Ici Explains How Even Her Gentle Mother Lost her Temper with 4 Boys

My mother was so gentle in disciplining me. When my sister, Kato, had started first grade, it was as though I had lost my best friend, at least for half a day. I tried to make friends with grownups living on the same floor, with not much success, especially when once I could not resist a miniature peasant kitchen displayed on some neighborhood buffet and took it home. My mother discovered it, and made me return it and apologize.

But as gentle as she was with me, she lost her tempter sometimes trying to discipline the four high spirited boys. It was especially hard on her when my father was on a business trip, to make them come home in time.

This is exactly what happened one summer evening, when Ferko (Frank), my third oldest brother, was not in at dinnertime. Mother got more and more irritated. "He will get it!" she vowed, and, grabbing a large wooden spoon, stood on guard in the half-darkened kitchen.

Sure enough, soon a young boy came stalking through the door. She grabbed him, pushed him across her knees, and proceeded using the spoon on his behind. What was so surprising, was that the boy did not utter a sound. She finally turned him around and discovered that she had spanked her best friend’s son’s behind. Lala (Louise) was her best friend. The boys were playing hide-and-seek, and this unfortunate lad had tried to hide in our kitchen.