A Coventry Kid's Tale

Chapter 1: A Child is Born (20-01-1948)

His main means of entertainment during the day was "Rag, Tag and Bobtail", "The Flowerpot Men" and "Andy Pandy" - what a poofy thing that was. The entertainment at night was to shake the cot to pieces, now that was good fun. Things improved on the food range when teeth grew, only to find out later about the tooth pixie! Now they came back out for money. Half for eating, half for money.
Things also improved in the entertainment department when a budgie arrived! now that was fun. The budgie used to love music, so much it could not fly because of being giddy from going at 78RPM. Cor, the scratches on the records!!

As time went by he was allowed to play in the back yard, that was fun for about ten minutes. This was because he realised there were more things the other side of the walls. Climbing over the wall to next door he soon found out about the monsters as well (bitten by next doors' dog), so he was trapped inside the compound. He then set about amusing himself by filling all holes with sand, but the next day the hole would be back so it was filled again. This went on for a while until his dad sold the car, the petrol filler hole went with it alas.

Feeling trapped, his parents finally opened the gates. Freedom, he went through the gates at speed. Ah, the joy of freedom (little realising they had slammed the gates behind him just as fast!). For years he roamed the streets of Coventry before they let him return home at the age of four years. (This is because he cannot really remember the first four years). He decided to learn to ride a trusty steed. This was a tricycle. Round and round in circles he rode until that giddy he fell off. Oh for a brain, then he was shown how to ride in a figure of eight. This lasted a while until his brain realised he could ride in a straight line and just turn at the corners. He was gone like a bullet! The bike was confiscated, Dejected, he now took to roaming the streets looking for excitement. Wow, what a large world out there! Only one trouble with this child, he could not speak! His father, being of sound mind and body, decided he shall learn to talk. On a walk one Sunday, along the London Road, he took the child down to the allotments, the child being very trusting went with him, "Now son he said, what do you like to eat?" The child, bending his arm into the shape of a banana, smacked his lips. I know son said the father, but now you have to say it, shout it out so the world can hear!! So, drawing a deep breath the child let rip "BANANA" he cried. The first word ever spoken by him. Once started he was not to stop, Alma Street was to ring with the cry of "BANANA BANANA" for months to come because all the children in the area took up the same cry. To get him to change his cry, "bus" was the next word to try - this sadly to this day (2009) he has not mastered - it still comes out as "buzz". Fed up with the challenge to get him to stop his cry of "BANANA" his parents decided to have him committed to a solitary place of confinement. One quiet winter's night, covered with a blanket and playing quietly with his clockwork train set, they came for him. With tears in his eyes, men in white coats dragged him away. Into the back of a white van they locked him in, then they whisked him away to Whitley Isolation Hospital.