I had forgotten about this until your post but when I was about 7 or 8 I wanted a bookbag of my own so much that I dismantled an old portable record player I got myself for about 50 cents at a second hand shop and used the case as a book bag. It was 2'x2' wooden box and was covered in brown vinyl and was square and bulky but I thought it was pretty great. I put pencils, pens and paper and all my meeting books in it . I can't imagine what people thought when they saw this little kid hauling this hollowed out record player, into the Kingdom Hall. I sat in the first seat in the row so I could put it out in the asile like the grown up brothers did. The only problem was it was really heavy and you couldn't just open it up in place without it flopping open and everything spilling out into the asile. It had two latches on the top that each made a loud snap whenever I opened it. I had to haul it up bumping and banging on the seat in front of me and put it in my lap and hold it flat everythime I needed someting . Looking back I think it must have been an embarrasment to my Mom when someone gave her an old one for me to use.
It's these kind of things that make me feel sad for that little boy who was so willing and was trying so hard to be a part of the odd world he found himself in. Instead of him being exposed to fun and useful activities that would be of use in his future, he was walking around with a record player full of Bible literature and was being taught that the world, including his own non JW father, was going to be destroyed any minute.
I'll leave the childhood "tribulation" nightmares for another time.