I'm taking a deep breath and putting my reputation on the line here today. I'm telling you a deep, dark secret.
Once, I was a worm worrier.
I try to be good, I honestly do. But we've all got a past. Right? And in my past I was a worm torturer. Or so I believed. I can't have been much older than I am in the picture here, though maybe a little, because I can remember it so clearly. Oho, yes, I remember it.
I was playing in the garden, in the sunshine, by myself when I spotted the worm. And someone, something, some little voice in my head came to me and said - pick it up, Sian. Don't you want to see what happens if you tie a worm in a bow?
Yes, yes, I did want to see. It would be an experiment. So I reached out my hand, I picked up that worm. I grabbed hold of each end, just like Grandpa had showed me with shoelaces, and I knotted. The worm wriggled. It was dirty. I threw it away.
And then the guilt took over. I was a worm knotter, a torturer, a murderer: everybody would know and I'd go to some kind of animal prison and live there for the rest of my life branded as a monster. I panicked. I can remember turning over the soil, the stones. I needed to find that worm and put things right. But the worm was gone.
Funny the little things that stay with you, isn't it? I still have worm regret, even though now I understand that the worm was probably fine. I bet my bows weren't have as accomplished as I thought they were (Grandpa had said keep practising). Quick somersault and that worm would have been good. Maybe it's time to stop looking over my shoulder? You know, for the worm police?
I made this page for Get It Scrapped's Ideas for Storytelling With Photos of Bugs and Critters. Of course I didn't have a photo of the event, so I used a favourite Little Me, telling a story.
So, you've heard mine. What's yours? A childhood transgression? An awful secret? Do tell...
31 comments:
Looove that red 'wall paper' you've used behind on your page - it's so evocative of that era:):)
Oops - poor worm.... I don't think I did anything like that as a kid...my bro was practising with his sling shot & sorta actually KILLED one of Mum's laying chickens. That I remember. Think Roden got a bigger shock than the chook. He couldn't believe it wouldn't get up....ooops.....
Cute story! I love the irony of the little birds on your layout. How confused a bird would have been to find a worm tied in a bow! I have a slightly different bug story appearing on my blog soon! Just a coincidence that it would happen now.
Cute and funny Sian! As a kid, I did something far worse to a worm. I actually stuck them on a hook and used them to catch fish! ewww.
I'm pretty much a "live and let live" when it comes to critters of all kinds - as long as they stay where they belong - OUTSIDE. When outdoor critters come in, I declare war. Right now I'm battling an army of carpenter ants.
I actually had a sharp I take of breath on reading about tying a bow in the worm...I think it may have been more in revulsion than in pity though!!....loved this,
Alison xx
What a little cutie you were, even if you did torture worms! I think we have probably all done something like this that played on our childish minds for a long time afterwards. I used to eat earwigs, apparently, but I have no recollection of it!
I have a feeling that worms are designed to be able to unknot themselves. Coco is a 'worm worrier' too. She paws at the grass until a worm comes to the surface then she throws herself on it and rolls around. Eau de Worm, her scent of choice!
As for my own confession I once ACCIDENTALLY chopped a frog in half with garden shears. Oh yes I did. I've never been allowed down to where the grass grows long again.
Oh Sian :) a lovely layout, I really like your patterned paper. There are many a childhood story to tell i'm sure!
I don't think I've ever heard the term "worm regret" before, but it will definitely stay with me!
My deep dark secret? I used to buy key blanks for the hardware store because I loved keys. I had a huge selection. And then one day I realized they would often unlock other people's houses. I occasionally let myself in to the neighbor's houses when they were gone during the day and wandered about!
rinda
Lovely page, lovely story but I brought back uncomfortable memories! You can breath easily Sian because I did far worse! I wanted a pet but wasn't allowed one so ....... it is very difficult to fess up ......... so I caught a fly, pulled its wings off so it couldn't fly away and kept it in a matchbox until it died! See far far worse than yours - off to hang my head in shame.
That's a lovely page Sian and it made me smile. Funny how some things can stay in our mind, I'm sure you never knotted another worm!
I love your blog. Please never stop.
As an adult I laughed out loud as I read this. As a child i would have run a mile rather than pick up a worm!
Worst childhood transgression? Putting two teaspoons of salt in my brother's coffee and then denying it until I was blue in the face. Hmm, actually, now that I mention it, I don't think I've ever confessed to him exactly what I did!!
A brilliant story, Sian, and my stomach tightened on reading how bad you felt - those pangs of guilt show your essential goodness :). And that's a lovely photo - didn't you have long legs?
I love the vintage feel of your page! Great choice of paper and elements :) Your story made me smile. I was probably busy torturing my little brother instead of insects at that age! :)
What a great story, your curiosity about what might happen, your natural childlike impulse that did it and then as Alexa says, your immediate regret showing your nature. I bet it tempered your curiosity from then on. Beautiful clever page, of course, inspiring as always.
Do you know you have started a trend in my scrappy world, for pages split between two sheets of patterned paper? It's getting my scraps used (large pieces obvs) and I'm not complaining in the least.
Oh my gosh what an adorable photo and I just love your layout, Sian. I am giggling about your worm story and all the others shared in these comments. We fished for crawdads as kids and sold the tails to the bait store, then used the money to buy candy. Problem was that the bait store wouldn't take the tails still attached to the crawdad, and since I was the oldest I was the one to snap them in half. Ewwww - gives me the creeps to even think of it now! Haha.
Well, now, aren't you something - quite the little confessor. Loved the story; but I'm not joining in and incriminating myself - even the younger me wants to keep her secrets.
You're story has me laughing this evening! I didn't tie worms in knots . . . I simply caught them for the bait bucket, then threaded them on a fish hook! :>)
I love seeing your journaling on the page!
Poor worm... but you told the story beautifully and that is such a pretty page too!
My cousin used to eat worms. NO, really, he did.
I used to watch him and wait for him to be sick but he never was. I still didn't like him though, still don't.
Well worm worrier, you've fessed up so I will to - I must confess I was a snail gobbler. There I admitted it.
My brother and cousin decided a snail farm was in order in grandpa's garden and apparently little me decided that they looked like a delicious treat and I ate one (maybe two) of the slithery little things.
Now that I think of it perhaps that's why i truly can't stand any slimy food to this day, you won't catch me eating oysters or anything of that nature ewwww.
As sorry as I am for that worm, I had to admit I giggled. Oh the curious nature of childhood, followed by the fear of getting caught :) a great story and what a gorgeous layout to go with it
What a great story - I'm sure that the worms have a fairly short statute of limitations even if the knot held ... you'll probably be safe ... soon ;-)
That is an adorable photo! And a great story to go with it!
My young brother was afraid of worms, I used to hang them on the toggles of his duffle coat... Of course he was wearing it, it wouldn't have been much fun other wise. :( or :) not sure which. Great page Sian.
Funny what things can haunt us through our lives. I should think the worm was able to un-knot himself - they're pretty flexible and covered in that lovely slippy stuff.
The page is great though and the story made me laugh aloud!
I like the red background and the blue ribbon. Oh, and that photo is a classic - you were very cute!
My mother was found, at the age of two, sitting in the garden holding Half a Hairy Caterpillar (!). When they asked what had happened to the other half, she said "Yum, yum"!!!
And you thought Worm-Knotting was bad...
XX
What a wonderful layout even if you are confessing to worm torture LOL! One of my fave books as a child was "how to eat fried worms" but I never tried it out myself!
That is a great and funny story now but I can really imagine how awful you felt at the time x
OH my goodness! I had to come back and search out this page! I knew there was a story about a worm I had spotted! My oldest when she was about the same age tried to pop a frog once....oh my. Thanks for the story!
What a lovely photo! I really enjoyed your story considering the thought of worms gives me the shivers. Ok my confession - my girlfriend and I loved to tease/scare her big sister when we were about 8 and knowing she had an absolute dread of snakes the two of us caught one and chased her with it. Poor Vicky - she didn't talk to us for days afterwards but never told on us! The weird thing is now I absolute hate snakes and wouldn't even think of touching one.
Post a Comment