When swimming season came around I refused to go into the pool. I retreated from the stench of the big expanse of chlorinated water. I simply couldn’t stand the awful smell. I ran out the school gate in my bathing shorts and kept running until a police stopped me.
I was taken back to school, but on the way I called the policeman a bastard. He gave me a good hiding with his belt before he took me to the principal. Mother was called and she gave me another terrible beating in front of my teacher. I was red and bruised all over.