I was reading that when Oprah was a little girl the grandmother would switch her with some kind of tree branch called a switch. They called it "switching".

Sometimes I wonder if I was switched at birth.

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It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so. Robert A. Heinlein


09 Jetta TDI
1985 300D

A switch is a small tree branch converted to a weapon for use in disciplining children. I do believe it's a southern thang.

My mother used to use a wooden spoon. I remember one time she whacked me with it and it broke (but it didn't hurt at all). I laughed so hard and so long. She wasn't pleased with me at all that day.

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Jason Priest
1999 E430
1995 E420 - retired
1986 420SEL - retired

Our mothers must have grown up in the same town.

Another time, I pulled my hand away at the last minute and she hit her thigh. That...was a mistake.

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Chris
2007 E550 4Matic - 61,000 Km - Iridium Silver, black leather, Sport package, Premium 2 package
2007 GL450 4Matic - 62,000 Km - Obsidian Black Metallic, black leather, all options
1998 E430 - sold
1989 300E - 333,000 Km - sold
1977 280E - sold
1971 250 - retired

"And a frign hat. They gave me a hat at the annual benefits meeting. I said. how does this benefit me. I dont have anything from the company.. So they gave me a hat." - TheDon

Heh...I remembered when my grandmother broke her large wooden spoon - she whacked it on the table as a threat (one more time and you're going to get a beating) - well...this time a cm wide piece came right off the side.
Both of us were silent for a split second - then I laughed and she, although annoyed, giggled a little as well.

__________________
It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so. Robert A. Heinlein


09 Jetta TDI
1985 300D

I can only imagine.

My mother, too, used a wooden spoon. And she broke one on me one time as well.

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1985 300D, 237k.
1994 F-350, 6.9 diesel, 5 spd manual, Banks Turbo. 261k.
Sold: 1985 300CD- 267K

I was.. They gave me to the wrong mother in the hospital and when they brought my mom "me" she said that they brought her the wrong child since she had a boy and they brought her a girl. I wonder who I was given to for that short stint.. I wonder if they are rich.

I wish I got it with a wooden spoon. I went to a Catholic High School for 2 years. They used a "Board of Education". A good Christian Brother would use both hands while administering the Board of Education and teaching brotherly love.

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Thank You!
Fred
2009 ML350
2004 SL600
2004 SL500
1996 SL600
2002 SLK32
2005 CLK320 cabrio
2003 ML350
1997 C280 Sport

Switches were horrible.

Ruler. Stick. Hand. Whatever. It wasn't the pain, it was the embarrassment. Back in the old days we didn't have A/C and sealed houses so everybody was in everybody else's bidness all'a time.

Porches used to be for sitting-on in the evening. Parents would talk about their day while the kids caught fireflies. There was a certain unwritten etiquette about strolling by somebody else's home. You'd say howdy to each other. If no invitation was issued to come to the porch then you'd pass a few pleasantries and move-on. You'd invite somebody to the porch for a lemonade, iced tea of water. If you had alcohol you knew better than to invite non-drinkers up to the porch. That's when you'd invite the Catholics, Jews and Episcopalians to the porch.

B

X2

I can still here her, 45 years later, saying "Do I have to get the wooden spoon?"

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2009 VW TDI Jetta Sportwagon 172k miles (rear-ended harder than Elton John on 8/4/13. Total loss)

1991 Volvo 240 142k miles (T-boned by a stop sign runner. Total loss)

oh yeah the switch was used up north,too.

i cannot remember ever getting it myself, but i can remember mom asking my older sisters..."do i have to go cut a switch?"

it was the ultimate punishment for years.

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I went to Catholiic elementary schruel, and remember the board of education, the handle was wrapped with tape, like a baseball bat. Plus, there were air holes drilled in the contact end.

I remember getting it for "gambling", or shooting marbles(and dice )behind the school building after school one day, and then they called my parents... boy was I sore the next day.

No.

Can't you tell?

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1980 300D - Veggie Burner !