My first memory is of the saddest day of my life, although I didn't know it at the time.

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Sophie Lakes

GCSE coursework – English – Autobiography

Wednesday, October 16, 2002

My first memory is of the saddest day of my life, although I didn’t know it at the time.  I was four years old and sat in my living room with the sweets my Dad had given me that day.  The television was blaring and I was half watching Sesame Street and half watching my parents rushing around the house and putting things into suitcases.  Everything was quiet except for the sound of Big Bird reciting the alphabet when my Father came into the room and sat by my side.  He had a present for me.  It was a toy shopping trolley full of plastic food and a microwave to “cook” it in.  I loved the present but at that point in time the television meant more to me than anything else.  I said thanks and turned back to the screen.  I didn’t realize it but it was the last time I would ever see my Father.  He kissed me and turned to leave, he paused by door and said goodbye his voice sounding weak and powerless unlike the deep and strong voice he usually possessed.  

        He left that day.  I can still picture his car rolling out of the drive and my Mother burying her face in her hands.  He was headed across the pond to America, to work in the American Air Force.  He was an aviation mechanic and always had been.  We were used to moving a lot as he got transferred from base to base.  But this time we didn’t because he was only going for six months.  At least that’s what we thought. Six years passed of not having a Dad and my Mum struggling to put food on the table.  Christmas was never a big thrill; every year we would ask Mum when Dad would come home but the only answer we ever got was “he’ll be back soon”.  Soon we started to forget about the American in us and stopped celebrating Independence Day and Thanksgiving.  I didn’t think anything of it until one day when I was seven, and a girl at school and I was arguing.  

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