Nicknames can be powerful tools. They are an indicator of the dynamic between the giver of the name and the receiver. They can be an expression of affection or aggression. A reflection of both parties. Nicknames are born from a variety of reasons: A physical characteristic, “Blue Eyes”. A disposition, “Grumpy.” Or it may simply rhyme with a given name, “Hanna Banana.” In this particular instance, Thunder-Piss came from the way my sister reacted to not getting her way in a particular situation.
My sister, Amanda, and I were sharing a bath (we shared baths until I was nine). At this time we were around four and two years of age. We liked to play “Lion King” in which we would collect bubbles from the water and form manes around our faces. My dad walked into the bathroom and said it was time to get out. I promptly removed myself from the bathtub and he wrapped a towel around me. My sister sunk below the bubbles. My dad told her to get out again. She said no.
Now...my dad is not the type of person one argues with. Which will become much clearer to you if you continue reading these stories of mine. The fact that she said no in the first place set my heart on vibrate.
My dad focused his complete attention on my sister, body squared towards the bathtub and tells her once more to get out. She does not respond so he moves forward, shoots his hand beneath the bubbles, and pulls the bathtub plug from the drain.
The water level begins to fall. Amanda shoots up to her feet and lets out an ear splitting screech. My father turns towards her, as do I, and as she balls her hands into fists and brings them to chest level she lets out the most forceful of pisses that were every pissed...into the draining bath water. I remember she was purple with fury and it is amazing that such a little body can contain so much rage.
She stops screaming at the same time she stops pissing. I look at my dad’s face which is a mixture of confusion, shock, and anger. My mom comes in from the other room and demands to, “know what is going on in here?!”.
My dad sputters that he doesn’t know what’s wrong with Amanda...”she just thunderpissed into the water when I told her to get out!”
Thus...the nickname Thunder-Piss was born.
It isn’t a name we called her often on account that she would fly into a rage whenever it was uttered. It was saved for occasions when she was being particularly nasty or obnoxious. This incident sticks in my mind for a couple reasons.
Firstly, I’m thankful I got out of the bathtub when I did. Secondly, my dad did not react in his usual way. He is the type to give broken bones and concussions when angered. His pulling the plug on the drain versus yanking my sister out of the tub was atypical.
When my dad explained what “thunderpissed” meant to our mother, she laughed, then he laughed. That is how I remember the episode ending, with our parent’s laughter, me standing off to the side wrapped in a towel, and Amanda standing naked, covered in bubbles in the empty bathtub.
JANUARY 2021