GRADUATION DAY for a VICTIM OF INCEST
A reading of Chapter 14, “Graduation” from the memoir, “No Tears for my Father” 
Vigaland Book Podcast #16 of the Memoir, “No Tears for my Father”
 
In today’s world, Graduation from Grade 8 has become much fancier, more expensive, more everything than what it was like to graduate in 1960. Back then, if parents could afford it, we got a nice new dress, attended a small ceremony and were handed our diplomas. Afterwards, if a classmate’s family agreed, one of us would throw an in-house party and invite as many as the folks allowed. There was none of this hiring limousines, getting our hair done, fancy grad dress shopping and attending a big prom or dance in some fancy venue. Oh how things have changed!
One of my classmates threw a small graduation party for our group. Both girls and boys were invited. With a possessive, sexually abusive father like mine, I was never allowed to attend parties of any kind, not even all-girl parties. So when I somehow found the courage to ask my father if I could attend this party, a last chance to see my friends before we all headed off to new schools etc., I truly hoped he might see this as an important rite of passage and give me the okay, just once, to go to a party. 
Did he? You’ll need to listen to the podcast above to find out what it was like for me, a victim of incest, to graduate from Grade 8 in 1960. 
  ©Viga Boland
If you have been listening to and following my Vigaland podcasts all along, I sincerely thank you for your support. I am not entirely sure how much longer I will continue to bring you the rest of my book, “No Tears for My Father”. A podcaster or blogger embarks on projects like this and relies on feedback from listeners for the motivation to continue. To date, written or email feedback has been next to nothing. So I really have no idea if you, who are reading this, are listening to the podcasts and want me to continue. If so, please drop me a note. If I don’t hear from anyone, well, I guess I’ll have to re-think the value of spending my time and energy putting these podcasts together. I hope you’ll convince me it is indeed worth my time. Thanks!
 
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