Growing up

While I was growing up--an experience frequently punctuated by my father coming home, walking into the closet I shared with my brother, and saying, "Pack your stuff, kids. We're moving."--the best description of my character came from my paternal grandfather (a son of mill workers in Northern England, came back from military service in Egypt waving the red flag, graduate of Manchester University, left me a old editions of Trotsky's writings after he passed away). He said to me, when I was visiting him at his house outside of London, "Bolshie, that's you." I think I was about eleven or so.

That's been repeated a couple times since then, and all by folks from the UK. (I'm pretty sure it is a uniquely British expression). Short for Bolshevik, meaning rebellious, contrary, rabble rouser. It's true, bolshie, that's me. No surprise that anarchism is my natural home.