A Coventry Kid's Tale

Chapter 6: Approx 9 years of age to 10 years

What a wonderful time he had, off to the seaside they went, he learned how to scoop the cockles out of the sand with a spoon, then to prise them out of their shell and eat them alive, yuk, not to be daunted he had his fill. The Guinness brewery was to follow, here they were shown around the vats where the rats fell in and died happily, to be dissolved and help to make the taste of Guinness what it is. At the end of the tour they were to taste the end product. The something said "This is bad for you". The child said "give it here", he never learned, after two pints the child staggered back home to relax in bed.

After two days the child felt well enough to play with the local children, "find the sixpence" someone said, the child thought this was a dear game, it was called "find the three pence" back home. The something said "You do not want to play this game" and dragged the child inside. The child thought "but I like this game". Ah well such is life.
The child was to fall in love again with the love of his life (but cannot remember her name), undying love he pronounced. A whirlwind romance, to be immediately forgotten when he returned home. Another trip he remembers is to the cinema to see the film "Torpedo Run" with Glenn ford (made in 1958). After seeing the film with plastic submarines in it they all went for pop and crisps. What a treat this was, for the child had never had "7UP" and the crisps were "cheese and onion". These were not to be found in England.

When the child returned home and fell back in with the pace of life, a letter arrived from Ireland, from the love of his life, asking why he had not written to her. The child being devious, wrote back saying he had slipped at the quayside and the ship had crushed his leg, being in hospital he had not had time to write. This, the child thought, was a good excuse, until two weeks later when arriving home from school his mother was to say "How many broken legs are you going to have today?" (found out). The love of his life had told Tom and Carmel's parents, then they had told off Tom and Carmel for not looking after the child, who then told the child's parents. Oh the shame.

Carol Crane was his next love of his life, who lived in Perkins Street, followed by Hazel Tooth, who lived in Winchester Street, but his life was now changing. He was to leave his old school behind (South Street) and go to Frederick Bird's school in Swan Lane. This was because he had failed his 11-plus exam. The very first question he could not answer, it asked "Sex?". How could he answer that one? So he left it blank !!! It was only a small box to answer in anyway.