Oh boy…..I remember the year 1992 New Years Eve only toooo!….. well.
Picture from unsplash
Raising two teenage girls and one on the verge of teen-hood, can be quite a hair raising experience, especially when one only wants the best for them and to protect them from wolves out there in sheep's clothing.
My two teenage daughters, then 16 and 17 years old went to their first New Years Eve Party under their father’s dourest.
Peter being overly protective of his girls, and wasn’t going to consent too easily, they couldn’t understand all the fuss, after all they’ve been to birthday parties and movies, but New Years Eve Party? That was totally different and out of the question according to their dad.
After much persuasion and begging, dad put the ball in mom’s court.
“Ask mom if it’s O.K”, he replied reluctantly.
Mom being the more lenient one of course , and understanding their frustrations of having a protective father; I mean!…. I also was a teenage girl child, I understood where they were coming from; all one wants to do at that age is have fun with one’s friends, oblivious of the dangers lurking in the shadows.
Picture from unsplash
Well!… let me tell you what happened that night.
The girls were bursting with excitement, couldn’t thank us enough for allowing them to go, giggling and chatting; the smell of shampoo , perfume; Omg….. you know what I mean!….. everything girls do when preparing for a night out…. the scent filled the air with it’s aroma.
Angela, the youngest daughter, rather a bit envious, stayed at home with mom while dad dropped her two siblings off at the party around 7.30pm.
Peter arrived home thirty minutes later, looking very concerned, pacing the floor.
“I don’t like the look of the set up there”, he blurted out , rubbing his chin nervously.
I tried reassuring him to no avail.
Describing the adults, whom he thought, looked like “rough diamonds”, were congregated in the garage, drinking, music blaring, no kids in sight he continued to rant.
“They didn’t even acknowledge me or the girls”, gesturing with his hands
“ a woman pointed towards the house like it was some kind of sleazy night club”.
I could sense his anxiety and he wasn't going to let up.
Nothing I said would sway him from his gut feeling that something was amiss.
It was 9pm, when Peter said he’s had enough and was going fetch the girls.
Oh crumbs!!…….here comes a thing! I thought nervously, Omg!… I just don’t want to be there at that precise moment.
It wasn’t long after that, when I heard the commotion emerging from the driveway. It sounded like a riot taking place in the neighborhood, screaming and cursing; not to speak of the choice language which was definitely not for sensitive ears .
Then I heard a splash, then silence for a split second, someone was dunked in the swimming pool.
Picture from unsplash
Boris, our beloved fur child at the time leapt into the pool, thinking it’s play time adding to the disarray of the moment, then I heard Candice scream as she made her way inside, leaving a trail of wetness behind her, Celeste following red faced cursing under her breath, then stopped in front of Angela and I , “Dad embarrassed us in front of our friends tonight”, she cried, her mascara running down her cheeks .
Then Angela piped up, “You look so funny Ces” laughing uncontrollably at her big sister's once perfect make up now smudged with black streaks down her face.
There was mayhem for several minutes before Peter entered.
He told me that when he had arrived there to pick the girls up, they were nowhere to be found; so he walked straight into the house, only to find the kids all sitting in the bedroom smoking and drinking.
He then grabbed Celeste and Candice by the scruff of the neck and escorted them through the garage past the adults, who by this time were highly intoxicated, he put the girls in the car, when he started driving off, Candice being the most verbal of the three, grabbed the hand brake jolting the car to a abrupt halt.
I can just imagine what went on in that car on the way home.
Well!!…..The sentence was six months grounding for them, without bail.
When things were much calmer the next day, we explained the repercussions that could of occurred if things got out of hand there.
The girls reassured us they did not take part in the drinking, Celeste only took a puff of her friends cigarette.
It was years later when we reminded them of that night, they both agreed what Peter did was absolutely correct and they would do the same for their children.
Celeste went on to say that there was an older drunk man that kept on coming into the bedroom and touching one of the girls inappropriately, trying to leer her out of the bedroom, they agreed that things could have turned ugly, and they appreciated our concern that night although they couldn’t see it then.
Now that they are parents too, they’re able to see things in the light of a concerned parent.
Peter always taught them to go with one’s gut feeling, if you feel somethings not right, act on your gut feeling.
Well!…that was my 1992 memories from back in the day, I am sure 2022 New Years Eve will be total bliss compared to that night in 1992.
This is my contribution to the #bow blog of the week challenge. Hope to read some awesome stories here, good luck everyone.
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Original content by @artywink