever gone to see. I had watched the usual Disney movies, like ‘Bedknobs and Broomsticks,’ with Mother and Father on a Saturday afternoon, but never a big blockbuster, with my mate from School. At six years old, I didn’t know what to expect, but from what I recall enjoyed every minute of this ‘big’ adventure at such a young age. It’s funny, when I was thinking back to this time in my life, I could only recall certain parts, rarely fine detail. I remember my friend Jason with me on that evening, but no one else. At our age, we must have had an adult with us, but it just isn’t registering who. This was a day for school friends, adults faded into the background!
From that day after, I went Star Wars mad. I collected all the Star Wars figures and was bought the more expensive merchandise on Birthdays and Christmas. This was the one movie that defined me as a person in more ways than one. I can remember a dream I had, one that recurred night after night for many years; me flying through space, looking down on the Earth; I wanted to be up there, I wanted to be a spaceman. I believe my bedroom was decorated in Star Wars Wallpaper, although that memory is slightly obscured, I just can’t remember the finer details, after all, a lot happened between then and now. 1977 was a special year for many reasons, the silver Jubilee, my last year of infants school, new friends and experiences and of course the wonder of Star Wars. These were happy times, in the main; I say mainly, because, this was also the year I got in trouble, for the first and last time and all because of that film, Start Wars!
Like most of my school at the time, I was obsessed by Star Wars; Panini had issued those Star Wars collector cars; you remember, the ones you could buy in the newsagents, which contained about five cards and a stick of bright pink bubble gum. I like most of my peers bought them whenever I had pocket money; I nearly had the whole collection, but not quite.
I was in Mrs Brooks class, room 9 I believe, at Fareham Park Infants School; when we came in each morning, we put all our personal belongings in a draw at the back of the room; each draw had our name on and at no time were any of the draws locked. In the 1970s children carried very little of value on them; no mobile phones or tablets, just a pencil case, lunch and maybe a few pence to buy a drink at break time. The only things of value, that I brought into school in my satchel, were my Star Wars cards; to be honest, many of us did at the time, so imagine my delight, when I discovered another friend at school, had some of the cards I didn’t.
I don’t really know if I understood what stealing was, but in any eventuality, I ended up procuring this persons cards. Now I am not going to mention names, because the individual concerned is listed on my facebook friends list. All I can say is, we weren’t best buddies and I was jealous he had more cards than I. At lunch time, I took his collection, without a second thought.
The rest of this sorry episode is a bit hazy, so I will tell you what I can. We were all searched after the cards went missing, and I was found with them, probably in denial, certainly incapable of understanding the implications, of what I had done. What I remember next, is being taken to the Headmistresses office, standing in front of her, crying and upset. I was smacked across the legs quite a few times and left to stand outside her office for the rest of the day, this was the standard way of dealing with inappropriate behaviour at the time. It was also standard practice to phone ones parents in these circumstances, who also punished me in a suitable manner. It was such a traumatic experience, I can’t actually recall what the punishment was.
This was the only time I stole in my life. I remembered this period so vividly, with such shame, that I never again took anything from anyone, that didn’t belong to me. How should one punish a child for wrongdoing? There is the right way and a wrong way and the methods used in the 1970s were incorrect. I am in two minds about the punishment I received for stealing. I was chastised in such a way, that it lingered in my consciousness for life and stopped me from defalcating again. A slap or two across the legs and the humiliation of standing outside the Headmistresses office was just what I needed to stop me from pilfering; it worked!
Today in the year 2017, we are very politically correct where punishing a child is concerned and I can understand why. I had no lasting problems with regards to my treatment, but the same can not be said for all children, who were disciplined in this way. I know of others, who had life long psychological issues, because of the way they were treated by parents as well as those in authority. There are far more effective ways to stop a child from sealing, that doesn’t involve violence. One has to remember that a threatening act towards a youngster at such an impressionable age, can quite quickly escalate, as they mimic what has been done to them. I do however believe there are circumstances, when a short tap across the back of the legs should be used. A child running out in front of traffic, pulled back by their parents, may well learn from a friendly clip. These issues are not for me to judge; I have no children of my own and can only speak using my own childhood experiences.
1977 remains a year of firsts and lasts; writing about this small part of my childhood, has brought some fantastic memories flooding back, reinforcing my view, that stealing is wrong but also making me reflect on times gone by; comparing a very different World with today. Early childhood reminiscences make us who we are, making and learning from mistakes is the only way we can move forwards. That day in 1977 taught me much about life and morality, without its significance my journey could have been very different!
