Wilf’s Story
When I was 8 years old I was part of a group of children visiting the beach for the day. I had been given enough money by my mother to buy sweets and ice cream. We were led around in the usual fashion like sheep, in a line two deep. I was at the back and I spotted an ice cream shop where I stopped to buy some goodies.
After getting my goodies and the change, I turned around not only to find the group of children disappeared but also I was lost. But being a child of that age in 1955 it did not seem like it mattered. So I played around on my own. Only as time went on and I noticed other buses, similar to the one I had arrived on, leaving the beach, did I start to worry.
I started crying and a fisherman consoled me said he would take me to the lost children’s tent later that day. (I did not know then that would change the rest of my life).
I was in the lost children’s tent playing with toys, when in stormed the lady who had taken all of us to the beach in the first place. "WELL," she scolded, "You will NOT be doing THAT again!". "Doing what?" I asked in a quiet sort of voice. "YOU know," she fumed, "running off like that!" Before I new what was going on, she produced a Baby Harness and Reins made from leather and strapped it onto me.
She then commanded, "ACT LIKE A BABY!" and, "BE LIKE A BABY!" (I remember those words so clearly).
We went to the place where the rest of the group were eating food and again in a loud voice she dictated, "ACT LIKE A BABY!" "BE LIKE A BABY!" She then produced a large pink frilly bib and tied it around my neck. I was so embarrassed that it took a whole year at school and changes in children for that school break experience to rub off.
I had one Birthday when I was 12. I had some pocket money and walked past a leather and cricket bat shop and there in the window was a leather harness and reins set with bells on, my heart sank through the floor! I looked at my money and found I had enough to buy it. I purchased it and ran home with excitement. I smuggled the harness into our house, and tried it on in the washroom. What a big let down! the shoulder pieces fitted but the waist was too small for mine, BUT THE SMELL was gorgeous. I then found that my trousers belt was just the right size with a little adjustment it fit perfectly. I tied the reins to a wall fixture, pulled onto them as if an adult was holding the reins; life was now feeling good again.
I kept hold of that harness until it no longer fit, then to get the same feeling back as time went on into more adult life I would purchase a bib or two in the largest size available just so I could tie one around my neck and and get that feeling back again. In the ensuing years I went to night college and learned to sew clothes and how to use a sewing machine.
I have never looked back. Since then I have also learned how to work with leather to satisfying another fantasy, Baby Harness and Reins. I now have a collection of these in pink, white, blue, brown and black, all of which I have made myself.