A Coventry Kid's Tale

Chapter 3: Frightening Experience

The child was to leave the Alex and the Crown cinemas behind and not go to them at all. Being the flea pits that they were, both cinemas used to let in "men in raincoats". Considering this was the children's Saturday morning show, the mind boggles!! The child became frightened to go to the cinema and while his friends were watching the show he (the child) would wander the streets until the cinema was over. The child had learned a valuable lesson, your body is your own and not for other people to abuse. (Only the people you want to.) (This of course with a knowing wink.) The child was now fast becoming a loner, which really is to last him all his life.
Back to the Gaumont and the Empire in Hertford Street the child went. Being half the price again to get in, nine pence instead of six pence, this being a small price to pay to be left in peace because these cinemas only let children in... life now started to return to normal.

With his trusty trolley (for now he had managed to pay off the H.P.) he set off around the streets of Hillfields (still not a field in sight), plying his trade of being a rag and bone boy. The clothes mounted up through the day until his trolley could carry no more!! Off he went up to the London Road for that is where they bought the clothes from you. "Two pounds ten shillings" said the man. "Done" said the child, and walked away happy. When arriving home the mother said "How much did you get son?". "One pound" said the child. "I keep half" said the mother. "OK" said the child with a smile on his face. Off he raced down to the fun fair in Gulson Road what a time he had, going on all the rides, and going on them again. Even enough money left to buy a family block of ice-cream. This he managed to eat all on his own. He slept well that night.

The father, whom the child knew well, for the first time in the child's life lost his temper. What for, nobody knew. Storming down the back yard the father kicked the bucket (a real bucket), his foot disappearing through the bottom of it because it was rusty. With the bucket firmly attached to the father's foot he went stomping around the back yard trying to shake it off, cursing as he went. The mother and the three children never seeing anything like this in their lives all ran out of the house in different directions. After a long time every body returned, peering around the back gate first to make sure it was safe. The father by now had calmed down and could also see the funny side of having his foot wedged into the bottom of the bucket. Just after this the father bought a new toy for the children. An "ice-cream tricycle". It had a "Dot" 125cc engine and started up every time. Pushing it to the back gate and then kick starting it, the child would then put it in gear and drive it down to the house. The mother was not to keen on this as the child might forget to put the brakes on and end up in the back living room. So it was turned around so the child could drive up to the back gate thus keeping everybody happy. (The Dot 125cc engine was later donated to Abbots Farm School, Rugby in 1982).