When I was at primary school everyone got the vacuum cleaner hose or the wooden spoon at home. At school it was the strap. Or a ruler. Sometimes the whole class lined up one after the other like a twisted conga line. Violent nuns.
When I was at primary school we got our clothes from black rubbish bags. We put the bag in the middle of the room and went through it with the excitement of kids on Christmas day.
When I was at primary school my friends called my part of Petone the Bronx. I didn’t know what the Bronx meant.
When I was at primary school we had sandwiches wrapped in gladwrap for lunch. Except the day after payday, then we had a muesli bar and an apple as well.
When I was at primary school we knew who lived over the fence. And we knew their kids, and their grandkids.
When I was at primary school the washing line was how the neighbours knew how many babies were still in nappies. If it was spinning with rows of white nappies neatly pegged side by side then that was a good day.