Lest We Forget

I remember those days when just a kid, the old ten shilling note, and the odd quid.* Teddy boys in their drain pipes, fur collars smelling of nicotine, street wise scholars. Conkers,* glass alleys* and comics as well, bow and arrows, gat* to ring the school bell. Electric tram, trolley bus and steam train holidays in Blackpool, not yet in Spain. Left over stew, dripping dispersed on bread, a choice of marg or jam, not both was spread. Roly-poly pud with custard, oh yes school dinners, oh the ridicule the stress. Journey in to space radio drama, while bathing in a tin bath pure karma. Medicals at school and nit nurses too combing for the eggs, washing with shampoo. No drugs, only cigs in small packs of five, fifty fifty dance halls, old and new thrive. Outside loo, oh them freezing winter nights oil lamps, a candle to enhance one’s lights. High street fish and chip shop charging nine pence, potato crisps, tab* of salt to dispense. Tanners,* hape’ny’s* and those threp’ny* bits, meccano sets, clockwork trains came in kits. Motorbikes, British pride on just two wheels, Triumph, BSA, a nation reveals. Alas long gone these balmy days of laze, happy to have played a part in this phase! *Quid:::: A one pound note (UK) *Conkers:;;; Game played with the fruit of the horse chest nut tree. *Glass Alleys::::: A type of Marble for the game of marbles. *Gat::::: A catapult, or slingshot.. *Tab::: One brand of crisps in the UK, place a small blue pack of salt in each packet *Tanners:::: A sixpenny coin *Hape’ny’s::: A halfpenny coin *Threp’ny bit::::: A Threepenny 12 sided coin, also called Thrupence depending where one resided in the North of England . © Harry J Horsman 2012