It Was a Male World

In the summer of 2004 I put together a sort of anthology about me (printed by hand) entitled "Grandpa's Stories, an Irreverent Memoir". Some of the stories are, in fact, generic "Woodruff Boys Stories". This is one of them:

 

                                             IT WAS A MALE WORLD

 

I grew up in pretty much a male world.. One of three brothers with no sister and no girls in the neighborhood to play with. Summer jobs were on the "Bull Gang" at the paper mill and in the oil fields (all men). I went to an all male college and all male Army. I served mostly in the Pacific where there were no frauleins or mademoselles. I learned to swear while watching my Dad trying to fix the furnace (I got my mouth washed out with soap for repeating his language). Like most boys I thought belching and farting were hilarious (still do). I learned more swear words and obscenities by going deer hunting with Dad and his friends (dirty jokes too). We weren't big on modesty---skinny dipping in the Paw Paw River---no locks on the bathroom doors (one had two doors)---no shades on the windows---shower in the basement and we didn't bother with bathrobes. It didn't get much better as we grew up what with mass showers with the other football and basketball players. Of course there was no privacy or modesty in the Army (or Navy). In college I belonged to a fraternity which had no housemother and a rule that no females were allowed above the first floor thus there was no need to be discreet about nakedness, farting or bawdy talk. The champion farter was my horny dog Rex who could empty a room when he let one go.

 

NEXT: Sex education