A Coventry Kid's Tale

Chapter 9: 13 years old

This point in time was going to see a big change in the child's life, for now he had turned 13.
One day in school, playing in the playground, some people came and started to hand out free tickets for the Locarno, a new dance hall in Coventry centre. Wow, this was a dance hall to beat all dance halls. On Tuesday night he duly arrived and dressed in his best with collar and tie and jacket (they would not let you in without them). He went dancing. This was a must for the child but he did not know how to dance. The only dancing the child knew was what he had learned at school, and that was very old fashioned. Not to be deterred he soon managed to perfect the jive, this the child liked. The twist followed but he stuck to the jive. After a while the child found he could get into the Locarno on the "over 18" night. This was far more interesting, the girls a lot more mature and more fun. This now was a two night event every week for the child, but other things awaited?

On the corner of Lower Ford Street and Hood Street there was a pub called the Spittlemore. Now this pub had a window upstairs facing out onto both streets. A young lady lived in this room. If this lady saw you standing outside she would give you a treat by changing into something more comfortable, smile then walk away. This was a must like the Locarno but it came to an end eventually. But the child was learning fast!!!! Suffice to say the child will not say too much about this learning!

Back at school he was also learning fast. Now 13 he was asked if he would like to go abroad to Belgium on a school holiday. "Yes" he said. "Don't you think you should ask your parents first?" said the teacher. Off home he ran, not even stopping to play in the brook at the back of King Edward Street. "Mum, mum can I go on a school holiday to Belgium?" he said. "Wait till your father gets home" his mother said. Now he knew he could go!!! The very next day the child took the money for the holiday to school, he could not wait for Easter to come for that is when they would go to Belgium.