From the depths of my memory

I was young, not sure how young, but maybe 6 to 8 years old at most.

We'd been to a birthday party at a younger cousin's house. My aunt had five kids, and each new kid supplanted those who came before, until she had R, when she stopped...or maybe she had her tubes tied. I don't know, I don't care, she had no more after R. He was the baby of the family, and he was spoiled rotten. He could do nothing wrong and he always got whatever he wanted.

The birthday party was R's birthday party. In keeping with the natural order of things, that when kids leave birthday parties they take a balloon with them, I had taken a balloon with me. I was in my seat in the back of the car, holding my balloon, when R decided he wanted my balloon, and my aunt had to get it for him. It didn't matter that there were probably more balloons inside the house, or that this one had been given to me, R. wanted my balloon, and my Auny had no choice but to get it for him. I remember her running down the path towards our car. My window was down because my seat was closest to the house and we were all in the car saying goodbye.

My aunt is not an attractive woman. In fact she's a downright scary looking woman. When I replay the scene of her bearing down upon the car, one word comes to mind. An appropriate word, I believe.

Harpy.

I remember screaming and complete chaos ensuing. I think I remember my older sister telling my dad to drive away. I remember my aunt leaning in the window of the car, tugging at my balloon, trying to pull it from my arms. I remember her fingers pressing at the sides of the balloon and it seems to me that she'd decided if she couldn't get it for R, then I wouldn't have it either. I can see her hands and her fingernails as I cast my mind back across the years, but I don't see hands, I see claws, I see talons.

I don't remember what happened. I guess my dad couldn't drive off with my aunt hanging half in and half out of the car. Maybe the balloon burst. Maybe my aunt gave up. Maybe she got the balloon away from me. I don't remember any of that. I just remember this screeching woman bearing down on the car, and her hands clawing at my balloon. I remember the fear and panic I felt at this moment.

We all had traumatic times in our childhood. This is one of mine.