A Coventry Kid's Tale

Chapter 9: 13 years old

Even on Friday night the child always made sure he was always at home by 11pm. Not because he was good, but because he wanted to watch "The Outer Limits" on telly. The Outer Limits was a must on Friday night. He would leave the Locarno and walk to Arthur's, the chip shop, and buy a bag of chips, then race home to turn the telly on and watch the Outer Limits in the dark. The Outer Limits being very scary, the child would then have nightmares all night. What good fun.

Because of his busy agenda the child decided some things would have to cease. The first thing to go was "the Cov boys club". Although the child enjoyed playing snooker, table tennis and cards, it was not as exciting as his new found life. Besides his new love of the A.T.C. there were GIRLS out there as well. Some very nice ones too!! Life was changing fast for the child....

The next thing to go off his busy agenda was the confirmation classes. The child was now ready to be confirmed. The confirmation to be a full member of the church was to be at St. John's church in Corporation Street, Coventry. He duly arrived in his white confirmation frock "the first and last frock to be worn by him". Alongside other people he was made a confirmed member of the church. The child secretly enjoyed this confirmation as now he could have something to eat and drink on a Sunday morning church service at St. Peter's church at the top of Canterbury Street!!!!

St. Peter's was built in a Gothic style using a red brick which was unusual, having tall Lancet windows and a west tower containing one bell, it was consecrated in 1841.
However this was not to last long for on one Sunday morning the vicar gave his sermon and the very words he said were "Not all of the best Christians go to church on a Sunday, for the Lord knows who they are". At this the child thought "I'm a Christian, time out for myself" so saying to his mother "The vicar said I do not need to go to church anymore because I'm a Christian". The mother was flabbergasted for she had heard the same sermon. There was no argument and the child stopped going to church on every Sunday.
The smug smile on the child's face was to change when he found out later what was in store for him!!!!!!