GOING TO MARKET 1956

A BOY AND GIRL IN 1956 GOING TO A LONDON MARKET

Janice was quite excited
when I saw her
by Bath Terrace
(we'd agreed

to meet there )
Gran said you can come
with us to see Quo Vadis
Janice said

who's Quo vadis?
I asked
o Benny
she said

it's a film
it's about early Christianity
it's got Robert Taylor
and Deborah Kerr in it

sounds good
I said
when is it and where?
not sure but Gran said

she'll ask your mum
and well we'll actually go
Janice said
good

I said
(her gran whom
she lived with
was very protective

and strict)
so what shall
we do today?
I asked

Janice smiled and said
I told Gran we'd not
go too far as she does
worry although she

doesn't worry as much
if I'm with you
what about
East Street Market?

I asked
is it far?
she asked
not far if

we get a bus
I said
she searched the pockets
of her dress

I've only got 6d
she said
is that enough?
sure it is

I said
ok
she said
so we walked

to the bus stop
and got a bus
that went to the market
and sat next

to each other
and I paid the conductor
and when we got there
we went down

the market street
looking at the various stalls
and I showed her
the stall where I'd

bought a fish tank
a few months before
what did you buy
a fish tank for?

she asked
to put a gold fish in
I won at the fairground
on the bomb site

in Meadow Row
I told her
was it any good?
she asked

no it leaked
and the water came out
but my uncle mended it
with putty stuff

and the water
stays in now
I said
and is the fish

happy there?
she asked
no it disappeared
down the sink

in the kitchen
when I was
cleaning it out last week
o no poor gold fish

where'd it go?  
Janice asked
my mum said
it went to the River Thames

then out to sea again
I said
o I see
she said smiling

that's was lucky
I smiled
yes I guess it was
we walked around

the stalls then we went
to a small cafe
and bought lemonade
and two cakes

(I had money
left over from
my pocket money)
and we sat and ate them

and a man said to Janice
I like your red beret
she was shy but said
o thank you

but I gave the man
my John Wayne stare
but he walked off
and didn't seem to care.