When I was born, my mother was only 16 years old and my father 17. Therefore, in order to give me all of the opportunities they possibly could, my parents gave me to my father’s older brother and sister-in-law to raise (although I knew my parents and kept in contact with them, beginning in my pre-teens). As a result, I grew up with my three cousins.
One afternoon, my cousin Chad (14) was watching the rest of us, with the exception of Megan (12), who was over at a friend’s house. Beginning that year, my uncle had told Chad that if Stacey (who was eight) or I (aged seven) ever misbehaved, he had my aunt and uncle’s permission to spank us.