It was reassuring that
Fred acknowledged that
He knew what it
Was like for me
At home. He believed
Me when I told
Him that my mum's
Explanation for everything
Was " boys get more."
And he knew from
Hearing from others
That they spent
A suspicious amount
Of time in the pub.
I didn't even need
To tell him.
I said they had
Been like that as
Soon as I was old
Enough to be in
On my own and maybe
Even before and Fred
Heard stories from
Other people, and he
Didn't have to question them
Or squeeze it out.
It's only a town and
People will talk.
My mum (and dad)
Bought me a top
For my birthday
It was two Sizes too big.
It was really pretty
I would have worn
It out with jeans
All the time.
And Fred dove
Well too deep into
Her error, saying
She was jealous
I had a house and
Now she was
Trying to say I
Needed to lose weight.
And truth be told
I did get a pang
Of anger. And
When we were
Getting the deeds
To Our house,
Fred told all his
Family about when
We got approved
For the mortgage
We had it, It's ours!
My mum said,
It's not final,
I beg to differ.
We explained and
She repeated the same phrase.
And Fred would relay
The story " oh I beg to differ"
Making fun of my
Mum years later
Time and time again.
They don't care
About me, I said
At Freds house.
But I didn't want Sympathy.
I complained about
Them all the time.
But my complaints
Were justified. Because
Half the time they
Bordered on abuse.