I’ve Seen the Devil
I haven’t, but I knew a few kids who did. One of my best friends went to Catholic school, which was an endless source of envy for me. First, I wanted to wear the uniforms. Second, I wanted to go to private school. Third, I was dying, and I mean dying to go to boarding school. I begged and pleaded with my mother, even sent away for the brochures. I remember crying.
When that didn’t work, I tried for a scholarship to the Catholic high school in my old school district. I don’t remember how that ended up, but I think the deal was that I could go to the little Catholic high school down the street that was terrible, and that was a big “no” from me.
I’ve been reading a lot of my old childhood favorites lately, some disappointing (the Oz books), and some just as wonderful as always (Narnia & Harry Potter).
And somehow it brought me back to the devil. You see, someone in my friend’s class did see the devil. In fact, the devil appeared at this particular Catholic elementary school yearly.
No one said, “I don’t believe you.”
We all believed it. We all were certain that the devil was red with horns and a tail. We spent some time weighing what we would do if we did see the devil. And, I suspect, I was not the only one who was curious enough to wish the devil would show himself to me.
Most of all, I suspect I was not the only one who imagined myself the hero in an all-out battle with the dark one.
I remember that absolute belief that we, as little munchkins, could battle the devil and win, that we could be the heroes. But then, teaching all ages proved to me that children are stronger than adults, almost all the time. 
What did you believe, as a child?
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Natasha Fondren is a writer traveling the U.S. in a camper with her four cats. She is currently enjoying the lizards and desert heat in Arizona.
My next door neighbors went to Catholic school. I used to be jealous because they got off for all those Saints’ days. But that’s the only reason I was jealous.
I didn’t believe in the devil. I did think there might be a monster under the bed, but if I didn’t look at it, it would leave me alone. LOL I guess it worked. I’m the same way with spiders now. I tell them if they don’t crawl on me, I won’t kill them. If they crawl on me, forget it.
So, no, I didn’t dream of battling the dark one. Maybe because I had an older brother, the real dark one. Funny, I avoided him, too!
Oh YES! It seemed to me they had a day off every week, Edie!
I had three witches who lived under my bed. I lived in deathly fear that they would reach up and pull my legs off the bed. I was a fearful child. Even in summer, up until about fourth or fifth grade, I wrapped myself in a robe, a sleeping bag, a sheet, two blankets, and a comforter, LOL.
Well at one time I actually believed in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy. Didn’t really think to question what I was told! And there was one evening, at dusk, when my friends and I, for a few minutes, convinced each other that the fox fire by the base of the old birch tree at the edge of the woods was a ghost.
Me too! And oh how cool, Eric! I never could believe in ghosts, although I wanted to. What’s a fox fire? Must look up…
I wish we could all keep that brave mentality against the devil. How different this world would be.
When I was a kid, I believed my parents (especially my dad) were invincible. Through the years and lots of medical/health concerns, I’ve had to face different matters of fact.
So true, Janna! As a teacher, I used to push hard for them to reach a certain level before 4th grade, because once 4th grade comes, adult uncertainties and fears and complexes show up.
I’m so sorry about your parents.
The first thing that popped into my head is not nearly as poignant. When I was around 3 I was convinced I was the Pampers baby. Same hair & eyes, and even though no one ever said anything about it, I figured it was because they all knew & didn’t want to make a big deal about it. I don’t remember how old I was when I finally learned the truth, lol.
ROFL, Melanie! That is SO CUTE! That really cracks me up!
I believed a lot of scary things as a child. I’m still writing about them.
Jewel, I really need to mine that field, for sure!
I read my first Oz book as an adult and thought it sucked badly. I went to Catholic school, but it was so small and poor the families couldn’t afford uniforms.
Charles, I LOVED them as a child. As an adult, I could barely get through it. It was… awfully written.
I love Melanie’s Gerber baby story! I absolutely loved the Oz books when I was younger. I’ll have to resolve never to read them as an adult so that I don’t wreck the magic.
I was always scared of non religious but supernatural stuff, like vampires, witches, werewolves, etc.
Robin, I was CONVINCED that three witches lived under my bed. One was kind of nice, but still scary and not completely nice, and the other two were not. They were sisters. They lived to pull me off the bed and into their dungeon beneath my bed, should a toe, finger, hand, arm, foot happen to hang over the edge. I was very careful that this did not happen, LOL.
I’m still bummed about the Oz books. I’m going to try one more, just to be sure.
I loved them!