You've given me something to think about.

As an aside, is "DH" Dear Husband?

It was my dad, not husband... but maybe I misunderstand the initials...

I can see what you are saying, though... because my father didn't learn language normally and was sent to my great aunt's school... I think she was rather a pioneer in that kind of education. I think she got her degree from Columbia.

So he may have felt a resistance to her, even though she was helping him.

I'm pretty sure he was dyslexic from so long not reading with the normal eye movement.

but I must say, it never occured to me that the description originated with him.

Good suggestion.

Thanks.

You've really got me thinking about this now...

I just remembered that when I was living in London with the topologist I met when he was here "thinking for our government" -- he was in a think tank in Monterey, California -- John had begun teaching for a bit in the East End... and I must have written this to my dad... though I don't exactly know how that would be because my dad deserted so often... but yes, I think I was in contact with him then because he'd written me that he would have thought I'd been smart enough to get an abortion.

(I had chosen not to marry, but not to not have children.)

Anyway, my father wrote me, "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach."

So maybe that was a reflection about how he felt about Aunt Laura... which I never ever thought about before...