Tyke Voices

She grabbed at the quarter full pop bottle neck, cream soda from Marsh’s, and held like a truncheon, in the harshest of voices produced an otherworldly sound, GETOUT!! “Give me a chance” and he stepped forward. Stood aside her I moved towards “****ing try it” I’d never seen those eyes. GETOUT!! He turned and left. He never normally got angry, or swore. I’d only heard him twice before. Once as a just unwrapped Dunlop 65, badly hooked, hit the Irish Sea and brought blasphemy and profanity, “Jesus ****ing Christ” and as he handed me his driver an inappropriate hidden smirk from me, his Sunday morning caddy, for a couple of shots and 20p The second at Elland road, stood on the Gelderd End Kop, Clarke swivelling before side footing in from twelve yards with me sat atop a stanchion, him stood behind, “Get the f*** in” and he shook me as I cheered, right arm aloft, scarf tied on the wrist, mimicking Sniffers celebration. Sharing in the mass elation. The best birthday treat. It wasn’t our fight. The adults crumbled. We were let down on all sides. Pre safeguarding times. No support, no care. Only the adults got choices, not the era to listen to five scared tyke voices.