Protection.

 Here where I grew up and in that time children were protected from as much "bad" as possible. My children still tease me about being so naive about so many things. I was not exposed to a lot of things they were.

For instance I had never heard swear words any stronger than hell or damn. On the other hand my children knew them all. They did not swear in front of me. I hope it was out of respect.

I never saw any fights at school. I try to explain to my children that it was not students controlled their urges better. Fighting just did not enter our heads. 

When we lived in the same town as my grandmother I knew that two of her brothers lived there too. I would not have known them if I saw them on the street. I do not think they were bad men. My grandmother's family were simply not close.

I did know when each of them died. I overheard the adults talking about going to funerals. We were shielded from anything as bad as death.

When I was about 10 years old and we had just moved to a new house. We even had a basement! That meant we could wash clothes inside.

One day I was inside washing clothes. Mom came into the basement. She was holding the newspaper and had me read an article.

The article told us that television's Superman was dead. It was the first time I had been informed of a death. I was growing up.

The first funeral I attended was when I was 17. My father's assistant scout master had died. My oldest brother was going to be a pall bearer.

I had just been diagnosed with epilepsy. My parents did not want to leave me so I went too.

I did as everyone else and walked up to pay my respects. I had always heard that the dead look so peaceful. My father's friend looked DEAD. 

I learned why my parents so carefully protected me.