Don't tell me what to do

     When we were kids, though our upbringing was far from what would be considered  liberal, neither were we bound by sets of rigid rules.  Rather there was a general understanding of what  was expected.  We never had a set bedtime, were never required to clean our plates at mealtime, did not have to run home when the mill whistle blew, as many of our playmates did.  Of course, since most of the play activity occurred in our yard or on our porch, we already were home, but that wouldn't have mattered anyway.  We were expected to know what to do, to not cause or get into any trouble, and to pretty much exercise our own judgment, and follow our own counsel.  My mother did not use lot of words to direct our behavior; we instinctively knew what she meant, and, at least as it pertained to me, tried to oblige in every way possible. 
    In school there were rules, but if you followed them, as I happily did, there was no necessity to be told what to do.  I don't remember a single instance of having to be ordered to do something.  I knew the rules and followed them.   That's pretty much how it's been all my life.  Obey traffic rules and you don't need to go to court. Do your job the right way, and no one demands you do things any different.  Marry someone who doesn't care what's for supper, or what you spend on a shopping trip.  You can live your life without having to follow orders from  another person. It's worked fine for me---up to now.
    Now I'm voluntarily about to put myself in a position of subjugating myself to authority that will completely dictate my behavior for at least three days.  I hate having people tell me what to do.