Thread: He called himself a Eutherian

My dad never joined a church, he was cautious of groups. His was the generation that came of age before the Second World War, and he was intelligent enough to realise what had happened at mass rallies like Nuremberg. This was reinforced when, immediately before the German National Socialists moved in to Austria, he had broken a leg skiing there. Insurance had paid for him to share a private ward with an enthusiastic young Nazi officer for some weeks. Excitement and emotion used to evil purpose had made him cautious of all groups, nevertheless he was a Christian.

My mother was a member of The Society of Friends and secretary to her local meeting for a while. Dad would attend meeting sometimes, but he never joined, knowing Friends I don’t suppose he was ever asked to.

His working life was as a Biology master, and he was inordinately proud of those students who had gone on to follow related professions, such as medicine. Though his excesses would have appeared modest in most people, and his pride was in having the honour to associate with such achievers.

When I was a teenager he suffered from a perforated gastric ulcer. In those days the treatment was still an operation. I can vividly remember seeing him in the crisp white bed, his face almost the same colour as the pillow, even to the lips. It was my first real taste of mortality and a terrible shock, he was so far removed from the vigorous man I had always known.

His background must have given him considerable insight into his condition, it had not prepared him for the Sister. She came wielding a form and accompanied by a speechless acolyte, supposedly learning the trade. The form almost completed she concluded her inquisition with a demand for his religion.

“Christian”, he replied.
“I’ll put that down as C. of E. then, shall I?” she said
“Certainly not”
“You are a Catholic then?” lilted the speechless one with pleasure, revealing her Celtic origins.
"No"
“Agnostic”, countered the sister with finality, silencing the acolyte again with a glance.
“No, I am certain of my beliefs”, my father was not one to be organised into things he did not agree with.

The expression on Sister’s face showed this had now gone far enough, she did not have time to waste.
“I am sorry, but I must have a denomination Mr ...” She paused to check the sheet “Buckle”

The ignorance of his name, coupled with the bullying manner, irked him. He was ill, tired from loss of blood, and knew the information was only required in the event of the hospital being left with an unclaimed body, most unlikely.

“I am a Eutherian”, he replied, ending the matter and saving himself an argument.

After the operation young nurses would point him out “We have got one of them”, and wondered who might visit come Sunday. The junior doctors who came to check his progress read his notes and smiled quietly to themselves.

Eutheria (Greek: "true beasts") are a group of mammals consisting of placental mammals plus all extinct mammals that are more closely related to living placentals (such as humans) than to living marsupials (such as kangaroos), Eutherian, a member of this group.

I didn't know anyone else did that besides me. When I was much much younger I too described myself as a Christian, on forms asking for religion.

His other one was on boarding cards, where it said "Sex?" he would put "Yes"

I enjoyed reading this. I don't normally read, being on the different side of the paper (not having to put ink on it). This was a great first story/memory/article to read. I don't exactly like how the "sister" acted. I would also like to thank you for sharing a memory such as this.