Now I Can Laugh
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
"Now I can Laugh” Writing this book has given to me an opportunity to think about and understand this generation of kids that are severely criticized and punished for what they do and think today. I do remember that my parents and their generation were just as critical and judicial as we are now, and showed to us a compromising attitude of what was right and wrong. I have enjoyed writing this, and remembering just what a horror of a child I must have been. My teenage years were to say the least a bit frantic and uncertain, my solitary attitude and self reliance coupled with a very independent attitude, made it difficult for people to accept me. My Mother must have had many hard and worrying times. My adult years started when I commenced training in a Psychiatric Hospital, and although I was quite successful, I maintained a very blasé attitude to everything I did. Although having to work and study I became a more relaxed and a less self indulgent person. Finding out that to be more considerate to other people resulted in my enjoying life, and I suppose it was then I decided I would continue to help myself, and as I travelled through life's journey, I would make a point to help others......... “Can I see the chief male Nurse please?” This to the tough looking man standing beside a massive clock that had spikes sticking out around the face at every minute as marked, “The pegging clock” a fuller explanation about which will be given later. Indicating a flight of stairs, he explained that the Chief Male Nurses Office was the second door from the bottom of the stairs but I couldn't use these stairs because I was not a trained nurse, I would have to walk around the building on the outside going to my right. If I saw anybody, ask again. I asked him what should I do if I didn't see anybody. He replied that I should use my imagination, I did. Why don't I go out through the gates and do as my mother said and wait till they came to fetch me. I didn't. I walked around the building and eventually saw a massive green door marked `Chief Male Nurse, knock and wait.' I knocked - “Come in”. It sounded human. . . . I was wrong again. I saw a bald headed fat man in a blue serge suit with cigarette ash down the front of his waistcoat. "I've got four questions for you.” he said. “Do you wear glasses?” "No” I said, although I had them in my inside pocket. He continued, ”If you wear glasses you can't work here.” I spent the next three years feeling my way round a large Mental Hospital. "Do you object to cleaning?” He asked. "No” I replied. The amount of floor waxing and bumping I later did would have made the `gladiators' training a piece of cake. "Are you any good at sports?” "No” I said. He did not approve of that. "Can you play any musical instrument?” He asked. I replied “Yes, Piano and Accordion”, and was I thankful I didn't have to prove it. “OK. start next Monday. 7.00am.to 8.00.pm. five days a week. watch the rota -- you have to live in. bring your things, pay days on Friday, £1.12s6d.a week pick your rations up on Monday and get measured.” All this in one breath. "Get measured" was it for a suit or a straight jacket? I asked myself…………….
Formats
Book Details
About the Book
Born in 1930s, B.W.Jay takes us on a journey through his childhood years. He explains that which became his life long “cross to bear” after the bombing during world war two and details his experiences when evacuated to Yorkshire from Brighton. A period during which he and his nephew suffered untold vagaries, but eventually came to love Yorkshire and the Yorkshire people. He had a very uncertain but adventurous childhood and eventful start to his working life which commenced at the age of 14yrs involving him in many instances of unstable behavior within the work environment and people he worked with. He enlisted into the Royal Air Force, but after a short while, his rebellious nature involved him in more trouble. He was invalided back to Brighton for a deferment of two years. During his journey back from the RAF Station he decided he had to change his ways, and from that day he did. B.W Jay continues with his experiences as a student to become a Registered Mental Nurse and describes the large Mental Hospital. This has been presented and recognised as being an example of a serious book written with humour to make it's content more easy to read. It will leave the reader with some serious thought provoking questions.
About the Author
BW.Jay was born in 1930, he lived through these very austere years and at the age of four had a "mind of his own" was stubborn and had mainly to fend for himself within a large family environment. Throughout these years he had personal problems with his schooling leaving at the age of 14 and started work. Within a two year period BW.Jay found difficulty keeping a job, being sacked fourteen times. He spent the next years employed by his brothers in the building trade where he continued to have problematic times. At the age of abut 18years he volunteered for the RAF and went to An RAF training centre, but due to an illness his service in the RAF was deferred for a period of two years. It was during his journey back home that in a depressed state of mind he decided to change his thinking, his behavior and his total life style and ultimately his personality. BW Jay, spent the next two years being registered disabled, then accepted an opportunity to take training to become a Registered Mental Nurse. This change was found to be an introduction to what he considered to be cruelty, sub-standard care, lack of recognition of individuals and humiliation for other unfortunate inmates, who at that time were referred to as patients. BW.Jay illustrates in words his three years of nurse training and working 5 x12 hour days each week. This book is written with humour and honesty, detailing events as he saw and understood them, he does refer to his own involvement as his "demonic conscience" but knowing how things did improve does say, "Now I can Laugh" but even after 56 years, he does not really want too. But he does share the blame with the rest of this countries population.