Japan surrendered. World War II ended. Peace at last. I was discharged from the U.S. Navy.
My brother, Charlie, and his wife, Sadie did a very nice thing. They invited me to come and live with them. They had a beautiful Victorian home in Freeport.
What a mistake they made!
They had two beautiful children, Thomas age eight and Camille, five years old. I was the uncle all children wanted - no discipline - children should be free to do as they want, free as the birds.
I would make off-hand comments to the children, never thinking they had any effect on them.
My brother started to renovate the bathroom. The tub was on three inch paws off the floor. When he moved the tub he found half eaten sandwiches, apple cores, candy wrappers, etc.
When he spoke about this at dinner that night, Tommy and Camille told their dad, "Uncle Manny told us when we did not like what we had to eat to throw it under the tub."
Children do listen to adults. My brother and his wife were very glad when I got married and moved out.