Tha knows nowt!

As a child, in the Deep South of Yorkshire, I was often accused of ” knowing nowt “. Not because I was ignorant but probably because, at times, I knew too much.
There is a saying there: “see all, hear all, say nowt”. Generally, I took, at the time, the meaning to be:- be observant, take it all in, find out all you can without letting others know the information you had gathered (about people especially). Until it became useful to divulge that information to whomever. Not at all a sinister activity, say to blackmail or catch someone out, but to tell the world out there that you were becoming shrewd, self aware and able to keep ones own council. To use the spoken word strategically, where necessary, as a tool.
Growing up in the 50’s and 60’s in a semi rural/industrial area was hard. Nothing was taken for granted. And yet there was a greater sense of community. Families in need were often helped by others. But, still, it was not wise to stand out, become extra-ordinary.
That was me, not being quite able to fit in somehow. A bit of a loner one might say. I was interested in more than common knowledge. Why were our bodies symmetrical, what was the universe made of, what was God (not a Zeus figure shooting fire bolts out of the sky) really?
It didn’t do to be seen to be a swot in school. That often led to, lets just say, complications of the pecking order kind. My general education was good and served a good foundation for later life. But I wanted to know more, much more, about the things that fascinated Me.
Well now, in my 63rd year of this life, my education has restarted. I have started to ask myself, just what DO I know?