National Adult Literacy Database

April 22, 2002

This week, we are launching twelve stories written by students from The Learning Centre in Edmonton, Alberta. As a special event you can read some of the stories as well as hear them, with the audio player.

The Learning Centre is a community-based adult literacy and education program in Edmonton, Alberta. Whether we are drawn to the Centre to learn to write, to tutor reading, to facilitate, coordinate or do research, learning is at the centre of what we do.

The following story was written by Wanda Colgan. Wanda came to Edmonton when she was four years old and has lived here for 44 years. She found out about The Learning Centre through a friend who was going to register. Wanda came with her friend for support and ended up registering herself. She doesn't regret it at all.

 

Play an audio version of this story

My Dad

by Wanda Colgan

My Dad's nationality was Irish and Scottish. I never got along with my father. I think it was because I wasn't born normal like the rest of the kids. I was independent and bull-headed and strong-willed, especially when I was eight years old.

I overheard my parents arguing about me and how much it would cost for my back operation. Ever since then I was always rebelling against my Dad any way I could. For instance I would not do anything he told me to. Another thing, any time I would come home from school I would eat part of my dinner and then go out with my friends.

My mom would ask me what time I would be home and I would say, "It all depends on Pops, if he gets off my case. If he doesn't get off my case I will have to do something drastic." I always had to do something drastic to get my point across.