Earliest memories

1987

 I recently tried to remember my earliest memory. Even though it was obviously me carrying out those deeds, it feels now as if I was a totally different person, in a different body, even in a different world. Even the site of this memory has been bulldozed and filled in. 

I must have been very young when this happened as my mum had inexplicably let me push my brother in his pram- he must have been 18 months so I’d be three. If anyone knows Bury in Greater Manchester - and let’s face it why would you? Anyway this happened in Pyramid Park, Bury, well, on the concourse at the top. There was an underpass that led to Bury Market. I was pushing him at the top of this slope and in my innocence I reckoned that if I just let go of the pram and let him go down the hill free wheeling - everything would be fine… I took away my gloved little hands… everything would be fine… the pram quickly gathered pace… everything would be fine…

It wasn’t fine. 

His pram quickly ran off course, my panic stricken mum running down the hill as it clattered into an unforgiving metal stantion. I do remember the pram tipping up accompanied by various wailing noises- both from my brother and mother… and come to think of it from me too. My brothers legs and arms were kicking about and lots of on lookers did next to nothing to help except tut at ‘another young mum’. Get lost. She had more strength in her little fingernail than those plebs had between them. 

My next recollection on this was sitting in my bedroom thinking how naughty I was… oh dear.