At what age did you leave home?

Twelve. Was made a ward of the state after my violent drunken old man who had raised me since birth was brain vegetabled in an accident. No lose. First foster home I was in the old violent Dutchmen (only difference was he didnt need to get drunk but got his violent streak from needing to beat the teachings of the good old Christian God into younguns) took the skin of my backside with a dog collar buckle. Different from the plates broken over my head for not eating my cold mutton fat or constant ass kicking and fist beatings from my old man or having to sleep in potatoe sacks for constantly pissing the bed...being such a well balanced stable kid whose mother was put in a mental institution at my birth pissing the bed was normal. I love the book Angelas Ashes by Frank McCourt as I can fully relate to extreme poverty, violence and abuse and childhood mental instability. 

So once the state caught up with me at 12 with bugga all skin on my ass they put me in a boarding school....that was choice as I had new clothes for the first time in my life (growing up I always wanted a new pair of undies for a present so I would not have to wear other siblings worn out hand me downs)..., I played all the sports I wanted and got a pocket money allowance. And I have only wet the bed once since in 50 odd years when I dreamed I was having a leak in the bush then woke up. However you dont address your mental instabilities in a short time so left school at 15. First job I had for 10 weeks was a farm labourer walking behind a tractor towed clod breaker made from old railway irons with a frame on top that I boy handled old logs and branches into to get the paddock ready for break in discing. Then spent 3 months hand slasher releasing young pine trees in forestry... blisters on blisters on blisters...before getting the choice job of axe felling fully mature plantation forests. At least this city boy worked out the wide open country spaces worked for me. Worked my way up to where I am now as a senior planning manager for an American corporate. I was still a very stuffed up guy well into my thirties before I finally matured, learnt to control the booze and drugs, respect myself and others and become a good person. The abundant rewards I have now seem so far removed from that childhood and I am proof that people can change if they want to and can learn how to. The greater honour I have is to have the most sweetest, cutiest, intelligent and beautiful young thai woman there is think I am the greatest Dad there is in this world....from the childhood I came from every "Dad" in all the different tones from her lips makes every boot, fist, leather strap. dog buckle, plate, potatoe sack pyjamas and sheets into the very bearable memories I now have. Looking back I would not change anything if it meant disturbing my fate to a different path from the three beautiful thai women (wife and daughters) I am blessed to have had in my life for the last 15 years, 

Edited August 19, 20197 yr by Roadman
rude words deleted