A sample family. Invented people, stories and photographs, to show what Family Stories looks like. Nothing here is a real family’s record. Start your own, free
Sample family Invented people, stories and photographs, shown to explain the idea. Nothing here is a real family’s record.
Sample player. No audio file is attached, so it runs in silence to show how the transcript follows along.
Transcript
Typed up by the family. If a name or a place is spelled wrong, select Correct the text and fix it. Sample Invented for this sample.
Is it recording? Good. I can see the little light.
Saturday was the day I waited for all week. Mummy was up before the sun, and by the time I came out the whole kitchen smelled of masala.
The vegetable man came down our street with his cart, calling out what he had. We children knew his voice before we could see him.
Mummy never just bought things. She picked up every tomato, she asked after his mother, she asked about his knee. Buying vegetables took half the morning.
And then the bargaining. I never understood the numbers. I only remember that they were both smiling when it was over.
Pushpa will tell you I remember it too sweetly. Maybe I do.
What I miss is not the food. It is that nobody was in a hurry.
Written by Pushpa. Sample Invented for this sample.
I was too small to be useful, so I was given the job of sitting on the step and watching the gate. That is why I remember who arrived, in what order, and what they were wearing.
The neighbours cooked. Nobody asked them to. Pots appeared. Mummy stood in the middle of the yard saying she had not planned for this many, and then everyone ate.
Daddy made a speech that was mostly thank-you. He forgot two names and spent the next week apologising to both.
I wish I had counted the people. I wish I had asked who took the photographs.
Sample player. No audio file is attached, so it runs in silence to show how the transcript follows along.
Transcript
Typed up by the family. If a name or a place is spelled wrong, select Correct the text and fix it. Sample Invented for this sample.
Is it on? Okay. Sweets. You want me to start with the sweets.
The night before the festival nobody went to bed. The sweets were made after the little ones were asleep, so there was a rule that we were asleep.
We were not asleep. We lay on the mat and listened to the spoon going round and round in the pot.
Mummy said you could tell it was ready by the sound, not by the colour. I have been listening for that sound all my life.
In the morning there was a plate for each neighbour, covered with a cloth. We carried them round as if we were delivering something important. We were.
Leela says I have forgotten some of the order. I say the order was never the point.
Written by Leela. Sample Invented for this sample.
I do not remember anyone explaining it to a child. I remember the boxes, and Mummy wrapping the cups in newspaper one at a time, as if they might feel it.
On the last evening we ate on the floor because the table was already gone. Daddy told the story about the goat again. Nobody stopped him.
I walked through every room once. I wanted to be able to say that I had.
This is how I remember it. Thangam may remember it differently, and I would like to hear it.
Everyone in this family, once they sign in. Nobody else.
Consent
Recorded with the permission of Leela, who said yes at the start of the recording.
Leela can ask for any part to be cut, or for the whole story to be taken down, at any time.
Privacy · for every story
Private by default. Yours to take back.
Stories are some of the most personal things a family keeps. The rules below apply to every recording, photo and written story, and none of them can be switched off for you.
Only your family
A story can be seen only by the people in this family, once they sign in. Nothing is public.
The speaker says yes first
Every recording notes that the speaker agreed. The speaker can ask for a part to be cut, or the whole story taken down, at any time.
Everyone can add
Everyone in the family can add stories and photos. The person who started the family can undo or delete anything.
Delete, for real
When you delete a story or a photo, the file is removed from the server. It isn’t just hidden.
