Before Bliss

It was bad.  I was a bad kid, I think.  I bit myself.  I cried when I had to go home on weekends. During the week, I stayed with my Aunt Irene before she got blind. She had limited vision when I was young. I liked being there with my cousins, Leslie and Garry. We enjoyed watching TV together, especially seeing the Monkees and Batman. 

I felt like a yoyo, going back and forth. At that age (before I was 6) I was wondering why I had to keep coming and going. I didn’t understand at that age that my mother had to work. I thought that I was very dumb. I thought at first that she was giving me away. I wondered at that age, why I was so dumb.

Learning Bliss

When I was in the Bliss class at OCCC beginning  in 1972-1973 school year, my best friend was Greg Keefe. I stayed over at his place and we took turns staying over at each other’s place.  Our mothers were friends.

Bliss was my mouth to talk. I remember “boy” and ‘girl”, and “mom” and “dad”symbols. I was shy so I didn’t talk to the other kids.

I had a crush on Sherri who was in Miss Norman’s class. Greg did too! Sherri had black hair and she played with dolls. 

I knew Kevin and David  (Shirley’s two sons). We saw them playing outside when Greg’s mom drove past Shirley’s house. Mrs. Keefe stopped at Shirley’s house 4 times. She beeped her car horn. 

I remember. Scott Bond. He was the same as me,  shy.  Here’s what Scott, Greg and I looked like in Shirley’s book “Symbol Secrets”.

I also remember Mrs. Snetsinger and Mrs Barlow.

There is another teacher I remember, Mrs. Bederman.  She used to tease me. She gave us grape juice on Jewish holiday. I don’t have a picture of her.

There is more to come….. about my move to Erin Oak Children’s Treatment Centre.

Joe Jessop will share more of his memories in the next episode.