NEVER TOLD HER THAT.A Poem by Terry CollettTWO BOYS AND A GIRL IN 1950S LONDON
Sutcliffe walked
in a kind of shuffling his heels kind of way with hands in his pockets and school tie undone and hanging loose you’d walked home from school with him as O’Brien was off with dysentery I find that pottery teacher a bit of a twat he said the way he held up your work in that dismissive way to show you up you shrugged your shoulders I hate rolling out the messing clay and I’ve no idea how to make a pissy pot than how to make a pie like my mother’s he’s a pockmarked bugger anyway Sutcliffe said and the fecking car he drives to school that red sports job you came to the road where Sutcliffe lived and waited I’ll surprise him one day you said I’ll make him the fecking pot he wants Sutcliffe laughed and shuffled up the stairs to his flat with a wave of his hand and nod of his blonde haired head you walked over the crossing and down Meadow Row by the bombed out houses Ingrid was sitting on the kerb with her face in her hands she looked up at the sound of your approach what’s a matter with you sitting there all glum? you said no one’s indoors I’m locked out she said where’s your parents? you asked no idea I knocked and knocked but no one answered she said have to wait now until they come back when will that be? you asked God knows she said last time it was late as they went to the races and mum forgot to leave me the front door key and I had to wait out in the cold on the stairs until they got back you should have knocked at our door Mum’d got you something to eat and you would have been warm by our fire you said didn’t want to disturb anyone she said she looked at the road and closed her eyes well come home with me now Mum won’t mind and she’ll tell your parents where you are when they get back you said he won’t like it she said tough t***y you said she laughed and got out of the kerb and stood next to you are you sure your mum won’t mind? of course she won’t ok she said and you both walked down Meadow Row and crossed over to the flats through the Square you knew your mum wouldn’t mind she knew Ingrid’s parents and knew their ways and faults and his drunken voice and pushed back hat but as you walked with Ingrid up the stairs you never told her that. © 2013 Terry CollettReviews
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2 Reviews Added on September 14, 2013 Last Updated on September 14, 2013 Tags: BOYS, GIRL. LONDON, 1950S AuthorTerry CollettUnited KingdomAboutTerry Collett has been writing since 1971 and published on and off since 1972. He has written poems, plays, and short stories. He is married with eight children and eight grandchildren. on January 27t.. more..Writing
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